The difference between viral influenza and the common cold.

Written by Zou Zhong Lan
Pulmonology
Updated on September 19, 2024
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The common cold is mostly caused by viruses and has milder symptoms, mainly including cough, nasal congestion, and runny nose. It tends to resolve on its own, and the whole-body symptoms are mild. Viral colds usually refer to colds where a specific pathogen can be identified, also known as influenza, such as H1N1, H3N2, type A influenza, and type B influenza prevalent in the winter and spring seasons. Its whole-body symptoms are more severe, mainly including fever, sore throat, headache, whole-body muscle soreness, poor spirits, fatigue, and other systemic symptoms.

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Can babies spit up milk when they have a cold?

After a baby catches a cold, symptoms such as vomiting milk can occur. Following a cold, the secretion of digestive enzymes decreases, which can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms including sudden nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. When cold-induced vomiting is severe, it's important to feed the child a light, easily digestible diet and administer antiemetic medications, such as Vitamin B6, compound rennin, or aluminum phosphate gel, which can effectively stop the vomiting. Additionally, it is crucial to actively treat the cold, primarily through symptomatic treatment, increased fluid intake, and taking cold medicine.

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What to eat when you have a cold, headache, and nasal congestion?

If you have symptoms such as headache and nasal congestion with a cold, it is recommended that in addition to taking anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications and cold medicine under the guidance of a doctor, you should also eat some foods that have the effect of expelling colds, such as appropriately boiling some brown sugar ginger juice to drink, or frying eggs with ginger and sesame oil. These dietary methods have the effect of expelling cold and stopping cough, and can also relieve symptoms of nasal congestion and headache well. If the pain is severe, you can take pain relief medication and combine it with massaging the temples to alleviate symptoms. Be sure to rest plenty, avoid overexertion, keep indoor air fresh and circulating, and also pay attention to eating more fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamins, enhance your immunity, and promote disease recovery.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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What should I do if a cold and fever persist?

It is necessary to take corresponding interventions based on the degree of fever to prevent complications such as high fever convulsions and coma. Firstly, drink more water and rest more. You can wipe your palms, feet, neck, and inner thighs—areas where major blood vessels pass—with warm water or alcohol, which can help restore body temperature. You can also use a cool towel or ice packs to compress the forehead, which can protect brain cells and be effective. Along with taking antipyretic and analgesic drugs for symptomatic treatment, re-measure the temperature after two hours.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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What is the best treatment for a mild cold?

Minor colds generally do not require medication. If your resistance is normal, adjusting your diet and ensuring proper rest usually allows for natural recovery. In terms of diet, it's important to avoid overly greasy, high-calorie foods, prevent overeating, maintain indoor air cleanliness, drink more ginger tea, avoid staying up late, take your temperature twice daily, and consume fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, such as kiwi, tomatoes, dragon fruit, and mango. Typically, recovery occurs within three to seven days.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
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Is having phlegm in a cold due to wind-cold or wind-heat cold?

Simple cases of colds accompanied by coughing phlegm cannot distinguish between cold-induced colds and heat-induced colds. Clinically, patients with heat-induced colds often have yellow phlegm when coughing occurs, and heat-induced colds are more common in summer. Patients will also experience fever, chills, and sore throat among other clinical symptoms. Wind-cold colds clinically manifest with nasal congestion and a runny nose, usually with clear nasal discharge, as well as fever, itchy throat, and dry cough. When patients cough, it is typically characterized by clear phlegm. Therefore, if one simply states that a cold involves phlegm, it is not possible to differentiate between wind-cold cold and wind-heat cold.