CrisisID

Illnesses like colds, the flu, and sore throats are hard to escape while in college. With students living together in dorms and apartments, eating together in large cafeterias, and sitting together in classrooms, these respiratory infections spread easily. Washing your hands often will help you avoid these illnesses. Dust allergy and exposure to cigarette smoke will make you more likely to get cold symptoms.

How you treat a respiratory infection will depend on whether it is caused by bacteria or a virus. Colds and flu are caused by viruses. There is really nothing you can do to get rid of them quickly—the most you can do is rest, drink a lot of fluids, and treat the symptoms. How can you tell a cold from the flu? Colds usually cause milder symptoms than the flu. Coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, and mild fevers are common cold symptoms. The flu, on the other hand, is more serious. You will probably have a fairly high fever, body aches, and a dry cough with the flu. You may also have an upset stomach or vomit.

Over-the-counter cold and flu medications may help relieve your symptoms. Read labels when buying medications for colds and flu to make sure you are getting the right medicine for your symptoms. If you are vomiting, eat only very bland foods like cereal or dry toast, and drink clear liquids such as sports drinks, water, or tea. Otherwise, the only thing you can do is rest and wait it out.

Strep throat and most sinus and ear infections are caused by bacteria. These are treated with antibiotics. If you have a very sore throat, pain in your ears or sinuses, or a persistent fever, go to the student health service. They will be able to tell you what the problem is and give you antibiotics if you need them. If your doctor does give you antibiotics, take them exactly as you are told, and be sure to take all of them. If you do not, bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotics and result in a more serious infection.

College students often worry about a disease called “mono”—also known as “the kissing disease.” Mono, a viral infection, is not as common or usually as serious as most people think. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache, swollen glands, and extreme tiredness. If you seem to have a sore throat or bad flu that does not go away in a week to 10 days, the problem might be mono. See your doctor. Mono is diagnosed by a blood test called the “mono spot”. Even if the test confirms that you have mono, there is no specific treatment, except to get plenty of rest and eat a healthy diet. The good news is that most people are better within a month. If you have had a documented case of mono, you cannot get it again.

Bruises, sprains, and strains are very common, and usually are not very serious.

• Bruises are injuries to the skin that cause the surface of the skin to turn purple, brown, or red in color.
• Strains are injuries to the muscles and tendons that result from too much or sudden stretching
• Sprains are injuries to the ligaments, the connecting tissue between bones.

Bruises, strains, and sprains should be treated with:

• Rest–especially for the first 24 hours
• Ice–put ice packs or cold gel packs on the injury for 20 minutes every 4 hours
• Compression–wrap the injured body part in an elastic bandage
• Elevation–for example, if you have sprained your ankle, prop your foot up on pillows to keep it at a level higher than your heart

Visit the student health service if your pain or swelling does not get better in a day or two.

There are times, however, when you should contact the student health service immediately. Call the health service if you:

• have a fever of 102.5º or higher
• have a headache accompanied by a stiff neck
• have pain with urination
• have an unusual discharge from your penis or vagina
• have a change in your menstrual cycle
• have pain in the abdomen that will not go away
• have a persistent cough, chest pain, or trouble breathing
• have pain or any other symptoms that worry you or last longer than you think they should