The Truth About the Flu and the Common Cold
December 27, 2009
Holiday Season Sometimes Means Colds, Too Winter is a common time of year for people to develop colds or the flu. Who hasn’t had some kind of “bug” just when they are about to go on their long-awaited ski trip or family visit to Grandma and Grandpa for the holidays?
But just because its common and we’ve all been through it doesn’t mean we really know the truth about getting sick with a cold or the flu. Here are a few facts about colds and flu from the CEO of Cinergy health, Daniel Touizer, and the medical director, Dr. Margaret Lewin.
Influenza Virus
Coronavirus
Did you know that although there are many things in common between colds and the flu, they are not the same thing and are caused by different types of viruses? Both cause trouble to the upper respiratory system, causing stuffy noses, watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, discomfort breathing and the like; but the common cold is caused by many different viruses all of which are in either the adenovirus or coronavirus family, while the “flu” is caused by the influenza virus. The common cold is nothing more than a nuisance that we quickly recover from, but the flu, although usually we recover from this as well, can sometimes lead to very serious complications resulting is a lengthy illness and even sometimes in death.
Adenovirus
Because of the potential serious nature of the flu, it is prudent to become vaccinated against the possibility of the “flu” turning into something much worse. Check with your doctor or other healthcare provider and consider seriously becoming immunized against this winter’s influenza virus.
