Coughing, sneezing, a sore throat, runny nose…these are all classic symptoms of an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI); often referred to as the common cold. It’s named that with good cause – according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there are over one billion colds in the United States each year. And, it’s What’s Going Around Central Florida.

Centra Care physicians have seen an increase in URI patients at the following centers:

• Sand Lake up over 500%
• Conway up 300%
• And an additional 7 of the 18 Centra Care locations have treated double the URI patients, including: Dr. Phillips, Winter Garden Village, Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista, Clermont, Waterford Lakes & Sanford.

LEARN MORE:

URI is any type of infection of the head and chest that is caused by a virus. It can affect people in different ways... In the nose, throat, sinuses and ears. There are over 200 viruses that cause URIs. The infection is spread when viruses are passed to others by sneezing, coughing, or by touching something that has been infected by another person.

Symptoms of URI include:

Scratchy or sore throat Cough Watery eyes Ear congestion Sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion

Slight fever (99º to 100ºF) Fatigue Headache Loss of appetite

Unfortunately there is no cure for a cold, and because it is a viral infection antibiotics are not effective. Generally this type of illness lasts about a week. To recover from symptoms as quickly as possible, get plenty of rest, drink lots of clear fluids to prevent dehydration (i.e. water, sport drinks, caffeine-free soft drinks (flattened), and broth), and use a humidifier at night so you’re breathing in moist air. There has been a lot of talk about the effectiveness of
zinc as a cold remedy, but so far the research is inconclusive. According to the NIH: “Some studies suggest that zinc lozenges help speed recovery from the common cold and reduce its symptoms. But other studies suggest that zinc has no effect. At this time, it is not clear whether zinc lozenges can help treat the common cold.”

There are things you can do at home to relieve specific symptoms:

• Slight fever, headache or muscle/joint aches: take Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen.
• Sore throat: lozenges (adults), gargling salt water, or a popsicle might help with the pain.
• Stuffy nose: a decongestant or saline nose drops can ease the suffering.
• Runny nose: use a mild antihistamine.
• Cough: adults can use a cough medication or cough drops. Suppressants are no longer recommended for children under the age of 6 years. The best way to care for your child’s cough is to keep them well hydrated by encouraging them to drink plenty of fluids.

To prevent getting sick in the first place make sure to practice frequent hand washing. Disinfect shared surfaces, such as telephones, keyboards, counter tops, doorknobs, and faucet handles. Don’t sneeze into your hands. Instead use a tissue and throw it away, or if one is not available sneeze into the side of your elbow. Don’t share utensils, drinks, etc. And, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
There 18 Centra Care Urgent Care locations – and a Florida Hospital certified physician on site – 7 Days a Week. For locations and phone numbers visit: www.CentraCare.org

Sincerely,



Florida Hospital Centra Care
407-200-CARE (2273)
To learn more about "What's Going Around" in our community you can listen to the Centra Care Senior Medical Director each Tuesday morning between 8am and 8:30am on 88.3FM radio - Z88.3