by editor at Tuesday, October 13, 2009 in Conditions and Treatments
Tags: cold symptoms, common flu, H1N1 flu, treat cold symptoms
Cold Symptoms
Photo by T. Rob Brown
Similar viruses cause the common cold, “common flu,” and H1N1 flu, and the three different kinds of viral infections have very similar symptoms. Paradoxically, your cold and flu viruses are more contagious and virulent immediately before your symptoms appear than while they rage and ravage your body.
Once the tell-tale symptoms attack, do not try to work through them or “gut it out,” because you risk infecting others, and you seriously risk complicating your own infection. Give in, go to bed, rest, and give your body fair opportunity to recover.
An Ounce of Prevention
Although they will not protect you against the common cold, you should get flu shots. Immunization against the flu protects you, your family, friends, and colleagues. Lots of people depend on you and cannot afford to have you out of commission. Just as importantly, you do not want to pass a cold or the flu to them. For maximum protection, get both vaccinations—H1N1 and “common” flu.