Learn About Common Respiratory Illnesses

Influenza

Influenza, ladies, is the flu! It's a virus, but it's not the same thing as the stomach flu. Influenza affects your throat, lungs, and nose. Most cases are mild, and you will likely recover without treatment. However, cases do get severe sometimes. This is common when you're in a high-risk group, such as when you're younger than 5 years old, pregnant, older than 65 years old, have a weak immune system, or are obese. Ladies, you're also a high-risk patient when you have a chronic illness or when you have given birth in the last 2 weeks.

You will get symptoms like fever, chills, a sore throat, headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches in most cases of the flu. The good news is that there's a flu vaccine. While it's not 100 percent effective, it does work very well at preventing the flu. In fact, it's your best defense!

Common Cold

Of course, the most common respiratory illness has to be the common cold! This one is the result of a virus, ladies, and it affects your throat and nose. The good news is that most common cold cases are harmless, just annoying. Ladies, most of you will recover in 7 to 10 days! The problem is that so many viruses cause the common cold. That's why you will keep getting them! As an adult, you will get 2 to 3 colds every year. Kids, however, get more than that!

Symptoms hit in 1 to 3 days of being in contact with the virus. Ladies, you will see symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, headaches, a sore throat, and congestion! Mild fevers happen as well. Fevers in the common cold don't normally get high, but make sure to call your doctor if yours is higher than 101°F. Do this if your symptoms don't go away in 10 days too!