| General Illness Information |
Medical Term: |
Upper
Respiratory Infection, URI |
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Common name
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Common Cold |
| Description: |
A contagious viral infection of the
upper-respiratory passages
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| Causes: |
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Any of at least 100
viruses. Virus particles spread through the air or from
person-to-person contact, especially hand-shaking.
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| Prevention: |
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* Wash hands frequently,
especially after blowing your nose or handling food.
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* To prevent spreading a
cold to others, avoid unnecessary contact during the
contagious phase (first 2 to 4 days).
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* Avoid crowded places
when possible, especially during the winter.
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* Eating a
well-balanced, healthy diet that includes plenty of citrus
fruits and other sources of vitamin C.
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Some herbal supplements such as Echinacea,
Goldenseal are popular as preventives. |
| Signs
& Symptoms |
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* Aches and pains.
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* Runny or stuffy
nose. Nasal discharge is watery at first, then becomes
thick and yellow.
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* Sore throat.
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* Hoarseness.
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* Cough that
produces little or no sputum.
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* Low fever or no
fever.
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* Fatigue.
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* Watery eyes.
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* Appetite loss.
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| Risk Factors |
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Exposure to
infected individuals
Touching one's nose
or conjunctiva with contaminated fingers
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| Diagnosis & Treatment |
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This is a clinical diagnosis.
No
specific tests are necessary.
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| General
Measures: |
|
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Use a cool-mist,
ultrasonic humidifier to increase air moisture. Clean
humidifier every day.
|
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For a baby too
young to blow his nose, use an infant nasal aspirator.
If mucus is thick and sticky, loosen it by putting 2
or 3 drops of salt solution into each nostril.
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Don't insert
cotton swabs into a child's nostrils. Instead, catch
the discharge outside the nostril on a tissue or swab,
roll it around and pull the discharge out of the nose.
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| Medications: |
|
No
medicine, including antibiotics, can cure the common cold. To
relieve symptoms, you may use non-prescription drugs, such as
acetaminophen, decongestants, nose drops or sprays, cough
remedies and throat lozenges. Some herbal supplements such as Echinacea/Goldenseal
may help in alleviating symptoms.
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| Activity: |
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Bed
rest is not necessary, but avoid vigorous activity. Rest
often.
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| Diet: |
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Regular
diet. Drink extra fluids, including water, fruit juice, tea
and carbonated drinks. |
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| Possible
Complications : |
|
Lower respiratory tract
infection
Bronchial
hyperreactivity
May lead to exacerbation
in patients with asthma and chronic lung disease
Otitis media (2% of
colds)
Acute sinusitis (0.5% of
colds)
Pneumonia
Rhinitis medicamentosa
(from over use of nasal sprays)
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| Prognosis |
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Excellent.
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| Other |
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