4 / 12
ACHES/PAINS
COUGH
CHEST DISCOMFORT
SYMPTOMS
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
SORE THROAT
STUFFY/RUNNY NOSE
VOMITING/DIARRHEA
EXHAUSTION
FATIGUE
FEVER
HEADACHE
SNEEZING
COLD
FLU
COLD FLU?
Colds and the flu share some symptoms,
but they are two unique conditions.
or
By Blake Vincent, DO
Sharing isn’t caring
during
cold and flu season. To keep
someone else from sharing
their unwanted microscopic invaders
with you, there are some precautions and
actions that you can take.
If you want to easily remember how to
keep germs away, remember the three P’s:
1. Prepare:
Vaccines can be literal
lifesavers.
The flu can be deadly on its
own, but it also opens the door for other
infections. Even partial immunity from
a vaccine can reduce the duration and
severity of illness. Getting vaccinated can
also prevent you from spreading an illness
to someone you love. Ask your medical
provider about vaccination for influenza
and pneumonia.
2. Prevent:
Keep germs
at bay.
Wash your hands
with soap or water
whenever possible,
or use alcohol-based
hand sanitizer. Washing
your hands should take
enough time to sing
“Happy Birthday” twice.
Be sure to pay special
attention between fingers
and around fingernails.
Also avoid touching your face, especially
around your eyes, nose and mouth.
3. Prohibit:
Don’t help germs with their
travel plans by disinfecting surfaces
where they commonly live
.
This includes
countertops, desks, keyboards, phones,
doorknobs, faucets and light switches, just
to name a few. Also, if you have to cough or
sneeze, do it into the crook of your elbow.
This keeps droplets out of the air and off
your hands.
By Brian Alexis, DO
Feeling under the weather?
Take action to help yourself
beat the bug that’s got
you down!
Act quickly:
If you suspect you have
influenza, don’t wait to see a medical
provider.
Antiviral medications to treat the
flu usually can be administered only within
the first 48 hours after developing a fever.
Even if it’s not the flu, getting expert advice
can help you act quickly so you can feel
better sooner rather than later.
Use the right approach:
Antibiotics
have no effect on viral illnesses like
the common cold or influenza.
In fact,
inappropriate antibiotic use helps bacteria
develop antibiotic resistance. Resistant
bacteria must be treated using drugs that
are very expensive and can have serious
side effects. The long-term danger is
bacteria that develop resistance to all
antibiotics, meaning there will be no way
to treat these germs.
Medicate appropriately:
Ask a pharmacist
or your medical provider about what
over-the-counter remedies can help treat
your symptoms.
Getting expert advice can
help you find the right solution for your
needs. It can also help you avoid dangerous
drug interactions, taking too much of a
medication and unwanted side effects.
Need more tips on how to stop germs cold
or recover quickly? Visit the website of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
at
www.cdc.gov
.
Stay well
Get better
Find Dr. Right.
Blake Vincent, DO, and
Brian Alexis, DO, are family medicine physicians
with Owensboro Health’s One Health McAuley
Primary Care. For more information or to
schedule an appointment with a One Health
provider, call
844-44-MY-ONE
(
844-446-9663
).
Knuckle up!
The
American
Journal of
Infection
Control
found that
fist-bumping
transfers fewer
germs than
shaking hands
or high-fives.
Health Tips
4
Owensboro Health • March 2017