Common colds and flu

Often mistakenly called the ‘flu’, colds are viral infections and rarely cause harm, unlike the influenza virus, which is a serious illness.

Children can get 5-10 colds a year as they don’t have the same immunity to many of the viruses that adults do, who can average 2-4 colds annually. As long as they feel well enough to participate, children can go to childcare, preschool and school with colds.

1. What are the signs and symptoms of a cold?

Symptoms of the common cold usually affect the nose and throat only and include sneezing, a blocked or runny nose, a sore throat and coughing. These usually get better after 7–10 days except for the cough which is often the last thing to improve and can persist for up to 3 weeks.

Green or yellow mucus may also come from the nose, normally a sign that the immune system is fighting the infection and doesn’t mean the cold’s getting worse. You could also have a mild fever.

2. What are the signs and symptoms of the flu?

Flu symptoms can be similar to the common cold but are more severe and tend to last longer. The flu usually starts suddenly with a high fever and you may feel sick enough to go to bed. Symptoms can also include irritation in the throat or lungs, a dry cough, shivering, sweating and severe muscle and whole-body aches.

3. Diagnosis:

Most of us won’t need to see a GP for a cold or flu. This is because our immune system can fight and overcome the viruses that cause them. However some serious diseases can initially seem like a cold or flu but may require urgent medical attention.

Signs of a more severe illness include neck stiffness, severe headache, light hurting the eyes, chest pain, problems breathing, skin rash, pale or mottled skin, vomiting, difficulty waking up or unusual drowsiness.

If your symptoms come on suddenly, are severe or last longer than usual, or your illness is aggravating other medical conditions like asthma or diabetes, the best thing to do is see your doctor.

Children with any of these symptoms: an earache, bulging of the fontanelle (the soft spot on top of a baby's head), fever (in babies under 6 months of age), excessive irritability, a strange high-pitched cry, lack of energy, loss of appetite, not drinking or feeding poorly should be seen by a GP immediately.

4. Treatment:

Common colds and flu infections can get better on their own without treatment. Once your immune system has fought off a particular virus, you won’t be infected by that virus again.

There is currently no treatment that can cure the common cold or flu. But there are things you can do to help fight an infection, to stop it spreading to others and to relieve your symptoms.

Influenza vaccination is recommended every year (ideally in autumn) for older people and those at risk of serious complications from the flu. This vaccination won’t stop you from getting common colds, as they are caused by different viruses.

5. Complementary medicine and lifestyle approaches:

We usually catch common colds and flu from other people. They can be passed on by touching hands or objects (e.g. tissues and toys) or inhaling droplets from sneezes or coughs.
Here are some simple steps you can take to stop these viruses spreading:

• Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth
• Use paper tissues to blow your nose, and throw tissues away after use
• Wash hands with soap, particularly before preparing and eating food and after blowing your nose
• Don’t share cups, glasses and cutlery.

If you catch a cold or flu, give your body time to rest, which can help your immune system fight the infection. Drink plenty of water or non-alcoholic fluids. Smoking and inhaling cigarette smoke will make a cold or flu worse.

6. At-home remedies:

• Drink something warm (e.g. a honey and lemon drink): this can help relieve a sore throat.
• Inhale steam from the shower: this helps unblock sinuses and clear a stuffy nose. This is best for children as steam from a bowl of hot water can burn the lining of a child's nose and there’s a risk that the hot water may be spilled.
• Gargling warm salty water or sucking on ice: helps relieve coughs and soothes a sore throat.

Some people use vitamins, mineral supplements or herbal medicines to help prevent or treat a common cold. Currently there isn’t enough evidence from quality clinical trials to prove they’re effective for preventing or treating colds. This is particularly the case for children.
In addition, there is limited information on the safety of complementary medicines, some may cause side effects and interactions with other medicines.

Vitamin C has not been shown to prevent colds or to give reliable effects in treating colds.
Zinc might shorten the length and reduce the severity of a cold in some people, but it can cause side effects like nausea or leave a bad taste in the mouth.

More information from quality clinical trials is also needed to find out whether echinacea and garlic or garlic supplements can prevent or treat the common cold.

7. Traditional-medicine-based treatment

Because antibiotics work only on infections caused by bacteria, and not viruses, they won’t help a cold or flu get better faster, stop it from getting worse, or prevent it from spreading to other people.

Some people who are at risk of getting complications from the cold or flu may be prescribed antibiotics. For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are much more likely to develop complications like pneumonia and ear damage (which can involve a bacterial infection) if they get an infection in their respiratory tract.

But it’s important that you don’t use antibiotics when you don’t need them, as frequent antibiotic use contributes to antibiotic-resistance in bacteria, making them harder and harder to treat. They can also cause unwanted side effects like stomach upsets, diarrhoea, thrush and allergic reactions.

Oseltamivir (the active ingredient in the brand Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are flu medicines usually only prescribed if your symptoms are severe or if you are at high risk of complications from the flu. They can help shorten and reduce the severity of the flu if taken within 48 hours of symptoms appearing and are occasionally prescribed in some circumstances to prevent the flu, but the effect fluctuates as you can still get the flu while taking these medicines.

Some over-the-counter medicines can help relieve your cold and flu symptoms, but make sure you ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice about the safest ones to relieve your or your child’s symptoms, and always read the information on the label.

Various combination 'cough and cold' and 'cold and flu' medicines are available but their effectiveness is questionable, particularly in children; and they’re no longer recommended for children under 2.

Decongestants help relieve a blocked nose and are available as tablets, liquids, nasal sprays or drops. These may not be safe if you have certain conditions like heart problems or high blood pressure and can interfere with other medicines. They may be ineffective for children under 12 years and can cause them serious side effects like hallucinations and excitability. Try using saline (salt water) sprays or drops instead, especially for children.

Rebound congestion can occur after 4-5 days of using a nasal decongestant. If you still need a decongestant after this time, try substituting your spray or drops for an oral form, although this might cause you other side effects like sleep problems, dizziness, rapid heart beat and headache.

Common pain relief medicines like paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin can ease the pain of a sore throat. Aspirin is not suitable for children and some adults.

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