Health Tips - Cold & Flu

Is it a cold or the flu?

Is a common cold really common? Having a cold in Arizona, including chest cold and head cold, can be caused by more than 200 different viruses here in the Phoenix, AZ area. Seasonal flu is caused by either influenza A or B viruses. Cold and flu remedies can usually ease symptoms of these more common "seasonal" flu strains.

When you wake up sneezing, coughing, and have that achy, feverish, can't move a muscle feeling, how do you know whether you have cold symptoms or the flu? And if it's the flu, could it be swine flu? In some cases, valley fever can be the cause of flu-like symptoms.

It's important to know the difference between flu and cold symptoms. A cold is a milder respiratory illness than the flu. While cold symptoms can make you feel bad for a few days, flu symptoms can make you feel quite ill for a few days to weeks. The flu - whether it's typical seasonal flu or the swine flu virus - can also result in serious health problems such as pneumonia and hospitalizations. If the symptoms seem notably worse than usual, or last longer than a week, call East Valley Wellness Center at 480-988-1659 or stop by our Gilbert, Arizona Family Doctor's office to make an appointment.