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- The common cold: how acute respiratory infections differ from acute respiratory infections (ARI)
The common cold: how acute respiratory infections differ from acute respiratory infections (ARI)
The collective term "cold" hides a variety of diseases, from sore throats to the herpes virus. However, this is where the similarity ends. Each disease has its own characteristics and treatment methods. On diseases characteristic of the off-season, possible complications and how to reduce the risk of infection - in the material "Izvestia".
A mix of diseases
At the doctor's office, patients call colds almost all health problems with a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough and fever. Alina Kirichenko, a therapist at the National Medical Center LRC of the Ministry of Health of Russia, warns: these symptoms may be characteristic of different diseases that require different approaches to treatment.
- Thus, a bright sore throat, difficulty swallowing, enlarged lymph nodes and high fever may indicate the beginning of sore throat or, as it is also called, acute tonsillitis. It is usually caused by viruses, such as adenoviruses, or bacteria, most often streptococci, and complications can be very unpleasant, including tonsil abscess, rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis," comments Alina Kirichenko.
High fever, headache, body aches, cough, runny nose, fatigue - these are the first signs of influenza, the symptoms of which usually develop very quickly.
- All to blame is the influenza virus A, B, C types. It can also provoke extremely unpleasant complications, including pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis, as well as exacerbation of chronic diseases, such as asthma, - explains Kirichenko.
The therapist of the Scandinavian Health Center Olga Chistik notes that the incubation period of influenza is from a few hours to three days after the virus enters the body. The expert also advises against combining several diseases under one name "cold" - all diseases have their own unique symptomatology, or rather, its peculiarities, and can lead to different complications.
Flu or sore throat
Alina Kirichenko warns that flu is often confused with ARVI - acute respiratory viral infection. It is caused by a variety of viruses, including rhinoviruses, coronaviruses and others.
- ARVI- it is also not one diagnosis, and the association of a group of viruses- complements colleague Olga Chistik. - But the basis is inflammation of the respiratory tract. Among the symptoms: weakness, runny nose, sore throat, headache and fever. The incubation period of ARVI viruses is about three days.
According to Kirichenko, the symptoms of ARVI are similar to those of influenza, but less pronounced, and the disease itself is easier. However, complications are also possible with ARVI. They include sinusitis, otitis media and pneumonia.
- ARVI in turn is often confused with ARI - any respiratory acute illness- says Olga Chistik. - But ARI can cause respiratory viruses, there are about 200 of them, and pathogenic bacteria - for example, staphylococci and streptococci, and in acute respiratory viruses can be the causative agents of the disease only viruses.
According to Alina Kirichenko, the common cold is often called and herpes - rashes on the lips or genital area, which are accompanied by itching and burning, and sometimes a general malaise.
- Its cause is the herpes simplex virus (HPV), most often of the first or second type. Complications of this disease can be associated with the manifestation of herpetic infection of the eyes - keratitis, as well as the spread of infection to other parts of the body- says Alina Kirichenko.
When the runny nose passes
A typical manifestation of colds is a runny nose (or rhinitis) - inflammation of the nasal mucosa, which leads to a feeling of stuffiness and increased discharge. However, runny nose is not only a symptom of flu or ARVI, but also a sign of allergic reactions.
- Rhinitis can be acute and last a few days and chronic - for example, a chronic runny nose can develop from an acute one without proper treatment. With a normal immune system, a runny nose can take 7 to 10 days to cure," comments Olga Chistik.
Recovery time is an individual indicator, depending on the state of the body, medications taken and the start of therapy. If the immune system is weakened, the treatment may take several weeks, warns the expert.
Doctors do not advise taking runny nose lightly. Complications of this phenomenon can seriously undermine health. Among the ailments to which a runny nose leads are sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), otitis media (in this case, the infection spreads to the middle ear), frontitis (inflammation of the frontal sinuses, accompanied by a severe headache), as well as bronchitis and pneumonia.
Excessive cold as a cause of colds
Most often patients consider the cause of so-called colds to be hypothermia. However, the mechanism of infection with seasonal viruses is much more complex, emphasizes Olga Chistik. The very notion of "out of the weather" has two sides - excessive wrapping is as harmful as going out in the cold lightly.
- Cold can affect the weakening of the immune system even if a person is dressed too warmly. A person sweats indoors or on public transportation, and then goes outdoors without being insulated, causing hypothermia. As a result, the immune system is weakened, which leads to infection with the virus," says Olga Chistik.
Thus, the cold affects health not directly. If immunity was previously weakened, wet feet or a walk without a hat additionally hits the body, increasing the chance of infection, emphasizes the doctor.
How to speed up recovery
- Even if it seems that everything will go away on its own, you should not ignore the symptoms that appear. If the condition worsens, you should find time to visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment, and in case of acute course of the disease it is important to allow yourself to go on sick leave and call for help at home, - advises Alina Kirichenko.
From the expert's point of view, the basic advice that is relevant for almost all diseases is not to self-medicate. It is very important to refrain from taking antibiotics without a doctor's prescription. In addition, they are ineffective against viruses, but not everyone still knows about it.
- It is desirable to provide your body with temperature comfort. Do not overheat and hypothermia. Both can aggravate the patient's painful condition, - warns Kirichenko.
From the point of view of doctors, you should not refuse to rest - sleep perfectly restores the strength that the body needs to recover. Such attention to your body will perfectly support the immune system in the fall and winter period. In addition, you should follow a drinking regimen to maintain an optimal water balance.
- Sleep should be at least eight hours a day. Nutrition should be balanced. To identify the main deficiencies, take a test for ferritin, vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin B12, zinc. If necessary, they should be replenished, but only based on the recommendations of the doctor, - explains Olga Chistik.
Improper therapy or no therapy at all can lead to serious complications, the expert warns. Therefore, if the first unwanted symptoms appear, you should stay at home and call a doctor.
Doctors remind you to refrain from going to public places during the period of illness. This can lead to the spread of infection and worsen the patient's condition.
