How do flu and cold symptoms differ. What causes watery eyes during respiratory infections. Can you distinguish between flu and cold based on eye symptoms. When should you seek medical attention for flu or cold symptoms. How long do flu and cold symptoms typically last. What are the most effective treatments for flu and cold.

Understanding Flu and Cold: Viral Culprits Behind Your Discomfort

Respiratory infections like the flu and common cold can leave you feeling miserable, with symptoms ranging from a runny nose to fever and body aches. But what exactly causes these illnesses, and how can you tell them apart?

The common cold is caused by over 200 distinct viruses, while the flu (influenza) is triggered by a much smaller group of viral strains. This difference in viral origins contributes to the varying intensity and duration of symptoms between these two illnesses.

Viral Diversity: Cold vs. Flu

• Common cold: 200+ distinct viruses
• Flu: handful of influenza virus strains

Understanding the viral causes can help explain why flu symptoms are often more severe and why flu vaccines are developed annually to target specific strains.

Ocular Symptoms in Flu and Cold: Why Your Eyes Water

Watery eyes are a common symptom in both flu and cold, but the underlying mechanisms differ slightly. In cold cases, watery eyes often result from nasal congestion and inflammation of the tear ducts. For flu sufferers, watery eyes may be accompanied by more severe symptoms like photophobia (light sensitivity) and eye pain.

Causes of Watery Eyes in Respiratory Infections

1. Viral irritation of eye tissues
2. Nasal congestion affecting tear drainage
3. Inflammation of tear ducts
4. Increased tear production as a protective mechanism

Are watery eyes more common in flu or cold? While both illnesses can cause this symptom, it’s generally more pronounced and accompanied by additional eye discomfort in flu cases.

Distinguishing Flu from Cold: Key Symptom Differences

Differentiating between flu and cold can be challenging, but certain symptoms and their onset can provide valuable clues. Flu symptoms tend to be more severe and develop rapidly, while cold symptoms often appear gradually.

Flu-Specific Symptoms

• High fever (above 102째F or 39째C)
• Severe body aches and fatigue
• Dry, persistent cough
• Sudden onset of symptoms

Cold-Specific Symptoms

• Mild to moderate fever
• Gradual onset of symptoms
• More pronounced nasal congestion
• Wet, productive cough

Does the presence of watery eyes indicate flu or cold? Watery eyes alone cannot definitively diagnose either condition, as they occur in both illnesses. However, when combined with other symptoms, they can help paint a clearer picture of which virus you’re dealing with.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Flu or Cold Symptoms

While most cases of flu and cold can be managed at home, certain situations warrant medical attention. Understanding when to consult a healthcare professional is crucial for preventing complications and ensuring proper treatment.

Signs You Should See a Doctor

• Fever above 103째F (39.4째C) or lasting more than three days
• Difficulty breathing or chest pain
• Severe headache or neck stiffness
• Confusion or decreased alertness
• Persistent vomiting
• Symptoms improving then suddenly worsening

Is it necessary to see a doctor for every case of flu or cold? Generally, no. Most healthy individuals can recover from these viral infections without medical intervention. However, those with pre-existing health conditions, weakened immune systems, or severe symptoms should consult a healthcare provider.

Duration and Treatment of Flu and Cold Symptoms

Both flu and cold symptoms typically last around 10 days, although the recovery process can vary from person to person. While there’s no cure for either illness, various treatments can help alleviate symptoms and promote faster recovery.

Effective Treatment Strategies

1. Rest and hydration
2. Over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers
3. Nasal decongestants and saline sprays
4. Antiviral medications (for severe flu cases)
5. Humidifiers to ease congestion

Can antibiotics help treat flu or cold? No, antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections like flu and cold. They should only be used if a secondary bacterial infection develops.

Natural Remedies for Congestion Relief

While over-the-counter medications can be effective, many people prefer natural remedies to alleviate congestion and other symptoms associated with flu and cold. These remedies can be particularly helpful for those seeking to avoid potential side effects of pharmaceutical options.

Popular Natural Congestion Remedies

• Steam inhalation with essential oils
• Neti pot nasal irrigation
• Honey and lemon tea
• Eucalyptus oil chest rubs
• Spicy foods to clear sinuses

Do natural remedies work as well as over-the-counter medications? While natural remedies can provide relief for many people, their effectiveness can vary. Some individuals may find them just as effective as OTC options, while others may prefer a combination of both approaches.

Preventing the Spread of Flu and Cold Viruses

Prevention is key when it comes to respiratory infections like flu and cold. By implementing proper hygiene practices and taking proactive measures, you can significantly reduce your risk of contracting or spreading these viruses.

Essential Prevention Strategies

1. Regular hand washing with soap and water
2. Using alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap isn’t available
3. Avoiding touching your face, especially eyes, nose, and mouth
4. Staying home when sick to prevent spreading the virus
5. Getting annual flu vaccinations
6. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle to boost immune function

Is hand washing or hand sanitizer more effective in preventing flu and cold? Both methods are effective when used correctly. Hand washing is preferred when hands are visibly dirty, while hand sanitizers are convenient for on-the-go use.

Coping with Night-Time Cough and Congestion

Many flu and cold sufferers find their symptoms worsen at night, particularly coughing and congestion. This can lead to disrupted sleep and slower recovery. Understanding why this happens and implementing strategies to alleviate nighttime symptoms can significantly improve your comfort and healing process.

Reasons for Worsening Night-Time Symptoms

• Lying down increases postnasal drip
• Lower cortisol levels at night affect immune response
• Dry air in bedrooms can irritate airways
• Reduced fluid intake during sleep leads to thicker mucus

Strategies for Night-Time Symptom Relief

1. Elevate your head with extra pillows
2. Use a humidifier in your bedroom
3. Take a warm shower before bed to clear airways
4. Try over-the-counter nighttime cold and flu medications
5. Sip warm herbal tea with honey before sleep

Can certain foods or drinks help alleviate nighttime flu and cold symptoms? Yes, warm liquids like herbal teas can help soothe sore throats and clear congestion. Foods rich in vitamin C and zinc may also support immune function and potentially reduce symptom duration.

By understanding the differences between flu and cold, recognizing key symptoms, and implementing effective treatment and prevention strategies, you can better manage these common respiratory infections. Remember to consult a healthcare professional if you experience severe symptoms or have underlying health conditions that may increase your risk of complications.

How to Tell the Difference in Your Symptoms

You have a runny nose, a cough, a fever, and a pounding headache, but what’s making you feel so awful? Figuring out whether you’re dealing with the common cold or the flu is often hard to tell.

Finding the Cause Depends on the Type of Virus

Both a cold and the flu, or influenza, are respiratory infections, but they’re caused by different viruses. A cold can be caused by any one of more than 200 distinct viruses, while there are only a handful of viruses that cause the flu.

As a general rule, the flu is usually more intense and fierce than the common cold. In some situations, it can be important to know if you have the flu, since it is more likely to lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, bacterial infection, or hospitalization. “Watch out for a fever that goes away and then comes back. That could mean that a cold or flu has turned into a bacterial infection,” warns Charles Foster, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases in Ohio.

Key Symptoms of the Flu

Symptoms that indicate flu tend to be more severe than with a cold and include high fever (above 102 F), nausea, cough without phlegm, chills, body aches, sweating, and lack of appetite.

Difference Between the Onset of Cold vs. Flu Symptoms

In addition to examining your symptoms, watching how they develop can give you a clue as to which illness you have. Cold symptoms tend to develop gradually, while flu symptoms can come on suddenly, without warning.

Learn more about Cold and Flu Symptoms

Seeking Medical Care to Determine if You Have a Cold or the Flu

Your doctor can perform tests in the first few days after you develop symptoms to determine whether you have a cold or the flu. However, you usually don’t need to visit the doctor unless your symptoms are severe, you have a pre-existing health problem that puts you at high risk of a complication, or your symptoms indicate a more serious infection.

Whether you have a cold or the flu, expect your symptoms to stick around for about 10 days. There is no cure for a cold, but in some severe cases of the flu, your doctor may recommend an antiviral medication to speed up your recovery time. Antiviral drugs are considered a second line of defense after flu vaccinations.

Since both the common cold and the flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria, antibiotic medicines are not of any use in combating them.

Get plenty of rest, avoid smoking and alcohol, drink plenty of water and juice, and take over-the-counter medication to treat specific symptoms and help you feel better as your body fights off the infection.

Learn more about Cold and Flu Treatment

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Colds and the Flu: Tips for Feeling Better

Am Fam Physician. 2006;74(7):1179-1180

How can I tell if I have a cold or the flu?

Colds and the flu cause many of the same symptoms. But colds are usually mild, while the flu tends to be more severe.

A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing, and having a runny nose. You may not have a fever, or you may run a low fever—just 1 or 2 degrees higher than usual. You may have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes, and a headache.

The flu starts suddenly and hits hard. You will probably feel weak and tired and have a fever, dry cough, a runny nose, chills, muscle aches, a bad headache, eye pain, and a sore throat. It usually takes longer to get over the flu than a cold.

What causes colds and the flu?

More than 100 different viruses can cause colds. There aren’t as many viruses that cause the flu. That’s why there is a shot for the flu and not for colds. To keep from getting the flu, all children between six months and five years of age, adults older than 50 years, and people with asthma or lung problems should get a flu shot every October or November.

What can I do to feel better?

There is no cure for a cold or the flu. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. Unless you have the flu and see your doctor within two days after your symptoms start, all you can do to feel better is treat your symptoms while your body fights off the virus. You can also use over-the-counter cold medicines to help you feel better. Do not give children cold medicine without checking with your doctor first. People who take prescription medicine also should check with their doctor before taking over-the-counter cold medicine.

Ways to treat your cold and flu symptoms

• Stay home and rest, especially while you have a fever.

• Stop smoking, and avoid secondhand smoke.

• Drink plenty of fluids like water, fruit juices, and clear soups.

• Do not drink alcohol.

• Gargle with warm salt water a few times a day if you have a sore throat. Throat sprays or lozenges may also help with the pain.

• Use a nose spray to help loosen mucus and moisten the skin in your nose.

Should I call my doctor?

Most people do not need to see a doctor when they have a cold or the flu. But if you have any of the symptoms in the box below, call your doctor.

Emergency cold and flu symptoms

In children:

• Fever above 102°F (38.9°C) or a fever that lasts a long time

• A cold that lasts for more than 10 days

• Trouble breathing, fast breathing, or wheezing

• Bluish skin

• Not drinking enough fluids

• Earache or drainage from the ear

• Mental changes (such as trouble waking up, irritability, or seizures)

• Flu-like symptoms that get better but come back later with a fever and a worse cough

• Chronic medical problems (such as diabetes or heart disease) that get worse

In adults:

• Fever above 102°F (38. 9°C) or a fever that lasts a long time

• A cold that lasts for more than 10 days

• Trouble breathing or shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the chest

• Fainting or feeling like you are about to faint

• Confusion

• Severe vomiting

• Very bad pain in your face or forehead

• Hoarseness, sore throat, or a cough that won’t go away

Influenza and acute respiratory viral infections – Argun Hospital 1

Colds (ARVI, acute respiratory infections) and influenza are infectious diseases that are caused by viruses. They differ from each other in symptoms, as well as in violation of the functions of certain organs.

Acute respiratory infections mainly affect the upper respiratory tract, ie the nose and pharynx. Symptoms of these diseases include runny nose, watery eyes, weakness, headache, sore throat. Respiratory diseases occur more often in the cold season, but can also be observed in the spring and summer months. SARS last in most cases from 5 to 10 days. Early treatment of such diseases leads to a reduction in symptoms and promotes a rapid recovery.

A completely different picture is observed with influenza infections, which develop mainly in the winter months. Influenza affects not only the respiratory tract, but the entire body. The disease occurs suddenly and is characterized by more severe symptoms. This is, first of all, a high temperature, often accompanied by a feeling of cold up to severe chills. In addition, there is a headache, pain in the joints, muscles and back, a feeling of weakness, aches all over the body, severe weakness. Acute symptoms occur most often within a week. Residual effects – weakness, loss of strength can persist for several more weeks.

Influenza weakens the body and reduces resistance to other diseases. It is especially dangerous for young children, the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory systems, diabetes mellitus and immune disorders.

There are several types of infection: adenovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus, metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial, parainfluenza. The diagnosis is established by symptoms and epidemiological situation. Treatment necessarily includes antiviral therapy, analgesics, antibacterial agents. With an increase in temperature of more than 38º, it is recommended to use antipyretic drugs.

The source of the spread of viruses in SARS and influenza is sick people . The main route of transmission is airborne . Viruses accumulate and multiply on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Together with droplets of saliva, sputum and mucus, when coughing, sneezing and talking, the patient releases the influenza virus, which spreads over a distance of 1.5 to 3 meters. The influenza virus enters the body of a healthy person through the mucous membrane of the nose, pharynx, larynx, bronchi. A contact route of infection is possible when a person touches objects contaminated with a virus or a patient with his hands, and then touches his eyes, nose, mouth. When infected with the influenza virus, the disease manifests itself after 12 – 72 hours from the moment of infection. The disease begins suddenly. When infected with viruses that cause SARS, the incubation period (the time from contact with the patient to the first signs of the disease) is shorter, and the symptoms appear gradually.

At the heart of predisposition to colds and flu lies primarily the weakening of the body’s own defenses.

There are several universal tips on how to stimulate the body’s defenses , which allows to some extent prevent colds and flu in adults and children:

– eat healthy and vitamin-rich food, more fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy products;

– drink more fluids: water, fruit juices, tea up to 2 liters per day;

– Reduce your alcohol intake and refrain from smoking, including passive smoking;

– Rinse nose daily with saline solution or use saline spray to moisten nasal mucosa;

– systematic hardening increases the body’s resistance to infectious diseases. It should be noted that hardening procedures should be started and regular sports activities (including health-improving gymnastics) should be started in the summer period against the background of good health, and not during the period of rising morbidity;

– avoid hypothermia and overheating;

– Ventilate and humidify the air in your living quarters and at work.

Thus, in order to avoid the occurrence of colds, it is necessary to maintain immunity, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and pay attention to preventive measures aimed at preventing the risk of a cold. When the first symptoms of a cold appear, you should immediately consult a doctor and do not prescribe medications yourself!

why children and adults experience pain with influenza and fever, how to relieve it

During a cold, weakness, aches, runny nose, cough, and fever often occur. These symptoms have long become habitual, and pain in the eyes occurs less frequently. Why such a symptom occurs, we understand in the article.

Why eyes hurt with the flu

Influenza is an acute viral disease ¹ . The causative agent of influenza infects the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract (primarily the trachea) and causes inflammation. As a result of the work of the immune system and the destruction of viruses, a large amount of toxins can enter the blood, so the patient develops symptoms of intoxication:

● increase in body temperature;

● weakness;

● were in the muscles and joints;

● headache ² .

One of the hallmarks of flu intoxication is soreness when moving the eyeballs, which may be accompanied by photophobia and lacrimation. The patient has redness of the eyes because toxins enter the organs of vision and oculomotor muscles through a well-developed vascular network ¹ .

Many people think that the eyes hurt at elevated temperatures. In fact, both pain and fever are due to intoxication, which is why they are often associated. In addition to pain, during a fever, a feeling of heat and dryness appears in the eyes. These symptoms develop due to dilation of blood vessels.

Discomfort in the organs of vision can appear not only because of the flu. Intoxication with fever and discomfort in the eyes accompanies many infections (adenovirus, coronavirus, and others). It just happens more often with the flu ¹ .

Pain in the eyes is more common at the very beginning of the disease and, with proper treatment, disappears after 2-3 days ² .

Why eyes hurt with colds

A cold is considered to be a condition accompanied by a runny nose, sore throat, fever and general weakness. However, officially, there is no such diagnosis. Under the common cold, most often mean an acute respiratory viral infection – SARS ³ . That is, the basis of the disease, as in the case of influenza, is infection of the body with respiratory viruses with signs of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

If you experience discomfort in the eyes, you should consult a doctor.

Diagnostics

Most often, no specific tests are required: the doctor will make a diagnosis based on a general examination and anamnesis of the disease. If the infection is severe, PCR diagnostics may be prescribed. It will help to determine the type of pathogen and start the right treatment in time.

To identify complications, the doctor may recommend a general and biochemical blood test, as well as write a referral for additional instrumental studies ³ .

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:

● Only one eye hurts;

● decreased visual acuity;

● spots, flies, a feeling of veil or fog appeared in the field of view;

● pain in the eyes is accompanied by a feeling of nausea and dizziness;

● increased heart rate, increased excitability.

These symptoms may be signs of a serious illness.

First aid before going to the doctor

An antipyretic such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can be taken to relieve pain and reduce fever.

Before using any drug, read the instructions or consult your doctor.

Treatment

To get rid of the pain in the eyes, you need to treat the underlying disease. For influenza and SARS, treatment is prescribed by a doctor. It usually includes ³ :

1. Antiviral therapy. Drugs will help the body get rid of the pathogen, and recovery will come faster.

Direct acting antivirals include Nobasit ^® Forte ⁵ . Its active ingredient (enisamia iodide) is unique in having an additional anti-inflammatory effect comparable in strength to Ibuprofen ⁴ . Enisamia iodide is able not only to reduce by 3 times the severity of symptoms of body intoxication in influenza and acute respiratory viral infections, such as fever, muscle pain, headache already starting from the second day of taking ⁵ *, but also to reduce local manifestations of a cold – pain in throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, sneezing ⁵

2. Symptomatic therapy. It is aimed at reducing the severity of the clinical symptoms of the disease and is prescribed to alleviate the patient’s condition, for example, antipyretic and analgesic drugs, vasoconstrictor drops in the nose.
3. Drink plenty of water. It will help to remove metabolic products and reduce the severity of intoxication.

Briefly about the main

➢ Pain in the eyes occurs as a result of intoxication. Therefore, most often it occurs with influenza, which is often accompanied by an intoxication syndrome, and less often with SARS caused by other respiratory viruses.

➢ The pain in the eyes is not directly related to fever. But fever can exacerbate poor health and add a feeling of heat and dryness in the eyes to unpleasant symptoms.

➢ When pain occurs in the eyes, it is important to consult a doctor in time to find out the cause of the symptom.

➢ To combat the cause of the disease of a viral nature, it is recommended to use direct antiviral drugs, for example, Nobasit ^®
Forte ⁶

➢ To alleviate the general condition of the patient, you can take an antipyretic and / or anti-inflammatory drug (paracetamol or ibuprofen), and use vasoconstrictor drugs for a runny nose

➢ Pain in the eyes due to fever is not treated separately. It goes along with the underlying disease.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

¹ Clinical recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation “Influenza in adults”, 2022.

² Nekhaev S.G., Badakva T.L. Analysis of clinical symptoms, laboratory and instrumental data in different periods of influenza patients // Bulletin of new medical technologies. Electronic edition. 2019.No. 3. Publication 3-9. DOI: 10.24411/2075-4094-2019-16408.

³ Clinical recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation “Acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) in adults”, 2021.

⁴ Zyryanov S.K., Butranova O.I., Gaidai D.S., Kryshen K.L. Pharmacotherapy of acute respiratory infections caused by influenza viruses. Therapeutic archive. 2021; 93(1): 114–124. DOI: 10.26442/00403660.2021.01.200551

⁵ Lioznov D.A. Karnaukhova E.Yu.