• Home

Bernd Meier

Home colds flu virus Doctors' offices full; many patients worry their common cold is one of the serious illnesses recently reported in the news

Doctors' offices full; many patients worry their common cold is one of the serious illnesses recently reported in the news

Written by Unknown on 8:21 PM ,
Doctor's offices are busier than usual this time of year not only because it's cold and flu season, but also because of an increased worry patients have that they might have one of the  more serious illnesses reported in the news like enterovirus D68 or Ebola, Elizabeth Renter reports for Fox News.

Dr. Sameer Maroof, a family physician at Doctors Express in Cary, N.C., told Renter that his office "had seen increase in the number of patients battling cold-like symptoms," and that some were"concerned that it could be a serious illness, such as the respiratory condition enterovirus D68."

So, what are the chances they have a serious illness? Most Americans get the common cold two or three times a year, Renter reports. While enterovirus D68, a respiratory virus with symptoms that range from mild to severe, has infected a little over 1,000 people since mid-August, with the number of infections expected to decline throughout the fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The problem is that these illnesses are closely related and have similar symptoms: runny nose, body aches, cough and respiratory problems. The flu also shares these symptoms, but add chills, fever and sore throat, Renter writes.

As for the flu, 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the seasonal flu each year, according to the CDC, but unlike the cold and enterovirus D68, the flu can be avoided because there is a flu vaccination available.

And the likelihood that you have Ebola is virtually nonexistent. The CDC has confirmed three cases of Ebola in the U.S. and you must have direct contact with the body fluid of someone with Ebola to contract it. The virus can cause diarrhea, vomiting, heavy perspiration and unexplained bruising.

So, if you have the symptoms of the common cold, it is likely you have the common cold, Renter writes. She said it's time to see the doctor if:
1. You are wheezing or having difficulty breathing.
2. You are part of an at-risk population like smokers or those with compromised immune systems.
3. You have persistent vomiting.
4. You have children with severe allergies or asthma.
5. You have symptoms lasting more than seven days.

"If patients are unsure whether their illness warrants a doctor’s visit, they should err on the side of caution," Maroof told Renter.
Tweet
Newer Post Older Post

Popular Posts

  • Lexington is considering whether to add electronic cigarettes to its anti-smoking ordinance
    The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council will discuss whether to expand its smoking ban to include electronic cigarettes, possibly as earl...
  • As part of UK campus food deal, Aramark puts up $5 million for Food Connection, vows to purchase Kentucky products
    By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The University of Kentucky has entered a $5 million public-private partnership designed to promote ...
  • Heavy use of e-cigarettes may deliver big doses of formaldehyde, which can be a cause of lung cancer, study suggests
    Vapor produced by electronic cigarettes can contain a surprisingly high concentration of formaldehyde—a known carcinogen that can cause lun...
  • Ten common myths about diabetes busted
    Kentucky ranks 17th in diabetes, and many Kentuckians are newly diagnosed every year with the disease, usually Type 2 diabetes. The diagnosi...
  • Ky. ranks 8th in the number of high-prescribing Medicare physicians for powerful narcotic painkillers and stimulants
    Kentucky ranks eighth in Medicare physicians who are considered "high prescribers" of Schedule 2 medications, drugs that have the ...
  • Newport school board's smoking ban, which includes e-cigarettes, would be 38th among 173 Kentucky school districts
    The Newport Independent Board of Education  passed the first reading of a proposed smoking ban Wednesday, Jan. 28 after adding electronic ci...
  • Millions of children on Medicaid are missing free check-ups; Kentucky is a little below the national average
    Millions of low-income children across the country aren't getting free preventive exams and screenings guaranteed by Medicaid, and some ...
  • Obamacare seems to be no plus for Kentucky Democrats, perhaps mainly because of the word's first three syllables
    Though the federal health-reform law has helped cover more than half a million Kentuckians and cut the state's uninsured population by h...
  • McConnell seeks 'timely and fair review' of plan for Medicare coverage of CT scans for those at high risk for lung cancer
    U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell asked Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services  Administrator Marilyn Tavenner to "give a timely and fair r...
  • Research suggests eating only during a nine- to 12-hour time period can help maintain healthy weight
    For a long time, scientists supposed that eating after midnight was unhealthy, but now a study has provided support for the notion. When sci...
Bernd Meier © . All Rights Reserved. Powered by Blogger