It's a week before midterms and you're gearing up for a long night of studying. Suddenly your throat starts to hurt, your head starts to pound, and you develop a fever. A week of intense studying seems as unreachable as an "A" in every class.
This scenario is one that is replayed throughout Penn State's spring semester. Various bacteria and viruses can cause the above symptoms, and sometimes it's difficult to sort them all out.
Viruses that cause cold-like symptoms, such as runny nose, cough and low-grade fever, can also cause symptoms such as a sore throat and body aches that people mistake for strep throat.
Strep throat, caused by streptococcal bacteria rather than a virus, generally causes higher fevers, more body aches, and a more painful throat then colds. Plenty of rest, plenty of fluids and acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help ease the aches, pains and fevers of both colds and strep throat. Antibiotics, while not useful in the treatment of colds, are essential in the treatment of strep.
Mononucleosis is another viral infection that can cause a painful throat and high fever. Mono also causes more intense lymph node swelling then either colds or strep. Since there can be potentially serious side effects from mono, a healthcare provider should be consulted.
Last but by no means least, influenza is now affecting people left and right here on campus. The best way to avoid getting the flu is to get vaccinated. University Health Services still has around 200 doses of influenza vaccine to give for this season. If you haven't been vaccinated and suddenly come down with high fevers, body aches, sore throat, runny nose, and dry cough, then you probably can consider yourself "flued." Plenty of rest, fluids, acetaminophen or ibuprofen will get you through the seven to 10 days that the flu usually lasts.
There's no good time to be sick with upper respiratory infections, especially when you're a busy college student. But with rest, fluids, acetaminophen/ibuprofen and an over-the-counter decongestant, most colds can be treated easily and safely at home. If you're not better in a week or so, the clinicians at UHS are there to help you successfully get through another term.
Travel, new people can introduce respiratory infections
Question: Recently I visited some friends in another state. No intimate contact, but by the time I got back to campus I had one of the worst colds of my life.
I told my mom that I thought it was from being around new people who could carry viruses I had no resistance to. She disagreed. Who's right?
Answer: You are. People tend to develop some resistance to "local" viruses and to those viruses to which they have been repeatedly exposed.
It isn't unusual to develop a cold after traveling. At UHS, we frequently see an increase in upper respiratory infections at the beginning of the semester and after spring break when new viruses are brought into the area.
Question: What's the relationship between a cold medicine's effectiveness and alcohol?
Answer: Not great if you really want to shake that cold! Alcohol has some specific effects on the body.
It irritates the stomach and intestines, acts as a depressant, dilates blood vessels (causing the loss of body heat) and is a diuretic, which increases excretion of water from the body.
Most drugs also produce some of these side effects. So you may be unintentionally doubling up these effects and aggravating the physical condition that you were trying to improve. Whenever possible, avoid alcohol during the time you take a medication and for at least 24 hours afterwards.
