Flu Season Is Coming Soon!
What you need to know…
URI vs. Influenza
It’s that time of year again, and viral illnesses abound. The two most common viral illnesses that people seek medical treatment for are URIs (AKA “a cold”) and influenza (AKA “the flu”). There are many similarities and differences between the two conditions.
Both conditions are viral in nature, which means that antibiotics are ineffective against them. URIs are more common than influenza.
URI
– Mild / low-grade fevers (100.4–101.5)
– Sore throat with mild discomfort while swallowing
– Congestion
– Dry cough
Influenza
– Moderate / high fevers (101.5 and above)
– Sore throat with significant discomfort while swallowing
– Congestion
– Body aches and significant fatigue
– Dry cough
– Abrupt onset
– Nausea and vomiting (these are not present in every case but are still common)
Treatment
URI: Comfort measures with medications such as Tylenol and ibuprofen to help with fevers and sore throat, and cough medications to help with coughing.
Influenza: Comfort measures are given, including fever control with Tylenol or ibuprofen, anti-nausea medications, and Tamiflu (an antiviral prescription medication that only works for influenza). Tamiflu must be started within the first 48 hours of symptom onset in order to be effective. The medication can be taken by anyone as long as they are not allergic to the ingredients. The major side effects of this medication are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Tamiflu is not a cure, but it decreases the severity and duration of the illness.
*Both conditions can have lingering symptoms for up to 4–6 weeks from symptom onset, the most common being a cough.
*Infants, children under the age of 2, immunocompromised patients (e.g., HIV positive or taking immune-suppressing medications), the elderly (those 65 years and older) and pregnant women need to be properly evaluated by a medical provider to ensure proper care and treatment.
