Over and over again in our publications we turn to the topic of the coronavirus, which is raging in China, but not for the sake of hype, but for awareness. This time we will talk about how you can distinguish the symptoms of various diseases, including the same Chinese virus, flu and the common cold. For all the seeming similarity of the symptoms of these diseases, there are still differences, and it is they that can tell whether the sick person should already start to be afraid, or whether you can walk to the hospital with a calm step, without going on a run. At the same time, many are able to inspire symptoms and exaggerate their condition, but the differences between coronavirus and influenza are too obvious to be confused.
First of all, it should be said that at the first symptoms of any disease, one should soberly assess one's condition and not be heroic, enduring the disease "on one's feet", but lie down at home or consult a doctor. Only such means will allow you to recover as quickly as possible, and not just remove the symptoms, leaving in the body a bunch of unnecessary drugs and untreated diseases that will still find time to manifest themselves in a direct or indirect way. You just need to understand that "I am alone" and take care of yourself. I don’t want to give examples that we pay more attention to what we pour into our car, but we don’t think at all what we are stuffing ourselves with. Okay, that's a distraction. Let's talk about the differences in disease symptoms.
Coronavirus symptoms
At the time of this writing, nearly 30,000 people have been infected worldwide, of which about 550 have died. On the one hand, the values are not so big and one might think that the epidemic is not so terrible, but do not forget about what safety standards have been introduced in China and around the world to prevent the spread of the disease. Perhaps, if not for this, the scale would have been much larger. Especially considering that more than 99 percent of cases of the disease are recorded in China, this is readily believed.
It looks like the virus is really just not being released from the province where it raged. Manifestations outside this region are the exception rather than the rule. But still, as long as less than two percent of deaths do not make this epidemic the worst in history. With all due respect to the dead, there have been worse.
The exact mechanism of transmission of coronavirus infection has not yet been clarified, which greatly complicates the situation when controlling outbreaks of the disease.
The Chinese coronavirus spreads by airborne droplets and, like other viruses, primarily affects the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. After infection, the main symptoms of the virus include palpable difficulty breathing, coughing, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some patients, some of this may not appear, but if all this is there, then the person has a more than serious reason to think.
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How to distinguish coronavirus from the common cold
The common cold should not be confused with the potentially deadly virus. Some particularly suspicious citizens, especially those who had a risk of infection (they were in China, had contact with the Chinese and the like), can immediately fantasize symptoms for themselves and google that it’s time, they say, but this is not so.
For comparison, among the main symptoms of influenza, which now also occurs, since the season and weather only contribute to this, slightly different manifestations can be noted. For example, a high fever that lasts 3-5 days, but sometimes more. Also, an increase in temperature with the flu, in some cases, is accompanied by a breakdown, apathy and even muscle pain. In this case, you should also see a doctor, since every year the influenza virus has its own characteristics and it would be better to know them. And complications from the flu, if not an ordinary event, then very possible.
With a cold, things are easier. The main symptom is the temperature, which rarely rises to very high values and lasts, as a rule, a couple of days, rarely longer. After that, it comes to normal or close to normal values.
At the same time, the main symptoms of a cold, in addition to an increase in body temperature, are nasal congestion, nasal discharge and sneezing. Some additional symptoms are not very common, but if they are, again, you need to see a specialist. At the same time, with the usual course, it is the cold of the ailments listed above that is one in which you can just sit out at home and not go to the doctor. But everyone decides for himself and does it at his own peril and risk.
How to treat the virus
We will not dwell on the treatment process in detail now, since in the general article about viruses we have already spoken in detail about the methods of treatment. Now we can only briefly recall.
The most important thing is to understand what drugs can be treated. You should not resort to the help of advertised drugs that work to relieve symptoms. They bring down the temperature, bringing the body to a relative norm, but without ridding it of the pathogen and having almost no effect on inflammatory processes.
Of course, some people simply cannot stand even a temperature of 37.1 degrees, but it is worth understanding that an increase in temperature is a normal process and part of the body's defense reaction, which has been developed for millions of years and is designed to help protect against diseases. If you can tolerate the temperature, let the immune system do its job. And of course, forget about antibiotics. They have no effect on the virus. He needs antiviral drugs.
Also, do not overuse vitamin C and citrus fruits (including drinks and juices). There is some benefit from them, but they have an irritating effect on the foci of inflammation, which will also not contribute to a speedy recovery. Moreover, the norm of vitamin C (the benefits of which for immunity are periodically questioned) can be obtained simply from a good balanced diet.
In any case, getting sick is bad, do not risk yourself, stay away from the sick and do not spread the infection if you get sick yourself. Nothing will change in two days, and the body will say “thank you” if you give it the opportunity to recover.
Artem Sutyagin
