1. Beating the winter
blues
A presentation on Coughs, Colds and
the Flu
PRESENTED BY :
MUHAMMAD KAMRAN
(PRESTON UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD)
E-Mail:
kamranalisahir786@gmail.com
3. Respiratory tract infections
Based on the parts of infection respiratory tract infections
are classified into two types
Upper respiratory tract infections
Common cold
Cough
Flu
Tonsillitis
Pharyngitis
Laryngitis
Sinusitis
Hey fever
Lower respiratory tract infections
Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Influenza
4. INTRODUCTION
Cough cold & Flu are common infections of upper respiratory tract. that can be caused by over 200
different viruses
Cough cold & Flu are the most common illnesses.
cold is a mild viral infection of the nose, throat, sinuses and upper airways.
It can cause a blocked nose followed by a runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat and a cough.
Each year, there are more than a billion cases of the Cough cold & Flu in the United States, according to
the National Institutes of Health.
The effects of a cold can vary between individuals and the specific type of virus causing the infection.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
There are no major gender or ethnicity differences in incidence.
Most infections occur in the winter period.
A 2000 US study found that 23.6% of adults had experienced a cold in 4 weeks.
Children get 6 to 8 colds per year.
Adults get 4 to 6 colds per year.
6. DEFINITION
Cough is the body’s way of removing foreign material or mucus from the lungs and upper
airway passage.
A cough is a symptom not a disease.
Objectives
Understand the function and physiological mechanisms of cough.
Classify cough according to its duration.
Know the most common causes of acute cough in adults.
Know the symptoms, signs, and empiric treatment for the 4 most common causes of
chronic cough in adults.
The shearing forces that develop aid in the elimination of mucus and foreign
materials
7. MECHANISM
Vocal cords and epiglottis suddenly open widely, air is expelled
at velocities ranging from 75 to 100 miles/hr
Internal intercostal muscles also contract forcefully
Abdominal muscles contract forcefully, pushing against the
diaphragm
Epiglottis closes, vocal cords shut tightly to entrap the air
within the lung
About 2.5 L of air is inspired
9. Acute Cough: < 3 Weeks Duration
Symptoms:
Breathlessness
Fever
Chest Pain
Weight Loss
Sub acute Cough: 3 - 8 Weeks Duration
Post infectious
A cough that begins with an cute respiratory tract infection and is not complicated * by pneumonia
• Resolve without treatment
• Cause:
• PND or tracheobronchitis
• Sinusitis
• Asthma
Chronic Cough: > 8 Weeks Duration
• ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS
Fever
Pneumonia
Headache
UACS (Upper Airway Cough Syndrome)
Asthma
Cough is either productive or non productive
PRODUCTIVE ( Produce Mucus)
NON PRODUCTIVE (Dry and does not produce mucus)
10. What can we do?
Cough: What’s it good for?
• Attract attention
• Signal displeasure
• Protect the airway from pathogens, particulates, food, other foreign bodies
• Clear the airways of accumulated secretions, particles
11. Cough
For a persistent cough, try menthol and certain herbal cough drops or hard
candy to soothe the irritation.
12. TREATMENT
Coughs can be treated in a variety of ways, depending on the
cause of the cough. For most healthy adults, most treatments
will involve self-care.
13. Self-Treatment
A cough that is cased by virus cannot be treated with antibiotics. You can, however,
soothe it in the following ways:
Use decongestant sprays to unblock the nose and ease breathing
Elevate your head with extra pillows when sleeping
Use cough drops to soothe the throat
Avoid irritations, including smoke and dust
Gargle hot saltwater regularly to remove mucus and soothe the throat
Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water
Add honey or ginger to hot tea to relieve the cough and clear the airway
14. What do we give to treat a
chesty cough?
What do we give to treat a dry
cough?
Adults:
10mL every 8 hours. Maximum of 3
doses in 24 hours.
Children:
(Over 12) 10mL every 8 hours.
Maximum of 3 doses in 24 hours.
(6-12 years) 5mL every 8 hours.
Maximum of 3 doses in 24 hours.
(6 and under) Not recommended.
Adults:
10mL every 6-8 hours.
Maximum of 4 doses in 24
hours.
Children:
(Over 12) 10mL every 6-8
hours. Maximum of 4 doses in
24 hours.
(6-12 years) 5mL every 8
hours. Maximum of 4 doses in
24 hours.
(6 and under) Not
recommended.
15. AntihisMedications used to treat cough may include:
tamines and decongesta:
These drugs are standard treatment for allergies and postnasal .
Inhaled asthma drugs:
The most effective treatments for asthma-related cough are inhaled medications that reduce inflammation and widen the airways.
Antibiotics:
If a bacterial infection is causing the cough, antibiotics will be prescribed.
Acid blockers:.
Cough suppressants:
If the reason for your cough can't be determined, the doctor may prescribe a cough suppressant, especially if the cough is interfering with your
sleep.
How toTreat a Cough From Cold or Flu
You can’t cure colds or the flu, but you can relieve the cough and sore throat that sometimes comes with them.
Use cough drops or hard candy
Try a teaspoon of honey
Hydrate. Sipping on drinks will keep your throat moist and comfortable.
Heat up that drink. Sip some warm tea or chicken soup to heat up your airways
Use cough medicine. Sometimes you need to cough to get out nasty mucus
Breathe in steam. If a raw, dry throat is making you cough
When lifestyle changes don't take care of acid reflux, patient may be treated with medications that block acid production. Some people need
surgery to resolve the problem, moisture may help
Avoid dirty air.You know smoke isn’t good for you, but it’s especially bad when you're sick
Rest. If you want to get rid of your cold and cough, you need to take it easy
Try a nasal spray or rinse. Some throat sprays or rinses have a drug that helps soothe and numb the throat
16. Cold & Flu
Is that sneezy, stuffed up and general overall achy feeling
the flu or the common cold?
17. DEFINITIONS
A cold is the most common disease in the world. It is a contagious viral infection of
the upper respiratory passages including the nose, throat, and sinuses. A cold can also
affect the ears and lungs.
Flu is also a contagious viral infection. It affects the nose, throat, and lungs. Flu
outbreaks occur in the late fall and winter with varying degrees of severity.The
disease often spreads through communities creating an epidemic.
Both the cold and flu are caused by viruses.These viruses are highly infective and are
passed on though direct contact with nasal secretion from infected people or objects,
as well as airborne saliva droplets.
Did you know, that with each cough, about 1.5L of air is expelled – and flying in that
air, is over 3000 saliva droplets travelling at the speed of about 80km/h?
If you thought that was gross, get this – when someone sneezes… there is as many as
40,000 droplets of saliva, some of which can fly across a room at speeds exceeding
320km/h.
18. Mode of transmission
Very contagious
Spread from person to person
Usually from nasal secretions and from fingers of the affected person
Most contagious in the first 3 days after symptoms begin
Viruses can last up to 5 hours on the skin and hard surfaces.
Associated with a number of viruses
Ex. Rhinoviruses, parainfluenza viruses
19. Causes of Cold & Flu
•Nasal deformities
(a shift in the nasal cavity)
•Nasal polyps(small growths
in the lining of the nose)
•Bacterial orViral Infections
•Environmental Factors
•Allergies
•Pollutants
20. Symptoms of Cold & Flu
Cold symptoms appear 2 to 3 days after infection, and last anywhere from 7
o to 14 days. Some of the most common cold symptoms are
Nasal
congestion
Fever &
Fatigue
Headache
Common cold viruses
or the flu
Facial tenderness
Pressure or pain
in the sinuses
Dental pain
Sore throat and
cough
Runny nose
Blocked nose
Sneezing
Coughing
High fever
Hoarse voice
22. Runny or Stuffy Nose
The best way to handle a runny nose is to remove the fluid. Blowing your
nose is a quick fix, but a nasal irrigation product, such as a neti pot, may also
bring you some relief.
25. Fatigue
Your immune system is busy fighting off the infection so you don’t have much
energy for anything else.Take it easy and relax — extra sleep can do wonders.
26. Drink a lot of water
Eat Well
Don't smoke
Exercise well & Keep in
good physical shape
WashYour Hands
Regularly
Sleep Well
How to
keep away from cold & flu
27. Treatment of cold & Flu
Antihistamines
Decongestants
Pain Relievers
Cough suppressants
Nasal Strips
Antibiotics are ineffective!!!
When do I see the doctor?
See your doctor if you have:
Temperature over 101 degrees for more than 48 hours
A cough with pain in the chest
Shortness of breath
Persistent sore throat, without a runny or stuffy nose
Consult doctor if…
Your throat is very red and it hurts to swallow
No improvement within 7 days
Severe headache with a fever
Worsening pain in one or both ears
Any chronic medical condition
Ex. Asthma or diabetes
28. What do we give someone
with a cold or the flu?
Adults:
Dry/sore throat:
• Strepsils Honey and Lemon Lozenges
• Strepsils Plus AnaestheticThroat Spray
Runny nose:
• Razene 10mg tablets
Blocked nose:
• Sudafed PE range
Headache and fever:
• Panadol
• Neuromol
Children:
Dry/sore throat:
• Strepsils Children 6+
Runny nose:
• Histaclear
Blocked nose:
• (Over 12 years) Sudafed PE range
Headache and fever:
• Panadol
Is there anything else we can
give?
•Vitamins and supplements
•Vitamin C
•Echinacea
•Selenium
•Herbal teas etc.
•Beanies, scarves, gloves, etc.
•Wheat packs
32. Natural Remedy for Cough, Cold &
Cold
Apple CiderVinegar
with Mother
Treats Allergies
Counteract the build-up of lactic acid
Eliminate tiredness
Turmeric Juice
•Anti-inflammatory agent
•Anti-bacterial and anti-viral action
•Relieving the chest congestion
•Fight Cancer Cells
33. So, Coughs, Colds, The Flu?
Being Cold? What’s The Deal?
Coughs are protective
Stop further entry of viruses
Bodies way of trying to remove infection
Runny noses are also protective
Extra layer to trap particles
But can cause post nasal drip
More coughing!
Also caused by extra cold temperatures
Cold and dry air are also irritants
34. Prevention
GOOD HANDWASHING!
Cough and sneeze into arm or tissue, not into your hand
Aerosol sprays (ex. Lysol)
Antibacterial sanitizers (ex. Purell)
Good morning everyone,
As some of you may already know, I have prepared a short ten minute presentation for the team.
I’ve titled it ‘Beating the Winter Blues – a presentation on coughs, colds and the flu’
I was so inspired to do a talk about this today as for the past few days, the weather has been quite a bit bitter - and with the winter season at hand, and the extremely chilly mornings, a talk about how we can keep the winter blues at bay only seemed appropriate.
I’ve structured the talk into four main bits
Firstly we’ll talk about the different types of coughs and what causes them
Then we’ll talk about the cold and flu and what causes them
Thirdly we’ll discuss treatment options and helpful tips for the winter,
And lastly we’ll have questions and discussion.
Lets get started.
the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health
Epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations
Epidemiology is the study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why
Although anyone can experience a cough at any time throughout their life, it goes without saying that a cough becomes more common as we begin to hit the winter months.
A cough is the bodies reflex which helps us clear our airways of built up mucous and irritants like dust, smoke, allergens or even dry air – such is the case during cold winter mornings.
This is just for pure interest and is not a complete list, just a few pointers summarized in diagram form… especially for those who like pictures, just like me :P.
We can touch on these briefly during discussion time if anyone would like to.
can be categorized as short-term or (acute) and long-term or (chronic) type coughs,
and then can be further categorized as being dry or chesty.
So, as we found before – a cough is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of an underlying cause – and in this case and around this time of year, the cause is having a cold or having the flu, as well as being exposed to the cold and dry air.
So for all intents and purposes for this talk, we will only focus on treatments for the cold and flu side of the cough.
It is good to know that a cough rarely a sign of anything serious and usually goes away by itself, as is the case with a cold or flu – but in saying that, coughs can be truly bothersome.
It can at times keep us awake at night, result with or worsen a sore throat, and sometimes serve as a painful ab exercise – which I’m sure we could all benefit from, but for sure, its still sore.
All joking aside, when we treat a cough we have to remember that a cough itself is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying cause.
Now the following products are just the ones that I am particularly familiar with and use when I have to, there are definitely more options available – but from personal experience I can say these have worked for me in the past.
Personally, I quite like the Robitussin range.
Both the cold and flu are caused by viruses. These viruses are highly infective and are passed on though direct contact with nasal secretion from infected people or objects, as well as airborne saliva droplets.
Did you know, that with each cough, about 1.5L of air is expelled – and flying in that air, is over 3000 saliva droplets travelling at the speed of about 80km/h?
If you thought that was gross, get this – when someone sneezes… there is as many as 40,000 droplets of saliva, some of which can fly across a room at speeds exceeding 320km/h.
I dunno about you, but to me, that brings a totally new meaning to ‘bless you’.
So, what are the signs and symptoms of the cold and flu?
Symptoms usually arise within the first 4 days of having contracted the cold or flu.
A patient with a cold may present with:
A dry or sore throat – usually the first sign of having caught the cold or flu
Runny nose
Blocked nose
Sneezing
Coughing
Hoarseness
Headache
As we discussed before, a cough in itself is not a disease, but a symptom of both the cold and flu. Our aim is to treat cold and the flu to stop the coughing and all the other nasty side effects that go with it.
Luckily for us, both the cold and flu go away by themselves – so what becomes the most important thing is indeed managing the customers symptoms at present to help them feel as well as they can be while their body recovers
So since the cold and flu are expect to go on their own, we just offer treatment to stop symptoms while the sickness runs its course.
At this time of year, hot drinks such as Lemsip are quite popular – we have to remind customers not to take these with other paracetamol containing products.
Amongst medicines, there is a great range of other things our customers can get that can be of benefit to their health during the winter.
So how are coughs associated with colds and the flu exactly?
Remember how we found that coughing is a protective reflex of the body to help get rid of mucous, irritants and allergens? Well, it is also there to help try and prevent the further entry of viruses and is also a sign of the body trying to get rid of the infection.
Another way the body tries to defend itself is by secreting extra mucous in the nose to help try and provide an extra layer of protection from invading virus particles.
The associated increase in mucous production during a cold is why our nose tends to run when we are sick. Super excess production of mucous in the nose can cause post nasal drip – this is when the excess mucous begins to drain down the throat, causing irritation. This is another cause of coughing during a cold or flu.
Post nasal drip can also be caused by extra cold temperatures.
The airways are made up of a special type of lining. This lining has millions of tiny little microscopic finger-like projections called villi, which all beat together in rhythm like this – to help try and shuffle excess mucous stuck in the airways back to wards the mouth or back out the nose, so that eventually, we can expel of it.
Now, during an extra cold morning, these vili are lazy and they don’t beat as fast, so again our noses run, causing post nasal drip, causing us to cough.
Cold and dry air can also cause irritation in the airwaiys, resulting in a dry cough.