Posts Tagged ‘Headache’

What is the common cold, symptoms, timeline, etc ?

The common cold is something that infects a huge number of people at any point of time, especially when the weather changes or it starts getting colder. Rare would be the person who has not been affected by the common cold. So, what is the common cold ? What are the symptoms, and what is the problems that it causes in people ? How long does the common cold last ?
Common cold is caused by a type of virus known as rhinoviruses, and is a actually a combination of problems that affect the nose and the throat (infection of these passages). Some of the symptoms of the common cold are also similar to the symptoms of influenza, and to some extent, that of mild ‘strep’ throat (which is not caused by a virus, but by a bacteria). In all these cases, proper medical attention can distinguish between them. One of the biggest problems in terms of perception about the common cold is that increased exposure to cold weather causes the cold, but this is not backed out by medical facts.
What are the symptoms of common cold ? Some of the most indicators are: cough, nasal congestion, low fever (normally does not cross 100°F, but can go upto 102°F), and a running nose. Then there are other indicators such as mild aches, scratchiness in the throat, changed voice (temporary change), and sneezing (that leaves you weak when you do sneeze) and also a slight pain in the back when you laugh heartily (you actually beg for people not to make you laugh). A running nose is mentioned, but it is actually one of the biggest indicators. And then you have some side effects that really effect you in terms of your efficiency: tiredness / weakness, headache, occasional muscle aches, tears in your eyes; these latter set of symptoms actually set you back a lot in terms of your capacity to do any kind of work (when I get a cold, I get all of these, and then do nothing but relax at home, since working is impossible when these effects of the cold are at their worst).
Initially, the nose running is very clear for the first few days, and then starts thickening (and getting colored) up over a period of time as the body gets into the infection fighting mode. These immune cells, manufactured by the body to fight the infection, also end up in the discharge from the nose and cause the thickening and coloring up of the discharge. This last bit is somewhat controversial, since many doctors apparently consider the thickening and coloring up of the discharge as an indicator of a bacterial infection, and prescribe antibiotics, but most medical personnel have met have confirmed that the discharge having a color is not an indication that there is a bacterial infection along with the viral infection.
Why do believe that more cold weather can cause an increased chance of the common cold. Well, this is because these weather conditions are actually more conducive for the virus that causes the common cold (and the humidity levels in the atmosphere is also lower).
I hope the above information helps people. Keep in mind however, that other problems such as influenza have some common symptoms with the common cold and if your cold problem is not going away, it is essential that you consult your doctor and get more scientific advice besides trying to read up on the internet.

| More

If you found this post informative, why not sign up to receive new posts ?
It's simple, and free, and you can even opt to receive by email:
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe to Good Health Tips by Email

The Central Nervous System – what is it and why is it important for health ? – Part 2

Ignoring is human nature. We tend to ignore when we suffer from aches and pain, any kind of spots or strains. These are in fact the indications that all is not well with your body. A body system is composed of cells, tissues and organs. There are different systems running in our body. The Central Nervous System is the Master Coordinator of all other systems. It is very important for body’s health. There are various problems that are associated with central nervous system.

- Transient Ischaemic Attack(TIA)
TIA is a kind of stroke and it happens when when the blood supply to the brain is temporarily interrupted. There is a possibility that you may suffer from TIA if you face symptoms like numbness in arms or legs, disturbance in speech, some vision loss lasting for few minutes or less than 24 hrs. Seek medical help immediately.

- Stroke
If some kind of numbness is felt on one side of body, confusion, headache, vomiting, nausea then it could be a stroke and you need to rush to a hospital within an hour to treat and minimize damage.

- Encephalitis, Meningitis or Brain Tumor
If you are experiencing headache accompanied by a stiff neck or sensitivity to light or sound and nausea for over a day then it could be a brain tumor and you need to consult a neurologist as soon as possible.

- Brain Tumor
If you are experiencing severe and sudden headaches or numbness and tingling in limbs or loss of peripheral vision then it could be a brain tumor and you need to consult a neurologist as soon as possible.

- Migraine
If you are experiencing nausea, vomiting, seeing flashing lights, difficulty in tolerating light, exhaustion, headache on one side that can last from 4 to 72 hours then it could be a migraine which need medication. Keep a watch for couple of days and seek medical help.

- Tension Headache
If you are experiencing headache like a tight band is tied around the head and it throbs in time to your pulse. It could also result in vomiting then it could be a tension headache and it needs pain killers and stress busters. Self medication can help.