Why the Coronavirus is Worse than the Flu and When to Seek Medical Attention
With its symptoms of high fever, cough and body aches — and its potential to be severe — the coronavirus has drawn comparisons to the flu. However, make no mistake: The new coronavirus is no flu. Even though both are spread through respiratory droplets, the coronavirus is affecting people with far more severity and rapidity […]
Is ‘man flu’ a real condition?
Q: Do men really suffer more with the flu than women? A: I’d never heard of “man flu,” but according to a new study of the topic, the term is “so ubiquitous that it has been included in the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries as “a cold or similar minor ailment as experienced by a man […]
When a cough just won’t go away
Harvard Health Blog Who has never had a cough? I bet no one can raise their hand. We see this in clinic all the time. But chronic cough — one that lasts at least eight weeks — can be hard for patients to deal with and difficult for doctors to figure out. In the October […]
Decongestants can sometimes cause more harm than good
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve heard that nonprescription decongestants can have significant side effects. Is this true? ANSWER: While many people rely on nasal decongestants to help ease symptoms of a cold or flu, these medications can sometimes cause more harm than good, especially if taken repeatedly. Examples of commonly used decongestants include […]
Flu vaccination: Win some, lose some
If you got a flu shot last year and it didn’t work, don’t reject vaccination. During last year’s battle of The People vs. Influenza, the virus gained the upper hand. Early in the 2014-15 flu season, a new strain of the virus emerged against which the existing vaccine offered virtually no protection. Hospitalizations for flu […]
