Colds, Influenza, and Illnesses That Look Like Colds

Colds don't get much press in off-grid medicine books. We've all had colds, our children have had them, and while they can make us miserable, they always come to an end without any long-lasting effects.  Colds are caused by all kinds of constantly mutating viruses, and as such, no antivirals have ever been developed for them, and antibiotics are of no efficacy.  When physicians recommend medications to their patients, Sudafed (real Sudafed--pseudoephedrine) and Afrin top the list.  Even most bad colds are no match for those two.  Using these medications can also be diagnostic; they will relieve cold symptoms but will do nothing against influenza.  

So how else do you distinguish between a cold and influenza?  And is it important? 

Distinguishing Between a Cold and Influenza
Symptoms and signs	Cold	Influenza
Nasal congestion	Common	Uncommon
Sore throat	Common	Uncommon
Aches and pains	Common	Severe
Cough	Mild	Severe
Fatigue	Mild	Severe
Fever	Uncommon, low	Common, high
Headache	Uncommon	Common

The chart at right can help distinguish between the two.  On the one hand, it shouldn’t matter whether we have a cold or influenza; perhaps one blessing to come from the  COVID-19 pandemic is that people will learn social distancing, become responsible, and stay home when they are sick.  In that respect, it shouldn’t matter whether an illness is a cold or influenza.  One can always hope. 

On the other hand, if an illness is influenza, we can take greater protective measures than we otherwise might, and we can monitor a patient more closely if influenza is involved.  Antivirals may lessen the duration and severity of influenza if treatment is initiated within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.  

With influenza, generally the greatest concern, especially in the elderly, is watching for and preventing the development of a secondary infection with pneumonia. 

However, most upper respiratory infections are just garden variety colds.  In addition to Sudafed and Afrin, other medications can alleviate the symptoms and make a patient feel better—Tylenol for aches and pains, lozenges for a sore throat, Mucinex for coughs. 
But what about those times when a cold is not a cold?  The following infections all start out looking just like other colds with the usual symptoms—runny nose or congestion, cough, low fever, etc.  And most of the time, that is all they are and parents are never the wiser.

Respiratory syncytial virus can be very serious and even fatal in infants, especially immunocompromised and premature ones.  It can also be serious in the elderly.

Infectious mononucleosis puts COVID-19 to shame with its nearly six-week incubation period.[i]  In children under the age of 12, mono is generally an asymptomatic infection, and everyone over the age of 30 is presumed to have already experienced mono.  But in a teenager, it can be an entirely different infection with a much worse outcome.  Symptoms begin like a normal cold with a sore throat, fever, and fatigue, but last well beyond a few days.  It can actually last for weeks to months.  While over 90% of patients will recover without any special treatment, some will develop secondary infections, including strep and respiratory infections.[ii]  In addition, some will develop abdominal tenderness, indicating enlargement of the liver or spleen.  During this period all contact sports and similar activities must be avoided to reduce the risk of rupturing those organs.[iii] 

Whooping cough is another illness that begins like a normal cold, with a fever, runny nose, and cough.[iv]  The whooping begins about two weeks later, where the child coughs repeatedly without breathing, until a plug of mucus is expelled, and the air rushes back into the lungs with a very audible whoop.  While coughing, the lips and nails may turn blue due to the lack of oxygen, and after the whoop the child may vomit.  Whooping cough can last more than 3 months and is particularly dangerous in infants under 12 months of age.[v] 

Even when a cold is just a cold, there is the potential for other illnesses to develop.

Croup occurs when the trachea becomes inflamed and the airway constricts.  This only occurs with children under the age of eight years, but can become very serious in any child under the age of three. 

Bronchitis and pneumonia can develop from colds as well and can be particularly detrimental in the very young and very old. 

“Simple” colds aren’t necessarily so simple.  An infection that one person’s body can fight off extremely well can be life-threatening to another individual.  Just because Little Johnny has only a slight runny nose and really wants to play with the other children doesn’t mean that he should.  In a world where higher medical care may not be available, parents need to be parents and make hard decisions that may sadden their children.  It comes with the territory.  

Links to related posts:  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus  
Pneumonia  
Croup
Cough and Cold Medications

---

[i] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 97.

[ii] Ibid, 142.

[iii] Ibid. 

[iv] David Werner, Where There Is No Doctor, 313.

[v] Ibid.