Diseases

COLDS

The common cold is caused by any one of 200 viruses. The symptoms of a cold are runny nose, red eyes, sneezing, sore throat, dry cough, headache, and general body aches. There is a gradual one- or two-day onset. As a cold progresses, the nasal mucus may thicken. This is the stage before a cold dries up. A cold usually lasts about one or two weeks.

Colds occur throughout the year, but are most common in late winter and early spring.

In fact, there is no cure for the common cold. If you catch one, treat the symptoms:

· Hot water, herbal tee or chicken soup will help relieve congestion.

· Take aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce fever and to relieve pains.

· Humidify the bedroom and take hot showers to relieve nasal stuffiness.

· Gargle to prevent a sore throat.

· Use disposable tissues, not handkerchiefs.

· If your nose is red, put a bit of petroleum jelly on the sore area.

· Avoid “cold” remedies that combine drugs to treat many different symptoms. Treat each symptom separately.

· Avoid antihistamines. They are not effective treatment for colds.

· Use nasal decongestant sprays for only three days or less. Continued use may lead to rebound effect.

INFLUENZA

Influenza, or the flu, is a viral illness that commonly occurs in winter. The flu often affects many people at once (epidemic). (The name “influenza” comes from the Italian word for “influence”).

The flu is commonly thought of as a respiratory illness, but the whole body can be affected. Symptoms include weakness, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, fever, chills, sneezing, and running nose. Symptoms may last five to seven days.

The illness is usually dangerous only for infants, older adults, and people with chronic diseases. Get a flu shot each autumn if you are over 65, if you have a chronic illness, such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes, or if you are a health care worker.

Keep up your resistance to infection with a good diet, plenty of rest, and regular exercise. Avoid exposure to virus. Wash your hands often and keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth.

If you caught the flu get plenty of rest, drink extra fluids, at least one glass of water or juice every waking hour, take acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen to relieve fever and head and muscle aches.

AIDS

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major health problem, even for teenagers. Many teens feel they are not at risk for getting a sexually transmitted disease.

Michelle is 22 years old and has AIDS. She became infected when she was 18 and a senior in high school. At that time, she had met a young man named Dave with whom she felt she was in love. Michelle became sexually involved with Dave and thought they would get married. But Dave did not turn out to be what Michelle expected. Their relationship lasted only a few months. Later, Michelle discovered that Dave was using intravenous (IV) drugs.

Michelle visited her physician with complaints about a cough that lasted for two months. The physician had difficulty determining the cause of her cough. In the process of getting Michelle’s health history, the physician learned about her sexual involvement with Dave several years earlier. The physician became suspicious when Michelle told him that Dave used IV drugs. There is a close association between using IV drugs and being infected with HIV. The test results were positive. The physician determined that Michelle had a rare type of pneumonia, one of the later stages of HIV infection.

Michelle found it difficult to accept the fact that she had AIDS. She told the physician that she had not been sexually involved with anyone since her involvement with Dave.

However, Michelle overlooked the important fact that symptoms of HIV may first appear many years after infection. Most likely, Dave had been infected with HIV and transmitted it to Michelle. She had become infected at age 18 but did not show any symptoms until age 22.

Michelle’s case is not unusual. The number of young people becoming infected with HIV during their teen years is on the rise. Health professionals warn young people that they are not immune from becoming HIV infected. They urge teens to be responsible about their behavior. AIDS can be prevented if IV drugs are not used and abstinence is practiced.