Health Service
Colds and Flu
The common cold is caused by any of a number of viruses that can involve the upper respiratory tract. As your body reacts against the attacking virus, you get the symptoms of a cold - including nasal congestion, sneezing, and sniffles. Influenza, or "the flu," is caused by one of several strains of the influenza virus. These viruses usually cause symptoms in the head and chest - such as congestion, sore throat, or cough - but also can cause intestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. The influenza virus also can have general symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, chills, or sweats. If you are feeling under the weather, you will feel better and recover faster if you let yourself rest. For further advice on the flu, make an appointment with the Student Health Centre for advice.
What to do if you catch a cold /flu??
There is no cure for colds or flu although you can relieve the symptoms.- Take Plenty of REST.
- Drink lots of Fluids such as honey and lemon drinks
- Take some Pain Relief such as leimsip or paracetamol for the aches and fevers. (Ensure to read instructions carefully when taking over the counter medications)
- Ensure to eat a healthy diet particularly vitamin C
- Fever Presists
- Vomiting or unable to keep fluids down
- Very painful swallowing causing difficulties eating and drinking
- presistent Coughing
Important Tips to Prevent Cold and Flu Infections
| Wash Your Hands: - Someone who has the flu sneezes onto their hand, and then touches the telephone, and the keyboard; Germs can live for hours -- in some cases weeks only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often |
Don't Smoke: - Smoking make you more prone to getting more severe colds and more frequently. |
| Don't Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands: - When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don't have a tissue, turn your head away from people near you and cough into the air. |
Cut Alcohol Consumption: - Heavy alcohol consumption destroys the liver, the body's primary filtering system, to remove germs and toxins from the body. Heavier drinkers are more prone to init |
| Drink Plenty of Fluids Water flushes your system and removes any germs as it rehydrates you. A typical, healthy adult needs eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids each day. |
Get enough sleep During sleep, your body's immune system goes into high gear to protect you from illness. Lack of sleep can reduce immune functioning making you susceptible to sickness. |
| Get Fresh Air A regular amount of fresh air is important, especially in cold weather. The central heating in houses dries you out the air and makes your body more vulnerable to cold and flu viruses. |
Eat healthily Ensure to eat the correct foods, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable. Do not skip meals. Vitamin C is a vital vitamin in preventing colds. |
| Exercise Regularly Doing aerobic exercises speeds up the heart which, makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood, and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body's natural virus-killing cells. |
Listen to your body |
