Flu and Cold Treatment Clinic in Wylie, TX

The cold and flu (influenza) are seasonal and viral upper respiratory infections (URIs) that peak during October to March, or from late fall through to late winter and early spring. In general, a common cold is milder than the flu; however, cold and flu are often used to describe the same illness since they share many of the same symptoms even though they are not the same. With that in mind, the common cold can refer to a chest cold, head cold, or seasonal flu.

Since colds and the flu share many of the same symptoms, it can be very challenging to determine whether you are dealing with the cold or the flu. As a result, if your doctor is unable to determine if you have a cold or the flu based on the symptoms you are experiencing, they may conduct special tests within the first couple of days of the illness to determine which illness you are dealing with.

The most common tests for detecting and diagnosing influenza include rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs), molecular assays, and nucleic acid amplification tests. Each of those tests works by taking nasopharyngeal swabs from the patient’s nose or back of their throat to obtain a sample of respiratory fluid. The sample is either analyzed immediately using rapid detection services or sent to a lab to be analyzed by a lab technician. Depending on the test used, results will most likely come back within 10 minutes to an hour.

The majority of cold and flu symptoms are the same. However, there can be key differences in how the symptoms develop and progress with each illness.

With that in mind, some common cold and flu symptoms include sneezing, cough, nose congestion, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, and weakness. Other flu symptoms that only rarely occur with the cold include fever, chills, and headaches.

Furthermore, the symptom onset with colds is typically gradual, while flu symptoms often occur abruptly. As such, the symptoms of the flu generally are worse within the first few days, while cold symptoms gradually get worse. With that being said, cold symptoms are typically much milder than flu symptoms.

While cases of the cold and flu are often mild and easily managed without medical attention, there are some cases where symptoms progress or refuse to improve with a cold and flu, indicating that medical attention is warranted. With that in mind, you should seek medical attention for a cold or flu if you are dealing with any of the following:

• Chest pain or tightness
• Congestion, cough, or headache that does not go away
• Dehydration
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever that worsens or does not improve
• Frequent vomiting or inability to keep any fluids or food down
• Light-headedness or vertigo
• Painful swallowing
• Severe stomach pain

For an appointment or more information about flu and cold treatment at Mercy Medical Clinic, we welcome you to call us or schedule an appointment online through our website! Mercy Medical Clinic is conveniently located at 615 S Highway 78, Suite 100, in Wylie, Texas. We serve patients from Wylie TX, Lavon TX, Rockwall TX, Sachse TX, Allen TX, Winningkoff TX and BEYOND.