Cold or Flu? Virus or Bacteria? Understand Your Symptoms and Protect Yourself
Some symptoms can be confusing. Sinus congestion or a sore throat, for example, may lead many people to believe they are experiencing the onset of a cold, flu or perhaps, even a bacterial infection. In this blog, we’ll look at some commonly-misinterpreted symptoms so you better understand what they mean, how they might be treated, and what prevention methods you can apply.
Some symptoms can be confusing. Sinus congestion or a sore throat, for example, may lead many people to believe they are experiencing the onset of a cold, flu or perhaps, even a bacterial infection. In this blog, we’ll look at some commonly-misinterpreted symptoms so you better understand what they mean, how they might be treated, and what prevention methods you can apply.
Preventing colds, flu and bacterial infections
Viral and bacterial infections require their own specific treatments and antibiotics are certainly not the solution for every ailment. The best way to avoid an illness is through proper hygienic and cooking practices, including washing your hands regularly, safely storing food, cooking food to the correct temperature and washing raw vegetables before consumption.
Fortunately, when it comes to the flu, there is one more step you can take to prevent getting sick: get your annual flu shot. There are multiple strains of the flu and Doctors Express recommends Flucelvax’s Quadrivalent flu vaccine. Other clinics on Island use trivalent vaccines that only offer protection against three strains, while our quadrivalent vaccine protects against both strains of influenza A and both strains of influenza B.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s move on to how to distinguish between symptoms and treatments.
Respiratory problems
What should you think if you have a runny nose? Could it be a common cold or the flu? It’s an important distinction to make because the influenza virus can lead to complications such as sinus and ear infections or even pneumonia. If you have asthma or chronic heart disease, you may experience a worsening of the condition when suffering from flu.
Colds, meanwhile, can be caused by more than 200 different viruses passed on by airborne droplets or surface residue containing the virus. Recovery normally takes seven to 10 days, while flu symptoms may persist one to two weeks.
In fact, a runny nose is more likely a symptom of a cold, which typically has milder symptoms than flu. Here is a guide to some common symptoms and how you might interpret them.
SYMPTOMS |
COLD |
FLU |
| Symptom onset | Gradual | Abrupt |
| Fever | Rare | Common |
| Aches | Slight | Common |
| Chills | Uncommon | Fairly common |
| Fatigue/weakness | Sometimes | Common |
| Sneezing | Common | Sometimes |
| Chest discomfort/cough | Mild – moderate | Common |
| Stuffy nose | Common | Sometimes |
| Sore throat | Common | Sometimes |
| Headache | Rare | Common |
Even with such a guide, knowing the difference can be difficult. Fortunately, Doctors Express is one of the only medical facilities on-Island to offer rapid influenza tests to quickly and easily find out if you have flu. Ideally, a flu test should be done in the first days of the illness to detect the virus and allow for the administration of anti-viral medication such as Tamiflu (oseltamivir), which has been proven to reduce the duration of influenza.
Cold or sinusitis?
If your nose is blocked and your breathing is difficult, you might suspect you have sinusitis. It’s true that colds may lead to sinus infections since air, mucus and bacteria become trapped in the swollen sinuses from the presence of the cold virus. However, sinusitis has its own symptoms. These include thick yellow or green nasal mucus discharge, a headache situated behind the eyes, pain in the upper jaw and teeth, fever and possibly bad breath. Medical treatment and, in severe cases, surgical intervention, may be necessary for a severe case of sinusitis.
Viral or bacterial infection?
Let’s say you have a sore throat. What might be the cause? Bacterial and viral infections have many things in common, which is why it can be difficult to differentiate between the two. For example, both types of infection are caused by microbes spread by the air and by physical contact. Both share similar symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, fever, inflammation, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue and cramping.
Bacteria are relatively complex, single-celled organisms and most are harmless. Some ‘good’ bacteria actually help our bodies to digest food, destroy disease-causing microbes, fight cancer cells and provide essential nutrients. Indeed, less than 1% of bacteria cause infections in people. When they do, bacterial infections tend to affect just one part of the body.
Viruses are smaller than bacteria. Once inside the body, viruses multiply and reproduce by infecting other, healthy cells. Once inside the host-cell’s nucleus, viruses can find the machines, proteins, and building blocks with which they can copy their genetic material before infecting other cells. Most viruses do cause disease and they tend to attack specific cells, for example, in the liver, respiratory system or blood, before spreading to the whole of the body. They may even target bacteria.
Should you take antibiotics?
It’s very important to know whether your symptoms have been caused by bacteria or a virus so that the doctor can prescribe the correct treatment. Antibiotics are not effective in treating viral infections. Moreover, not all antibiotics are effective against all bacteria. Due to the over-prescription of antibiotics, some bacteria have become resistant to some antibiotics, leading to the potential creation of ‘super-bugs’ that are immune to treatment. This is why it’s critical for your doctor to order a sputum culture to determine whether your infection is bacterial or viral. If it’s bacterial, the culture will tell your physician which antibiotics the bacteria are susceptible to in order to ensure you get the correct treatment.
Below is a general guide to symptoms and where antibiotics may be effective:
For more information on the illnesses and injuries we treat, visit this useful resource on our website.
When in doubt, it’s best to see your doctor regarding any symptoms that concern you. Also, you may as well get a preventative flu shot. Doctors Express is open from 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, 7 days a week with no appointments necessary – just walk in!
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