Wednesday, February 10, 2010
In cold-weather months, a lot of people confuse the flu with the common cold.
Remember the flu causes a fever, while a cold normally creates nasal congestion. It’s important to know the difference, because the flu virus can cause serious complications especially for seniors. And it is also possible to have a cold and the flu at the same time.
The most common complication from the flu in an older person is pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. Just as it is easy to confuse a cold with the flu, you can also confuse the flu with pneumonia. Pneumonia symptoms are similar to the flu, but are usually more severe. Shaking chills, high fever that continues for more than five days, and pains in the chest are all warning signs of pneumonia.
To avoid catching the seasonal flu or H1N1, precautions must be taken. Some include a proper diet and enough rest to support a strong immune system which can better fight off any exposure. Taking vaccines as recommended by your physician are a way to help build up immunity to some of the most common strains of the flu. Avoid people and contact surfaces that you know may be affected with a cold or the flu virus. But the single most important thing that you can do is to wash or sanitize your hands every time you touch a surface that you are unsure of during cold and flu season. If you touch an infected surface or person and then touch your month you have just cross contaminated yourself and are possibly giving the infection a means of entry into your body.
If you catch the flu, it’s important to contact your physician so that your illness can be closely monitored. If pneumonia does develop, it can most often be treated effectively in its early stages. In more severe cases pneumonia may require specialized treatment in the hospital.
Ed Heigl is executive director Crestview Senior Living, Crestwood
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