Sick Feel Better Then Sick Again
November iv, 2019
A nagging cough and runny nose might mean y'all simply have a plain old common cold…just not all the time. Ofttimes, colds tin be the precursor to other, sometimes more than serious illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia, sinus infections and COVID-19. Hither are 3 ways to tell if your "common cold" might be something else.
Sign #one: Your Symptoms Came Out of Nowhere
While you never want to take hold of a cold, chances are that you can recognize 1 before information technology fully develops. Typically, a cold comes on slowly; y'all might feel run downwards, so wake up with a sore pharynx or a runny nose. From there, you could develop other symptoms such every bit cough and sneezing. A cold'due south onset ordinarily takes several days, with virtually symptoms lasting between a few days to two weeks.
On the other hand, an illness like the flu might accept you lot past surprise. Symptoms of other seasonal illnesses, including the flu, tin can develop rapidly—in a matter of hours instead of days. While you might experience groovy in the forenoon, by the afternoon you could have a fever and feel achy and run down. If your symptoms appeared with no warning, chances are it's non a cold. Mild allergies, which share similar symptoms to the common common cold, likewise occur immediately in the presence of an allergen and could exist the reason behind those sneezes.
Concerned that it might be the coronavirus? The onset of the symptoms of COVID-19 tends to be gradual and when those symptoms exercise appear, they may seem similar to other respiratory illnesses. If you're concerned that you take something more a unproblematic cold or allergies, consider getting a COVID-19 test and medical evaluation at your neighborhood MedExpress center, as COVID-19 symptoms present and so like to cold and flu.
Sign #2: Y'all Accept a Fever
A cold has many symptoms, including a headache, runny or stuffy olfactory organ, sore pharynx and sneezing, but for adults, it'due south not ofttimes accompanied by a fever. Oftentimes, though, children with colds may have a fever. Many other respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and the flu can cause yous to take a fever and are more likely the cause behind that cough, runny nose or headache. Sometimes other illnesses, like bronchitis, tin can be brought on past a common cold, so you may have developed a fever subsequently you initially began to feel under the conditions. These can include ear infections and sinus infections too, so it'southward of import to seek medical evaluation if you notice other additional symptoms developing.
Several of these symptoms, including a fever, dry out cough and tiredness, are also symptoms of COVID-19. If you're concerned that you take COVID-xix, quarantine yourself until yous can be tested at your local MedExpress. Delight note: If you experience difficulty breathing or shortness of jiff, chest pain/pressure and loss of speech or move, seek medical attention immediately.
Have you already been vaccinated? Early on data from the CDC1 shows that we are yet learning how well vaccines prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-nineteen to others, even if you practise not take symptoms. Nosotros still have a lot to learn but vaccines play a vital part in helping to fight the pandemic, along with masking, social distancing and proper hand washing.
Sign #three: Yous're Nonetheless Sick
Information technology'due south been two weeks, you've gone through iii boxes of tissues and you've skipped 4 meals because you oasis't felt well enough to eat. It might be obvious that you don't have a cold, simply if your symptoms haven't changed, it tin be hard to tell. Another style to tell the difference between a cold and another seasonal illness is the length of time that you lot feel your symptoms. The boilerplate cold lasts about three days to two weeks, so if your cough isn't going away, it could be considering the cold medicine isn't cutting it.
COVID-19, allergies, pneumonia, sinus infections and acute bronchitis can terminal for weeks—or sometimes months— rather than days. Keeping track of both your symptoms and when you commencement felt ill tin assist you determine if this pesky sickness is a cold or if it might be something else. If you've been ill for over a calendar week and your symptoms are worsening or lingering for as well long, yous should seek the help of a medical professional person.
What Should I Exercise Now?
While you may want to just curl up in bed and stay there forever, in that location are more than means to get better – though good old-fashioned rest doesn't injure! If you need some immediate relief, effort using a saline nasal rinse to assistance convalesce sinus pressure and congestion, or gargling with warm salt water if you have a sore throat. Over the counter medications can assist reduce symptoms, too, just brand certain to consult with your primary intendance provider before starting a new medicine. If yous're withal feeling under the conditions, don't sick it out—cease in at your local MedExpress. We have convenient hours, so you lot tin start feeling better sooner. There's no demand to be sick this season—trust MedExpress to assistance go you lot feeling better in no time.
Originally posted Nov four, 2019. Updated August 30, 2021.
This content was medically reviewed by Dr. Chris Howard, DO.
References:
one CDC: Key Things to Know About COVID-xix Vaccines. Last updated June 25, 2021. Accessed June 30, 2021.
Source: https://www.medexpress.com/blog/better-health/3-signs-it-may-be-more-than-common-cold.html
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