Happy, Healthy New Year!
Your muscles ache, your throat burns…Have you come down with the flu? Or just a nasty cold? And why should you care, so long as it goes away?
At Quarry Hill, we know that getting a fix on which bug is to blame for the misery you’re in can have important ramifications—for your health, to be sure, but also for the health of those around you. If what you have is a cold, a few days’ TLC may be all you need. But flu is a bug of a different color. It can lead to hospitalization and even death, so experts advise a more aggressive approach.
Telling the difference between colds and flu can be confusing, as certain symptoms—like headache, weakness, coughing, and sneezing—can occur in both illnesses. In general, though, flu is more severe and is distinguished by sudden onset of fever, muscle aches, chills, and extreme fatigue. Whereas with a cold, symptoms are typically milder, build more gradually, and revolve primarily around sore throat, runny nose, and congestion. (For further guidance, presented in easy-to-grasp chart form, check out www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/is-it-a-cold-or-flu.)
In the meantime, there’s plenty we can all do to keep colds and flu at bay:
* Wash hands thoroughly and frequently
* Keep hands away from eyes, nose, and mouth
* Get enough sleep, exercise, good nutrition, and water
* Get an annual flu vaccine
So please, take care. All of us at Quarry Hill are wishing you a happy—and healthy—new year.
