Prevention of Flu in 10 Steps

Prevention of Flu in 10 Steps

Common cold(flu) is a  nasal and bronchial irritation, resulting in sneezing and coughing. Usually only affects upper respiratory passages. Secondary bacterial infection may occur. It is caused by large variety of viruses, most commonly Rhino-Virus( RNA virus). It's method of spread includes air or droplet infection. The common cold (also known as nasopharyngitis, rhinopharyngitis, acute coryza, head cold) is a viral Infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract which primarily affects the nose. Symptoms include coughing, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, and fever which usually resolve in seven to ten days, with some symptoms lasting up to three weeks. Well over 2000 virus strains are implicated in the cause of the common cold; the rhino viruses are the most common.

Upper respiratory tract infections are loosely divided by the areas they affect, with the common cold primarily affecting the nose, the throat (pharyngitis), and the sinuses (sinusitis), occasionally involving either or both eyes via conjunctivitis. Symptoms are mostly due to the body's immune response to the infection rather than to tissue destruction by the viruses themselves. The primary method of prevention is by hand washing with some evidence to support the effectiveness of wearing face masks. The common cold may occasionally lead to pneumonia, either viral pneumonia or secondary bacterial pneumonia.

No cure for the common cold exists, but the symptoms can be treated. It is the most recurrent contagious disease in humans with the average adult getting two to three colds a year and the average child getting between six and twelve. These infections have been with humanity since ancient times.

  The characteristic symptoms of a cold include a cough, a running nose, nasal congestion and a sore throat, sometimes accompany by muscle ache, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite. A painful throat is present in about 40% of the cases and a cough in about 50%, while muscle ache occurs in about half. In adults, a fever is generally not present but it is common in infant and young children. The cough is usually easygoing compared to that accompanying influenza. While a cough and a fever indicate a higher risk of influenza in adults, a great agreement of resemblance exists between these two conditions.  A number of the viruses that cause the common cold may also result in asymptomatic infections. The color of the sputum or nasal secretion may vary from clear to yellow to green and does not point to the class of agent causing the infection.

Succession

A cold usually begins with fatigue, a feeling of being chilled, sneezing and a headache, followed in a couple of days by a runny nose and cough. Symptoms may begin within 16 hours of contact and typically peak two to four days after onset. They usually resolve in seven to ten days but some can last for up to three weeks. The average interval of cough is 18 days and in some cases people inflate a post-viral cough which can stay behind after the infection is gone. In children, the cough lasts for more than ten days in 35–40% of the cases and continues for more than 25 days in 10%.  

                                           

1. Wash your hands regularly. This is probably the single best measure to prevent transmission of colds. Especially after shopping, going to the gym, or spending time in public places, hand washing is critical. Frequently hand washing can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people. You can also carry a small tube of hand sanitizer or sanitizing hand wipes when visiting public places. Teach your children the importance of hand washing too.

2. Avoid touching your face, especially the nose, mouth, and eye areas, if you are around someone with a cold or have been touching surfaces in a public area.

3. Don't smoke. Cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds and other infections. Even exposure to passive smoke can make you (or your children) more vulnerable to colds.

4. Use disposable items if someone in your family is infected. Disposable cups can be thrown away after each use and prevent accidental spread of the virus from sharing of cups or glasses. This is particularly important if you have young children who may try to drink from others' cups.

5. Keep household surfaces clean. Door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks can all harbor viruses for hours after their use by an infected person. Wipe these surfaces regularly with soap and water or a disinfectant solution.

6. If your child has a cold, wash his or her toys as well when you are cleaning household surfaces and commonly-used items.

7. Use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand washing. Germs can live for several hours on cloth towels. On the other hand, have separate towels for each family member and provide a clean one for guests.

8. Throw tissues away after use. Used tissues are sources of virus that can infect any surface where they are left.

9. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there isn't direct evidence to show that eating well or exercising can prevent colds, continuation of a healthy lifestyle, with sufficient sleep, good nutrition and physical exercise can help ensure that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight infection if it occurs.

10. Control stress. Studies have shown that people experiencing emotional stress have weaken immune systems and are more liable to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.