If you haven’t heard already, flu season has made a drastic impact on local communities and has reached epidemic status across the U.S. Tens of thousands of individuals have been hospitalized and flu cases continue to spike in other parts of the country.
However, another extremely contagious disease runs alongside influenza: the common cold. After transmission through a rhinovirus, the common cold can lead to sore throat, respiratory infections, and extreme discomfort if contracted.
The CDC explains that common colds are caused by a different virus than the flu but also display similar symptoms. For example, both the common cold and influenza cause fever, cough, sneezing, sore throat, and headache. However, influenza is a more aggressive virus that is more likely to cause these symptoms than the common cold.
Without the proper prevention or treatment path, a common cold can create serious discomfort and disrupt important events in your life. At AFC Urgent Care Denver, we’re here to help you make the most informed healthcare decisions for ailments both significant and minor including cold and sore throat symptoms.
So what should patients understand about the common cold and where they can get quick treatment around Denver, Colorado!
How can you prevent a common cold or a sore throat?
Per the CDC, the common cold lasts between 7-10 days and most individuals recover from their symptoms in that time. But most adults and children are likely to miss work or school because of their cold. Most people get between 2 to 3 colds each year which could lead to roughly 21-30 days of symptoms.
Preventing a common cold or a sore throat is relatively simple with just a few prevention steps:
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based sanitizer in bathrooms, public spaces, and other common areas. Also make sure to not touch your mouth, eyes, or face with unwashed hands.
- Avoid contact when possible with people that are already sick and disinfect after sharing public spaces or items with infected individuals.
- Keep your immune system in check by getting proper sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and by drinking plenty of water.
Awareness and hygiene are your two biggest prevention tools to curb the common cold. However, if the common cold starts to spread rapidly in your communities, you may contract the disease sooner than you expect:
What should you do if you get the common cold?
Sometimes, getting a common cold or a sore throat is inevitable.
If you have a common cold or minor respiratory infection, there is unfortunately no immediate remedy and you’ll most likely have to wait until your symptoms go away. The recommended methods for cold and sore throat recover including the following steps:
- Getting plenty of rest and taking time off work or school to recover.
- Using over-the-counter medications moderately to reduce irritating symptoms.
- Taking prescribed antibiotics for a respiratory infection-caused sore throat. It is important to know that antibiotics are not designed to reduce or treat cold symptoms.
- Drinking multiple glasses of water frequently. The common cold leads to significant dehydration that can reduce the performance of your immune system.
The Mayo Clinic also highlights specific remedies for sore throat and bacterial infections that are separate from the common cold. Experts suggest using a cool-air humidifier, eating comforting foods like soups and teas, and using antibiotics on top of other home remedies.
In addition to home remedies, Denver-area patients can also visit a nearby AFC Urgent Care location to get fast cold and sore throat relief:
Visit AFC Urgent Care Denver locations for treatment of cold symptoms or sore throat!
Families and individuals in the Greater Denver Area can receive fast and immediate cold and sore throat treatment at any one of our AFC Urgent Care Centers. Patients with a cold or sore throat don’t need an appointment for cold symptom relief since we offer care for walk-in patients.
Our urgent care team can provide cold and flu symptom relief, sore throat treatment, and address sinus pain. In addition, our board-certified physicians at one of our four locations can diagnose the severity of your conditions and administer additional treatment as necessary.
Patients that live in the Denver Speer neighborhood can receive symptom relief from colds as well as sore throat treatment at our convenient Speer location. We’re located at 777 E. Speer Boulevard #100 just a few blocks from Alamo Placita Park.
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In addition, patients can also visit our other locations across the Denver area for fast symptom relief! Call your nearest location to schedule an appointment for the fastest, most convenient urgent care around!
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