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Is It The FluOr Just The Common Cold



With cold and flu season underway, you may have noticed that the flu has made headlines recently thanks to Google'ss new Flu Trends tool, which analyzes the prevalence of Internet search terms to identify hot spots of flu activity.But, it'ss not just the flu that should be grabbing headlines. Every year, Americans experience about a billion colds, compared to an estimated 25 to 50 million cases of the flu. And while colds don'st get the serious billing that flu does, those who suffer from them can miss long periods of work or school days, and colds serve to weaken the body'ss immune defenses against other more serious infections, including pneumonia. So, experts say the key to staying healthy is to decrease the severity and duration of the cold itself.





With symptoms that are similar in nature - coughing, sore throat, stuffy, runny nose and fatigue - the two illnesses are often confused by the average person, but they couldn'st be more different. The common cold is usually a minor infection of the nose that can be caused by any of the 200-plus rhinoviruses, while the flu is a serious infection of the respiratory system caused by any type of influenza virus, a more virulent and dangerous type of virus that morphs itself each year, explains Suzy Cohen, R.Ph., and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist (HarperCollins, 2007). It'ss important to know which one you have and treat it appropriately.



With the common cold, people tend to suffer from mild fatigue and weakness, sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, a mild-to-moderate cough and a sore throat, while a fever and a headache are uncommon. People suffering from a bout of the flu typically have a sudden fever that often lasts three or more days, headaches that can be severe and a cough that can be persistent and severe, as well as extreme fatigue, weakness and muscle aches that can last for weeks. The common cold and the flu are both preventable by washing hands regularly and enhancing one'ss immune function. People can also discuss the flu vaccination from their doctor, and it is highly recommended, especially for children, by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).



One way to see how your city is faring this cold season The Cold-EEZE's174; Cold-CAST. Each week at www.coldfight360.com, the Cold-EEZE's174; Cold-CAST lists the top five cities with the highest and lowest percentage of their populations suffering from colds. In addition, the Cold-EEZE's174; Cold-CAST offers up-to-date notification of illness levels - from very high to normal to low for more than 135 cities (and their surrounding areas) nationwide. Displayed using a zip code finder, the data provides a basic understanding of the severity of symptoms in a particular area, including fever, cough, sore throat and nasal congestion.



The Cold-EEZE's174; Cold-CAST utilizes data compiled by Surveillance Data Inc. (SDI) in their cough/cold tracking report, which is called FAN. This data reflects weekly and cumulative change in people reporting respiratory illness across 135 U.S. markets. In each market, SDI captures feedback from all 24 panel member groups which represent GP'ss, family practitioners, nursing homes, pharmacists and HMO'ss, as well as four panel groups representing schools and businesses capturing absenteeism. Each panel group is weighted based on size, type and years of practice.



The Cold-EEZE Cold-CAST alert is a great way to prepare your household in case of a cold, because there are things you can do to help prevent yourself from getting sick, particularly when you are more aware that the people around you may be spreading these germs, says Cohen.



For many people, a bout with the common cold isn'st so bad until they start experiencing a runny nose, sore throat and a hacking cough, among other symptoms, themselves. There are currently 22.5 million people across the country suffering from cold symptoms, and you may be one of them. It'ss important to keep cold-fighting products like Cold-EEZE's174; zinc gluconate lozenges on hand in case of a common cold emergency. Cold-EEZE's174; zinc lozenges, which should be taken at the onset of cold symptoms, are clinically-proven to reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms by 42 percent (or three to four days) and come in great-tasting flavors like new sugar-free natural pomegranate and strawberries and cream.



To learn more about the differences between the cold and the flu, and to see if your city has made the weekly Cold-EEZE Cold-CAST, visit www.coldfight360.com.






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