Cold and flu season is here, and you can expect a flood of illnesses to hit your home and workplace.
If you have children or spend a lot of time with other people, you may have already succumbed to one of the most common symptoms of the season. *Cough cough*
It sucks to have to deal with, but luckily there's a lot of different ways you can get rid of it, once you know what type you have!
Post-Viral Cough
The Cause: You probably just got over a cold and thought you were in the clear. Wrong. The virus you just fought off likely inflamed your throat, and now it feels like you need to cough it out, all the time.
The Cure: Your best bet is an over-the-counter cough syrup, maybe focusing on the throat and chest mixtures. The occasional cup of tea or other hot beverage will also loosen your airways and sooth your inflammation.
Chest Infection
The Cause: This crackling cough feels pretty bad to go through, and it never seems to be hacked away. It is often the beginning stage of bronchitis, which is when your cold has spread to your lungs.
The Cure: You'll need to be drinking plenty of fluids to get through this one. Consider taking acetaminophen to reduce the chances of developing a fever.
Keep track of these symptoms, otherwise they have a chance of becoming worse illnesses.
Whooping Cough
The Cause: Be on the lookout because this is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious health problems. It's definitely worse than a regular cough and you'll hear the iconic "whoop" sound with it.
The Cure: Since infants are at the highest risk for severe complications to develop, you should take every precaution if they are around. Consider wearing a mouth mask and taking ibuprofen to reduce the swelling in the throat.
Tuberculosis
The Cause: Once thought to be wiped out, TB has resurged across the country and reports of extreme tiredness, night sweats, and a persistent cough seem to pop up every day from this infection.
The Cure: Awareness is the first defense to contracting tuberculosis. After a doctor diagnoses a patient, they can begin the six months of antibiotic treatment which cures 99% of cases.
