How to distinguish flu from ARVI. What are the differences between the symptoms of influenza and ARVI?

Symptoms of the disease

With a strong immune system, the disease manifests itself with minor symptoms: sore throat, slight runny nose, fatigue. Usually people with such symptoms postpone treatment, which is a mistake.

Signs of acute respiratory infections:

• Nasal discharge;
• Weakness, irritability;
• Sore throat;
• Dizziness;
• Muscle pain;
• Temperature increase;
• Headache;
• Fever.

If the immune system is weakened, the disease manifests itself as severe weakness, sweating, fever, cough, and swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. With such manifestations of the disease, it is urgent to introduce bed rest.

Diagnosis of diseases

How to determine whether you have the flu or another ARVI? To do this, you will have to see a doctor and undergo examinations . However, it is worth considering that, as a rule, people do not get sick with the same flu strain, since the body, once infected, develops immunity against a specific virus, while remaining open to other viral types.

Only a doctor can accurately diagnose the disease

In addition, harmful microorganisms themselves are constantly changing and improving, adapting to “disable” even the most protected immune systems. Therefore, no prevention can give a 100% guarantee that a person will not get sick. Although the significant difference between influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections is that it is much more difficult to protect against the first disease. On the other hand, preventive measures are still:

• reduce this likelihood;
• relieve dangerous complications of the disease;
• help to recover faster in cases where infection does occur.

Regardless of the differences in the symptoms of influenza and ARVI, the onset of the disease occurs on the mucous membranes of the nasal or laryngeal cavities, where the virus feels best and can actively multiply. Accordingly, among the initial signs of the disease there is always:

• dry cough;
• stuffy nose;
• sensation of throat pain.

Then the virus enters the blood with the appearance of other symptoms:

• chills;
• headaches;
• muscle pain;
• increase in temperature indicators.

By the way, everything in the body is thought out to the smallest detail. And although the same cough with a runny nose bothers us, in reality, with the help of these phenomena, the respiratory tract manages to be cleared of viruses and their waste products.

What medications should I take?

If it is not possible to see a doctor, then it is necessary to begin independent treatment of acute respiratory infections in adults. Drugs must be selected based on the symptoms of the disease.

Muscle pain and fever

The fever must be brought down if it rises above 38 degrees, in the presence of confusion or convulsions. In this case, it is necessary to take paracetamol, as well as ibuprofen, aspirin, Coldrex or ibuven.

Runny nose

For liquid transparent discharge, vasoconstrictor drugs should be used: Naphthyzin or Sanorin, Galazolin. If the discharge is opaque and viscous, with a yellow or green tint, or white clots, you should immediately consult a doctor. For a runny nose of a bacterial nature, it is necessary to use drops with antibiotic properties, rinse the nasal cavity and gargle with saline solutions and chamomile decoction.

If the cough is dry, then you should take Ledin or Libexin, Falimint, codeine, Tusuprex, Sinecod. If sputum or wheezing appears in the lungs, antitussives cannot be used, but you need to take sputum-thinning and expectorant medications: mucoltin, Lazolvan, Gedelix, Ambrobene, Herbion, ACC, Fluimucil

Also, treatment of influenza and acute respiratory infections includes measures to strengthen the immune system. It is necessary to consume vitamin C. Additionally, you can drink herbal infusions of chamomile, nettle, mint, lemongrass or lemon balm.

The use of juice or pulp of onion and garlic is prohibited both for air purification and for ingestion or instillation into the nose.

Additional Information

How to treat acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections of a viral nature? It is necessary to use antiviral agents. Interferon can be taken orally, dropped into the nose for a runny nose (1 capsule per 50 ml of water, 5 drops every 3 hours). You can also take Remantadine or its analogues.

Treatment of acute respiratory infections of a bacterial nature should include antibiotics: Amoxicillin or Sumamed, azithromycin.

It so happens that people go to the doctor only in the most extreme cases, preferring to treat simple ailments at home. This is especially true for acute respiratory infections, which absolutely everyone has ever suffered from.

The frequency of the outbreak of this disease has led to the fact that people quickly mastered the basic methods of combating it, so treating acute respiratory infections at home is normal practice. But some doctors are very skeptical about this, and believe that if a person has decided to undergo treatment himself, then at least let him do it correctly.

What you need to know about the flu?

Many people do not consider this disease serious and make a huge mistake, exposing their body to danger. After all, influenza is one of the most insidious respiratory viral diseases. It spreads across our planet every year in the form of global pandemics and epidemics that claim from 300 to 500 thousand lives. Therefore, it is so important to know how to distinguish ARVI from influenza in the initial stages of development of the pathology in order to begin effective therapy.

To date, scientists have identified more than 2,000 subspecies of the virus. The most dangerous of them are Spanish (A/H1N1), swine (H1N1) and avian flu. Like all ARVIs, the disease is transmitted by airborne droplets and is characterized by high “infectiousness”. The latter fact is explained by the fact that the incubation period of influenza and ARVI lasts from two to four days, and during this time the patient manages to infect many other people.

The disease begins with acute manifestations of intoxication, such as headaches, vomiting, chills, dizziness, and sometimes sleep disturbances and even hallucinations. Treatment should include bed rest, symptomatic therapy and antiviral medications. It is also worth noting that the patient must be isolated from healthy family members during treatment.

Not to be confused with the flu

Before you start treating acute respiratory infections, you need to understand that this is really it. Its symptoms are similar to the flu, so to avoid confusion, let’s look at how to identify acute respiratory infections:

1. The temperature rise occurs gradually. The flu causes a sharp increase to 39 degrees.
2. Intoxication manifests itself mildly: headache, weakness, aching bones. With the flu, this is severe chills, fever, pain in the temples.
3. ARI usually occurs with a cough that appears on the first day. It is dry and easily soothed with lollipops. The flu is characterized by a painful cough with sputum that begins on the second or third day.
4. If you have a profuse runny nose and sore throat, this is definitely an acute respiratory infection. These symptoms are not typical for the flu.

Both diseases occur with fever and similar symptoms, but it is still possible to distinguish one from the other. If you understand for sure that you have an acute respiratory infection, or your doctor has diagnosed you, then you can begin treatment.

How to distinguish whitening in children

In order for the treatment to be effective, you need to know how the flu and ARVI differ in a child. The first difference is the sudden and high increase in temperature. Moreover, it is very difficult to bring it down with antipyretics. For flu it is 39-40 degrees. But ARVI is accompanied by a rise in temperature to 38.5 degrees, and after two days it returns to normal.

The following differences are that with the flu, a child experiences severe body aches, chills, pain in the head and muscles, and painful sensations in the sternum when coughing. In other words, the clinical picture is pronounced. And with acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections, sneezing and a runny nose remain a characteristic sign.

Video shows how ARVI differs from influenza in children:

A runny nose is not typical for the flu. Nasal congestion may occur, but after 2 days it goes away. Another difference is gastrointestinal distress. With a common cold, the child does not feel sick, and vomiting and diarrhea rarely occur, which cannot be said about the flu. In this case, there may be vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and other signs of intoxication.

Colds remain one of the most common diseases today. But not every person knows that they are all divided into groups such as acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections and influenza. Each of them has its own symptoms, causes of development and treatment regimen. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis after diagnosis. Therefore, you should not play doctor and engage in independent treatment. You may be treating the wrong disease entirely.

In the off-season and cold season there comes a period of colds and viral infections. In 80-90% of the population they cause various manifestations: from mild malaise to the development of severe forms of the disease with complications.

The flu is often more severe than an acute respiratory viral infection or a cold. The flu is also dangerous due to complications. To avoid them, you must immediately consult a doctor. Therefore, do not self-medicate! If any symptoms of illness appear, contact your doctor. Only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe timely treatment.

Our article - how to distinguish Flu from ARVI - presents a brief description of the course of the disease, symptoms, signs and distinctive features in a convenient table.

Understanding the terminology

Despite the similarity of symptoms (runny nose, cough, fever), these are still different diseases.

Stages of treatment

To cure an acute respiratory disease, you need to act comprehensively. All treatment will consist of three stages:

1. Restoring the drainage capacity of the bronchi. This includes inhalations (oral and through the sinuses), which allow the respiratory tract to return to the function of a protective barrier.
2. Fighting infection. The body itself has the power to expel a cold, but to do this it requires strength. For this reason, patients are advised to rest and inactivity.
3. Correction of immunity. A person’s immunity, weakened after an illness, is not always quickly restored. To do this, he needs help by taking vitamins.

It is clear that acute respiratory infections cannot be cured quickly. In this case, the joke from the people is completely justified: if you treat a cold, it will go away in 7 days, and if you don’t treat it, it will go away in a week. But it’s quite possible to win a couple of days. And if you approach the issue consciously, then acute respiratory infections will pass with the least losses: in this case, this means preserving strength and excluding an early relapse.

What is ARVI?

If a doctor has diagnosed ARVI, you should know that this disease is a general concept for all respiratory tract diseases that have a viral etiology. These diseases include influenza.

Diseases in this group are characterized by the rapid onset of symptoms, such as respiratory symptoms, lacrimation, general weakness, sweating and fever. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, and it spreads quickly and affects 75-80% of people who have been in contact with the patient. Such sad statistics are explained by the fact that the human body is not able to develop immunity to viruses, since the latter are constantly changing and mutating.

Possibilities of traditional medicine

Antibiotics are usually not required in the treatment of acute respiratory infections. But herbs, infusions and decoctions are just that. Treatment of acute respiratory infections with folk remedies has gained popularity not only among the patients themselves. Even doctors believe that properly selected and prepared components can put a person on his feet in a short time and speed up the rehabilitation process. In addition, for the body as a whole, herbs are in any case more beneficial than medications.

Raspberries

A truly magical berry that can have anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects. In addition, raspberries perfectly restore the immune system. You can eat it in any form: fresh, frozen, canned.

It is enough to add a couple of spoons of raspberry jam to hot tea, drink it and sweat thoroughly under a warm blanket. Together with sweat, all the disease comes out of the body, i.e. toxins and harmful substances.

Milk

Warm milk is the best remedy for dry cough. Sucking on lollipops endlessly is harmful and not very effective. Here's a glass of warm milk and honey

– it’s tasty, healthy and beneficial for the throat mucosa. This nutritional composition adds strength and helps cope with general malaise.

Onion and garlic

So bitter, but so useful. Phytoncides and flavonoids (odorous volatile substances) contained in onions and garlic can cure any cold and even cope with a virus. You can prepare this medicine: chop a clove of garlic, add 5 drops of onion juice and mix with 3 tablespoons of honey. Take 1 tsp. up to 5 times a day, with a glass of warm water (to avoid burns to the mucous membrane and stomach).

To treat acute respiratory infections in children who do not particularly like onions or garlic, you can prepare a simple inhaler. Make several holes in a plastic cylinder from Kinder Surprise with a needle, finely chop the garlic there and hang it around the baby’s neck on a string. The smell will not be very strong, but sufficient to clear the sinuses and destroy the infection.

Phytotherapy

This is the largest and, perhaps, the main section of traditional medicine. This includes herbal treatment. For acute respiratory infections, they are usually brewed or infused in alcohol and taken orally. Let's list some of the simplest and most effective recipes.

1. We lower the temperature. 2 tbsp. Brew currant leaf in a thermos (1 liter of water) for 10 minutes. Warm decoction should be drunk throughout the day.
2. We increase immunity. Brew elderberry flowers (1 tsp) in 1 cup of boiling water. We drink before bed.
3. Inhalations for the nose. Place any of the following herbs in a saucepan: eucalyptus, thyme, sage, mint, pine and birch buds. You should get 3 tbsp in total. Bring them to a boil in 0.5 liters of water. Cool slightly and breathe over the steam.
4. For gargling. Herbs: string, thyme, chamomile, sage, yarrow, calamus, wild rosemary, oregano, calendula. A mixture of any herbs in the amount of 4 tbsp. pour 0.5 liters of water, boil for 10 minutes, cool and gargle.

Many folk remedies involve ingesting large amounts of liquid. And this is the simplest and most effective treatment for acute respiratory infections. Water controls body temperature, removes toxins from the body faster and thins a dry cough.

If your baby is sick

In infants, all diseases are quite difficult, because it is difficult for an immature immune system to cope with the disease that has arisen. It is permissible to treat infants for acute respiratory infections at home only with the permission of the pediatrician
. It is also important to follow all the doctor’s recommendations and not take liberties, because improper treatment of acute respiratory infections in an infant can lead to complications such as otitis media, meningitis, tonsillitis, etc.

Among the methods that can be used at home as an additional treatment, the following are considered:

• Place a napkin with a drop of eucalyptus oil in the baby's crib. This will allow the nose to breathe easier;
• if suction of mucus is difficult, you can drop a drop of Kalanchoe juice into the baby’s nostrils. This will cause sneezing and clear sinuses;
• in the absence of allergies, you can prepare a vitamin decoction: 3 tsp. rose hips, 1 tsp. chamomile, 1 tsp. pour nettles into a thermos and pour boiling water for 4 hours. Give your child water as soon as he or she becomes thirsty;
• when coughing: heat coarse salt in a frying pan and pour it into a cloth bag. Place it on the baby's chest (after putting the baby's undershirt on), tie it tightly with a scarf, and cover the baby with a blanket on top. After two hours, the compress can be removed.

Gastrointestinal reaction

In some cases, the body's reaction to the influenza virus may be a disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea and vomiting in the patient appears already 2-3 days after infection and lasts 24-48 hours. Without symptomatic therapy, the manifestation of this symptom may last for several more days and lead to dehydration.

Despite the fact that many symptoms of influenza and ARVI are very similar, you can diagnose the disease yourself. It is enough to carefully analyze the order and nature of the main clinical manifestations.

Treatment of acute respiratory infections in a nursing mother

Treatment methods for acute respiratory infections during breastfeeding are also different from those listed above. For example, honey is contraindicated for nursing mothers, because... it can cause allergies. Also, not all women can eat raspberries, and onions and garlic can worsen the taste of breast milk.

When breastfeeding, women are usually shown:

• drink plenty of fluids (plain water or with lemon, fruit drinks, natural juices);
• rest (so that the body recovers as soon as possible);
• use of local expectorants (throat spray);
• herbal remedies (inhalations, aromatic baths with essential oils, oral decoctions).

Of course, you should stop breastfeeding during your illness and resume it only after your doctor’s permission. To avoid stagnation, milk should be expressed regularly. This will also help avoid problems with milk production when returning to breastfeeding.

Prevention measures

Now you know how to treat acute respiratory infections at home. But it will be better if the disease bypasses you. To do this, during periods of an outbreak of the disease, you need to increase your intake of vitamin C, add onions and garlic to your diet, and before going out to public places, lubricate the entrance to your nostrils with oxolinic ointment (children should also smear this on their nose). Also, in the summer, you should not overdo it with air conditioning, and in winter, dress warmer and wrap your feet. Such simple prevention will allow you to enjoy every day, and not waste time on tedious treatment of acute respiratory infections.

Fever is considered a constant companion to any cold. And if there are symptoms of a cold, but the temperature remains within normal limits, this seems something unusual and causes difficulties in treatment. Is it possible for acute respiratory infections to occur without fever, and what does this mean?

The abbreviation acute respiratory infections hides a group of diseases accompanied by damage to the respiratory tract - nasopharynx, oropharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. These diseases are caused by infectious agents - viruses, bacteria, fungi. In the group of acute respiratory infections, diseases caused only by viruses are separately distinguished - ARVI. This is due to the fact that they occur most often in children and adults.

Main symptoms

Comparing influenza and ARVI allows us to identify the general symptoms of these diseases:

• headache;
• sore throat;
• feeling of weakness;
• eye pain;
• unpleasant cough.

We also recommend: Difference between acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections

How does influenza differ from ARVI in terms of symptoms? First of all, the more pronounced intensity of the symptoms. Although some acute respiratory diseases caused by viruses do not have a fever, which makes diagnosis somewhat difficult. People can suffer from a disease “on their feet”, unaware of its presence or believing that it is a common cold that the body will cope with on its own.

Temperature is an important sign with which the body (namely, the immune system) tries to defeat the virus on its own. What is it - fever with influenza and ARVI? To protect health, leukocytes are activated, thus beginning the fight against pathogenic microorganisms. On the other hand, it is not good when a high temperature does not go away for a long time. As a rule, this is a sign that the immune system is unable to cope with the disease on its own. This means he should be helped.

Usually, with proper treatment, no more than three (occasionally five) days are enough to successfully combat fever. During this time, the body must produce antibodies that will defeat the infection.

Fever is also noted among the main symptoms of acute respiratory diseases in children. And just like in adults, it should last no more than five days. Moreover, doctors do not recommend immediately reducing high temperatures with the help of medications. Only in cases where the fever exceeded 38.5 degrees. Until then, to alleviate the health condition, you should use traditional methods (for example, rubbing).

It is important that the child’s body does not become dependent on antipyretic medications, otherwise the child’s immune system will not be able to cope with even a mild cold.

However, one of the differences between the flu and a cold is due to the fact that with it the temperature can easily “soar” to 40 degrees. And this is already dangerous (especially for a child). With such heat, irreversible negative consequences can begin in the human body (for example, in the central nervous system).

If you use means to reduce fever, and the temperature remains at 39 degrees for three days, it is quite possible that complications have begun - for example, the addition of a bacterial infection. This can lead to pneumonia or bacterial bronchitis.

How does the temperature rise process occur?

Since an acute inflammatory process always develops with acute respiratory infections, a healthy body responds to this with an increase in temperature. Inflammation is associated with the introduction of a microorganism into the mucous membrane of one or another part of the respiratory tract. In this case, cell destruction occurs and bioactive substances are released. These substances attract macrophages and leukocytes. They, in turn, also produce biologically active substances that trigger the process of increasing temperature.

Thermoregulation of the body is carried out by a part of the brain - the hypothalamus. It stimulates the production of pyrogenic factors - substances that contribute to an increase in temperature. This happens in response to the appearance of foreign bodies in the body, including infectious agents.

What temperature can there be with ARVI?

Temperature values ​​for respiratory infections are variable. They are determined by the type of pathogen and the degree of intoxication. In this regard, by assessing what temperature is observed during ARVI, doctors can determine the seriousness of the situation. As the disease progresses and the concentration of the pathogen in the blood increases, hyperthermia increases.

The more virulent the virus, the higher the temperature value. The increase in temperature itself is a reaction of the immune system to the introduction of a pathogenic agent. Therefore, in some cases, the increase in temperature is insignificant and how many days the temperature lasts for ARVI depends on the timeliness of the measures taken.

Can there be ARVI without fever?

According to infectious disease specialists, the level of hyperthermia depends on several factors. They directly determine whether the indicator will increase or not. According to the results of studies, body temperature during ARVI is determined by the following parameters:

1. Type of pathogen
   - damage to the body by the influenza virus never goes away without an increase in temperature. This is an aggressive virus that quickly multiplies and spreads throughout the body. However, certain types of adenovirus can be present in small concentrations in the body without hyperthermia.
2. State of defenses.
   Hyperthermia is always a specific reaction of the body to a pathogen. The production of antibodies is always accompanied by an increase in temperature, so the absence of hyperthermia during ARVI may indicate the absence of an immune response.
3. The medications used
   are antiviral medications aimed at reducing symptoms and alleviating the patient’s condition. Therefore, after a single use, normalization of body temperature is possible.

How long does the temperature last for ARVI?

The state of the immune system is a determining factor in assessing the possible duration of hyperthermia. Each body reacts to a pathogen differently and fights the virus with varying intensity. However, there are average indicators that are based on an analysis of the course of ARVI in patients. According to them, doctors can approximately say how many days the temperature during ARVI can be elevated.

With ARVI, the temperature lasts 3-5 days. In most cases, during this time the immune system manages to produce a large number of antibodies, which are sent to fight the virus. As the replication of the virus is suppressed, the concentration of the pathogen in the blood decreases, and the temperature gradually normalizes.

However, in some cases, a “temperature tail” may be observed - the temperature decreases, but not to normal values, but to 37-37.5 degrees. In this way, the immune system controls the complete destruction of the virus. Taking this into account, it is difficult to say for sure how long an elevated temperature during ARVI will last for how many days.

How long does a high temperature last for ARVI?

With ARVI, the temperature rises rapidly. In this case, the indicator reaches a certain value and stops. This is explained by the fact that by this time the concentration of the virus in the blood reaches its maximum. If we talk specifically about how many days a high temperature is observed during ARVI, then more often it is 1-3 days. Much depends on the initial state of the immune system and the timeliness of starting therapy. Taking anti-inflammatory and antiviral drugs helps to quickly normalize body temperature and stop its rise.

Reasons for the absence of elevated temperature in acute respiratory infections

Why does the temperature sometimes not rise? If there is no temperature reaction during a cold, this indicates the following:

1. pathological decrease in immunity;
2. drop in the body's protective properties;
3. a malfunction of the immune system when it does not perceive the infection as a foreign substance;
4. pathology of the hypothalamus.

This can be observed in exhausted people, in patients with autoimmune and oncological diseases, and with chronic infections. The immune system may not have time to restore its functions if a person has just suffered a serious illness.

Children can get sick without fever for the same reasons as adults.

The temperature response to infection is a physiological process that occurs in every healthy organism. The temperature should rise, at least for a short period of time. This indicates that the body is able to fight infection. If there is no fever in response to the infection, we can assume that the disease will last a long time, be difficult to treat, and the risk of the infection becoming chronic is very high.

What temperature should be lowered during ARVI?

Having learned how many days the temperature lasts for ARVI, many are interested in the permissible values ​​of this parameter. As noted above, an increase in temperature is a protective reaction of the body. When trying to reduce it, the rate of development of the immune response decreases, which can prolong the course of the disease. In this regard, you need to know exactly which temperature to lower during ARVI, and which one should not. It must be remembered that at a temperature of 38-38.5 degrees:

• there is a peak in the synthesis of antibodies by the immune system;
• viruses lose their ability to reproduce and die quickly.

In this regard, doctors do not recommend taking antipyretics when the reading is below 38.5 degrees. A temperature of 39 degrees during ARVI and more can be fatal to a person. There is a violation of the protein structure, which leads to convulsions and destruction of blood cells. To prevent this, antipyretics are used.

Symptoms

Symptoms of acute respiratory infections without fever will depend on the type of microorganism that caused it.

Flu

With this disease there is almost always a temperature reaction. However, in adults and older people it may not be present. In general, the disease develops as usual - with headache, photophobia, the appearance of a profuse runny nose and a dry, obsessive cough. Symptoms gradually increase, and signs of damage to internal organs appear.

Adenovirus infection

This disease is characterized by a gradual increase in temperature, usually it does not rise above 37.5 * C. Therefore, a person does not always feel and notice it. The symptoms of this infection are very variable - mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and tonsils are affected. The main manifestations are conjunctivitis, tonsillitis with sore throat, tracheitis and bronchitis with severe cough.

Coronavirus infection

This disease almost always occurs without a temperature reaction. Children usually get it. Sometimes a child's temperature may rise to 37.2-37.5*C. The main symptoms of this infection are a runny nose with very profuse nasal discharge and a slight cough.

Pneumococcal infection

It is observed mainly in young children, but is much less common in adults. It is practically asymptomatic, there is no increase in temperature or pronounced catarrhal symptoms. It is usually diagnosed accidentally.

Meningococcal infection

The localized form of this disease is meningococcal nasopharyngitis. Often found in adults and children, it is asymptomatic. Fever occurs in only half of patients. The main manifestation is dry nasal mucosa and runny nose with scanty discharge.

Haemophilus influenzae infection

It is asymptomatic and does not differ from other acute respiratory infections. Fever does not exceed 37.5*C. Symptoms of general intoxication and minor catarrhal phenomena are observed.

Symptoms of acute respiratory infections in adults and children are generally the same. Recovery time with adequate treatment does not exceed 10 days. In most cases there are no complications.

Which disease is worse?

What is the difference between influenza and ARVI? How might they be different? As you already understand, this is the same as asking how an oak differs from a tree. Oak is a tree, or rather, one of the tree species.

ARVI is a general concept for all respiratory diseases. Influenza is considered the most dangerous because it develops and spreads quickly, and also threatens serious complications.

Influenza, as a rule, is more severe than other acute respiratory viral infections.

Another thing is that you should be able to distinguish a flu infection from a cold. Traditionally, a cold is called an acute respiratory infection - when a doctor cannot immediately determine the exact nature of the disease (for example, it is caused by viruses or bacteria), but a diagnosis must be made.

Symptoms of colds usually increase slowly, while viral infections develop quickly.

A fever with a cold does not always appear immediately, as with the flu. In the case of viral diseases, these indicators not only increase quickly, but also last much longer.

Influenza illness from acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections is also different in that a person feels chills throughout the body, and not just a slight malaise.

Even in adults and children, the flu may differ from a cold by the appearance of a runny nose not as one of the first signs, but only in the subsequent days of illness.

Which of these ailments is worse is probably self-explanatory. However, even a common cold should not be taken lightly, since the disease can become more serious at any time. The difference in symptoms lies primarily in their intensity.

You need to know how to distinguish between influenza and ARVI in order to start and properly treat the disease in a timely manner.

You can, for example, recognize it by the throat, which becomes loose and red during acute respiratory infections. The pain sensations in this case are different (sometimes not too strong). A hacking cough is possible, initially dry, but then becoming wet (when sputum is produced).

During the flu, the back of the throat wall and the palate may be affected. Only on the second day of the illness does a painful cough and severe chest pain occur. Moreover, the duration of such symptoms can reach three weeks.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of acute respiratory infections is made on the basis of typical symptoms and laboratory examination. With the help of a clinical picture, it is rarely possible to distinguish between different types of infection, so usually a simple diagnosis of acute respiratory infections is made. If it is necessary to determine the pathogen, laboratory diagnostics are prescribed.

A general blood test reveals moderate inflammation with an increase in leukocytes and ESR. Minor traces of protein appear in the urine. To determine the pathogen, culture of nasopharyngeal discharge or PCR diagnostics is used.

Treatment

Treatment of acute respiratory infections without fever is carried out according to usual standards. It includes medicinal and non-medicinal methods. It is necessary to treat acute respiratory infections without fever more carefully, since this condition appears in a weakened body. Sometimes it is necessary to extend the course of etiotropic treatment to completely destroy the pathogen.

Antibacterial and antiviral drugs are used as etiotropic therapy. The choice of medication depends on the causative agent of the disease. For a bacterial infection, it is necessary to determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to antibacterial agents. The most commonly used antiviral and antibacterial drugs:

• Anaferon for children and adults;
• Arbidol for children and adults;
• Ergoferon;
• Oscillococcinum;
• Tavanik;
• Flexid;
• Sumamed.

To maintain intestinal microflora while taking antibiotics, probiotic agents are prescribed. They are aimed at preventing the development of dysbiosis. These include Maxilak, Linex, Hilak Forte, Rela Life.

As symptomatic therapy, antipyretics, local anti-inflammatory and painkillers, vitamin preparations, and immunostimulants are prescribed. To eliminate a runny nose, vasoconstrictor and antibacterial nasal drops are prescribed. Cough requires the use of expectorants.

Treatment with medications should be complemented by a proper diet, physiotherapeutic methods and traditional medicine recipes. For the entire period of the disease, a gentle milk-vegetable diet enriched with vitamins is prescribed. Cranberry and currant fruit drinks are used as drinks. Fruits and vegetables high in ascorbic acid should be eaten daily.

Physiotherapeutic methods include steam and ultrasonic inhalations, UHF, magnet, and quartz treatment. Physiotherapy is carried out in courses of several procedures.

From traditional medicine recipes, decoctions of medicinal herbs are used as rinses. Chamomile, sage, oak bark, and St. John's wort have antiseptic properties. Honey, radish and beet juice also have medicinal properties.

Cold without fever - answers Doctor Myasnikov

With the onset of the autumn-winter season, the epidemiological threshold for acute respiratory viral diseases (ARVI or ARI), which occur in both adults and children of different ages, increases significantly. The cause of the development of ARVI are various rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza viruses and others, which are transmitted by airborne droplets or by contact with a sick person.

Acute respiratory viral diseases are mainly characterized by damage to the respiratory system and ENT organs, which in turn leads to the development of symptoms such as runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat, and general intoxication of the body. In the presence of such symptoms, when no analysis is carried out to identify the pathogen, patients are diagnosed with acute respiratory infections, since such a clinical picture is characteristic not only of viruses (ARVI), but also infectious diseases (ARD).

Treatment of colds of viral or bacterial origin must be carried out when the first signs appear, otherwise there may be a risk of developing complications that significantly complicate the treatment process and the recovery period. Treatment of acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections must be comprehensive and only after examination by a doctor who will prescribe medications and give useful advice and recommendations.

How to distinguish the flu from a common ARVI and when you need a doctor

Authors : American Academy of Pediatrics

Has your child returned home from school with a sore throat, cough and high fever? What is this - the flu that everyone is talking about, or just an ordinary ARVI?

Although influenza typically causes more severe symptoms and is more severe than other colds, it is not always easy to tell them apart.

What is the flu?

The influenza virus causes serious illness that can result in hospitalization or even death. As a rule, the respiratory system is affected, but in general the entire body suffers to one degree or another from the influenza virus.

Flu season usually begins in the fall or winter and ends in the spring. Discuss the topic of vaccination with your doctor in late summer or early autumn - this way you will be protected throughout the entire epidemic season.

You can even get the flu several times a season and many times in your life, because the flu virus is constantly changing and mutating from year to year. This season, as many as 4 viruses can cause the flu.

Signs of the flu

The influenza virus causes respiratory illness that can last a week or even longer. Flu symptoms include:

• sudden increase in temperature (usually above 38.3 °C);
• chills;
• headache, body aches and weakness;
• a sore throat;
• dry cough;
• nasal congestion, runny nose.

Some children may also have vomiting and diarrhea with the flu. Take your child to the doctor if he or she develops ear pain, cough, or fever that does not go away despite treatment. This may indicate serious damage to the body.

Below are questions whose answers will help determine whether a child is struggling with the flu or just a common ARVI.

If most of your answers match the options in the first column, there is a good chance that your child has the flu. If your answers more often correspond to the answers from the second column, this is most likely an acute respiratory viral infection or a cold.

But don't rush to conclusions! It's important to remember that flu symptoms in children can be different and change as the illness progresses, so if you suspect you have the flu, be sure to call your doctor. Even doctors often use special tests to confirm that a person has the flu, as the symptoms of different diseases can be so similar!

Some bacterial infections, such as a sore throat or pneumonia, can also be similar to the flu or a common cold. Therefore, it is important to see a doctor immediately if your child's condition worsens, has trouble breathing, continues to have a high fever, has a severe headache, sore throat, or has problems with consciousness.

Even healthy children can develop complications from the flu, and children with chronic illnesses are at high risk of complications.

How to protect yourself from the flu?

Get a flu vaccine annually. Vaccines are safe and updated every year, so you should get vaccinated as soon as the drug is available in your area.

The influenza virus is easily spread through respiratory droplets such as coughing and sneezing, and through hands passing objects (doorknobs or toys) if you then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Here are some tips to help protect your family from infection.

• You should wash your hands frequently, always using soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds (about the same time as singing "Happy Birthday" twice). Ethyl alcohol-based hand sanitizers can also be used. Apply enough product to your hands to wet them. Then rub until your hands are dry.
• Teach your children to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Show them how to cough into their elbow or into their sleeve (not their hand), or use tissues.
• Throw used wipes in the trash immediately.
• Wash dishes and cutlery in hot soapy water or in the dishwasher.
• Items such as toothbrushes, pacifiers, cups, spoons, forks, washcloths, and towels must be individual.
• Teach your children not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands.
• Clean doorknobs, faucets, countertops and toys regularly. Use disinfectant wipes or wipes with soap and hot water to minimize germs and viruses.

What to do if your child has the flu?

Call the doctor

if your child has flu-like symptoms and if:

• he is 3 months or younger and has a high fever;

• has rapid or difficult breathing;
• he looks very sick;
• he is more sleepy than usual;
• he is very capricious, no matter how you distract him;
• he cannot or does not want to drink;
• he urinates very little and rarely.

You should also consult a doctor

if your child has flu-like symptoms and a chronic illness such as:

• asthma, diabetes, or heart problems;
• sickle cell anemia, cancer, HIV or any other disease that makes it difficult for the body to fight infections;
• cerebral palsy or other neurological disorders that make it difficult to cough up mucus and breathe;
• morbid obesity (excessive or overweight).

Go to the emergency room immediately

if your child has:

• there are obvious flu symptoms and the condition continues to worsen;
• bluish skin tone;
• I don’t even have the strength to get out of bed.

Medicines for treating influenza

It is now possible to treat influenza with special antiviral drugs. But these remedies work better if the child receives them during the first 1-2 days of illness.

Call the doctor within 24 hours to discuss the need for these medications if your child is at high risk for flu complications because he:

• has serious health problems such as asthma, diabetes, sickle cell disease, or cerebral palsy;
• younger than 6 months (influenza vaccine is not licensed for this age group);
• <2 years of age (young children have an increased risk of influenza infection, hospitalization, and complications).

What else can you do to help your child with the flu?

Letting your child get plenty of rest and drinking plenty of fluids will help your child feel better. You can also give him medicine to reduce his fever.

Give acetaminophen (paracetamol) to a child 6 months and younger. For a child over 6 months old, acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Never give children aspirin! This can cause Reye's syndrome, a serious disease that affects the liver and brain.

It's better to get sick at home!

You should not take your child to kindergarten or school if he has a fever and other flu symptoms. The patient needs rest. In addition, it can infect other children.

When can my child return to school or kindergarten?

The child should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever has passed. Start counting from the moment you stop giving antipyretics for fever (38°C or higher). But it’s better to check with the child care center about their internal rules for admitting children after illness.

Source

published 01/15/2016 12:07 updated 02/16/2016 — acute respiratory infections, Infectious diseases

How do medications work to treat acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections?

Despite the fact that modern pharmacology and medicine have reached heights in creating a large number of drugs for the treatment of viral and infectious diseases, it is quite difficult to choose the right drug to treat viruses that cannot be treated with antibiotics and, unlike bacteria, multiply inside cells.

Antibacterial drugs (antibiotics) are not effective in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections; they have a different mechanism of action and do not have a therapeutic effect for viral infections.

Antibiotics can be used to treat ARVI only if there is a bacterial infection or there is a risk of complications. Therefore, to treat viral diseases, doctors prescribe antiviral, immunostimulating drugs that have the ability to act inside cells.

What is influenza and ARVI?

ARVI is an acute respiratory viral infection, and since influenza is also caused by viruses, it, together with a cold, is classified as ARVI. There are many pathogens and types of respiratory tract infections that a person begins to become familiar with immediately after birth. The older he is, the more stable his immune system becomes, so children get sick more often than adults - they are diagnosed with influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections from 7 to 10 times a year, and the vast majority are kindergarten children, not “home” children. But when school starts, the situation changes.

So, it is clear that both are caused by viruses, but what is the difference? Uninitiated people believe that a slight malaise and a quickly passing cough with snotty nose are a cold, but if you feel worse than ever and the temperature quickly creeps up, then it is the flu. There is some truth in this statement, but everything is not so simple. For those who are interested in the difference between influenza and ARVI, it is worth answering that the causative agents of the first are more variable compared to their counterparts.

Causative agents of influenza and ARVI

In most cases, the cause of infection is:

1. Rhinoviruses
   , which account for 30 to 50% of all colds.
2. Coronaviruses
   are responsible for infecting 10–15% of cases.
3. Adenoviruses and other species.
   They cause acute respiratory viral infections in 5% of all cases.

In total, there are more than 200 varieties of viruses dangerous to humans, and in general, it must be said that these are the most numerous inhabitants of the planet. There are even more of them than bacteria. They also constantly mutate, which is what happened with the COVID-19 coronavirus that made a splash. Moreover, this happens so quickly that scientists already doubt whether the Chinese who have had it will fall ill again when they get to Italy.

Incidence of ARVI and influenza

As already mentioned, influenza is more contagious - that’s how it differs from ARVI. If a cold often develops against the background of hypothermia, when the body becomes susceptible to pathogens, and does not pose a danger to others, then the flu is very contagious. Millions of people every year become hostage to an infection acquired from another sufferer. The patient poses the greatest danger to others 2–3 days after the onset of unpleasant symptoms.

Even the so-called “silent carriers”, who do not yet know about their disease, are also contagious - they are responsible for infecting 1-8% of all infected people. The disease of influenza and ARVI takes on the character of an epidemic if patients do not stay at home, but go to work, attend mass and other events, and public institutions. They cease to pose a danger to others when a day passes after the last rise in temperature, and the condition remains normal without the help of medications.