Stay Healthy This Winter Against These Common Sicknesses

The frigid air, low temperatures, and enormous amounts of ice wouldn't seem like the time to be getting a virus in your system. Logically thinking, viruses are more prominent during the warmer months because that is how bacteria grows; however, some strains survive all year, no matter the weather: examples include the flu and the common cold.

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the "influenza" virus. Upon contact with this virus, you may experience coughing, a headache, and chest discomfort. Some individuals have reported to have an extremely high fever and fatigue. These symptoms could last up to a week, but in most cases, the flu only lasts three to four days. Types of treatment include nasal sprays, antibiotics, and cough medicines.

The common cold is also caused from a virus most commonly referred to as the rhinovirus, which leads to your misery for the next couple days. After becoming in contact with it, the virus attaches on to the lining of your throat and starts to grow. Within a couple hours after infection, one begins to develop the symptoms of a common cold, including a runny nose, scratchy throat, and nonstop sneezing. The virus should take care of itself without any medicines within about 72 hours, but if the symptoms become overwhelmingly uncomfortable you can use some cough medicine from your local drug store.

To keep from being infected while these sicknesses are floating around, you can take some preventative measures to make sure you stay healthy. First and foremost, you need to wash your hands. According to Web M.D., this is the most important step in staying healthy from all sicknesses, even sicknesses beyond the common cold. Next, you should get a flu shot. A flu shot is the best defense against getting the flu. The virus in the injection is weakened more than that of the nasal spray that is also offered and will make it less likely for you to get the flu this season. If there is someone in your house that is sick or around you at work, stay away from them if at all possible. Make sure that everything touched by that person is wiped down and sprayed with Lysol or some type of disinfectant. These simple steps can help prevent you from being infected and help those around you stay healthy as well.

-Kara Wingo