Which is more serious, viral flu or bacterial flu?

Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

Updated on June 12, 2025

00:00

00:00

Compared to viral colds, bacterial colds are somewhat more severe, often due to secondary bacterial infections that result from complications. Clinically, about 80% of colds initially stem from viral infections. Therefore, treatment should primarily focus on symptomatic relief combined with antiviral medications. If a bacterial infection occurs, it is due to decreased immunity leading to a secondary infection, and treatment should involve antibiotics such as penicillin or macrolide antibiotics for anti-inflammatory purposes.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Li Xue Qing

Gastroenterology

38sec

home-news-image

Symptoms of a stomach cold

The symptoms of gastroenteritis primarily manifest in two areas: symptoms of an upper respiratory infection and gastrointestinal symptoms. The symptoms of an upper respiratory infection mainly include dizziness, headache, fatigue, and fever. The main symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract are vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Furthermore, when vomiting and diarrhea are severe, it can lead to body dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, potentially causing symptoms of shock. This might present as general weakness, sweating, irregular heart rate, among other symptoms.

home-news-image

Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

1min 9sec

home-news-image

How to alleviate the symptoms of a cold?

Cold refers to the condition where the upper respiratory tract is infected by various pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, and chlamydia, leading to symptoms primarily in the upper respiratory tract, which is called a cold. Generally, the symptoms of a cold mainly include a runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, chills, fever, cough, and painful throat. In addition, there may be symptoms like chest tightness and shortness of breath. As it stands, the symptoms of a cold are self-limiting, meaning they can generally improve within seven to ten days without medical treatment. During a cold, due to frequent symptoms and impact on daily life, it is possible to treat with common cold medicines. Currently, Western medicines available on the market can treat cold symptoms. Furthermore, drinking some brown sugar ginger tea to induce sweating can also provide relief. (Please use medication rationally under the guidance of a professional doctor, and do not use medication blindly.)

home-news-image

Written by Hu Bai Yu

Pulmonology

59sec

home-news-image

Symptoms of cold include weakness in the limbs.

If you experience weakness in your limbs during a cold, it is important to consider that this may be caused by the invasion of bacteria or viruses, leading to muscle soreness and weakness. There may also be accompanying symptoms such as mild fever, chills, or fatigue. It is advised to pay attention to these signs and visit a hospital for a routine blood test to identify the cause of infection. Subsequently, take the appropriate anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications to treat and alleviate symptoms. During this period, it is crucial to rest adequately, avoid overexertion, maintain a positive mood without too much stress, avoid staying up late, and cooperate actively with medical treatment to ease symptoms. If you notice an increase in body temperature, you should use physical cooling methods or take fever-reducing medication to lower your temperature.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Chun Mei

Pulmonology

58sec

home-news-image

What is the difference between a stomach cold and a common cold?

Gastrointestinal flu and common cold have certain differences. The so-called gastrointestinal flu, clinically, often involves some viruses infecting the respiratory tract, which causes patients to have not only upper respiratory symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, fever, and throat itchiness. These patients will also experience gastrointestinal discomforts like nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and a decrease in appetite. These symptoms indicate gastrointestinal flu. On the other hand, patients with a common cold typically exhibit only upper respiratory symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, fever, throat itchiness, and coughing. Generally, a common cold does not accompany symptoms like abdominal distension, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

home-news-image

Written by Hu Bai Yu

Pulmonology

1min

home-news-image

Symptoms of a cold

If it's just a common cold, then the symptoms are relatively mild, consisting only of some sneezing, a runny nose, and nasal congestion. However, if bacterial or viral infections are involved, the symptoms become more severe. A common cold is self-limiting and usually resolves itself in about seven days without the need for medical intervention. If a viral infection is causing the cold, the onset of symptoms is typically sudden and may include fever, cough, expectoration, headache, body aches, and fatigue. It is also important to note that in such cases, treatment should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor and may involve taking medication. Physically cooling methods or fever-reducing drugs may be used to reduce fever. Bacterial infections can also cause symptoms like cough, expectoration, and fever, and it is advised to actively treat these symptoms appropriately.