Considering the severity of this year’s flu season, it’s tempting to suppose each a cough, muscle ache, and a hint of a fever may be a sign you caught the respiratory disease.
The confusion is completely understandable: There square measure a lot of different diseases with copy-cat flu-like symptoms.
“Any overwhelming infection that stimulates our system will [produce] a number of similar symptoms,” explains Cindy photographer, DNP, RN, a prof at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Nursing.
The only thanks to apprehending evidently you have got the flu is to urge tested–but there square measure refined clues to assist you to distinguish between respiratory disease and one thing else. Here square measure some of the numerous conditions which will cause flu-like symptoms.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia can return on an individual basis from the respiratory disease or it is a secondary complication of obtaining sick. you’ll even appear as if you’re over the respiratory disease and then bang–you’re stricken with another infection. “People have gotten the respiratory disease and perhaps even riding it out, and every week about later, they’re coming back in with a respiratory illness,” the photographer says.
Normally, a respiratory illness that comes with or when the respiratory disease is caused by a microorganism and might be treated with antibiotics. With this sort of respiratory illness, “ a cough is pretty persistent and unrelenting and sometimes related to the hurting,” the photographer says. “The fever could be low grade or higher. plenty of times there’s no appetence with respiratory illness, and there are somebody aches.” A respiratory illness cough conjointly has mucus in it.
Pneumonia that’s not associated with the respiratory disease is usually viral; virus infection is additionally usually milder than the microorganism kind. you’ll even have some congestion, coughing, and fatigue, all of that might purpose to the flu–but during this case, they’re merely flu-like symptoms.
Doctors will listen for telltale signs of respiratory illness by golf stroke a medical instrument to your chest, says Dr. Peterson.
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis does not solely have a cold- and flu-like symptoms, it’s even caused by several of similar viruses.
“Bronchitis includes a ton of overlap–productive cough with mucous secretion, lethargy, and a inflammatory disease,” says Dr. Peterson. the most distinctive is that respiratory disease doesn’t go along with a high fever. respiratory disease symptoms conjointly tend to center on your chest and throat, rather than the full-body aches common with the respiratory disease, she adds. The nagging cough of bronchitis can last up to 3 weeks, longer than a cough from the respiratory disease.
There’s no take a look at for respiratory disease like there’s for the respiratory disease, therefore doctors sometimes diagnose it by asking regarding symptoms and examining you. respiratory disease treatment consists of rest, drinking various fluids, and taking meds which will relieve symptoms.
Mononucleosis
Mono is additionally referred to as the “kissing disease” as a result of it is suffered spittle (along with coughing, sneezing, and sharing utensils).
Mono is typically caused by herpes. It tends to hit teens and young adults quite different age teams.
Symptoms usually return on slowly, however they will mimic the flu; you may feel really, very tired, spike a fever, or have an inflammatory disease and body aches. however different symptoms will facilitate differentiate mono from the respiratory disease, as well as a swollen liver or spleen.
Mono conjointly drags on longer than the respiratory disease, usually lasting 2 to four weeks–but generally six months or longer.
Colds
Both colds and respiratory disease square measure infectious agent diseases, they each tend to occur within the same seasons, and that they have several overlapping symptoms, sort of an inflammatory disease and a stuffy nose.
The main distinction is however quickly the symptoms return on. “A cold usually step by step progresses symptom by symptom over [several] days,” says Keri Peterson, MD, associate degree medical specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in any town. “With the respiratory disease, the constellation of symptoms of high fever, cough, muscle ache, and severe lethargy comes on in twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”
And albeit such a large amount of symptoms overlap, colds usually don’t go along with hurting or body aches, that square measure additional characteristic of the respiratory disease, adds Dr. Peterson.
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes (meninges) that cowl the brain and medulla spinalis.
Like respiratory illness, meningitis can be caused by either an infectious agent or a microorganism infection. infectious agent infectious disease is additional common and milder, however the symptoms of each square measure similar and appearance plenty just like the flu: a headache, fever, and fatigue. Meningitis, though, conjointly comes with a stiff neck and sensitivity to bright light-weight.
The viral infectious disease is like colds and also the respiratory disease in this the general public recover on their own in a very week about. microorganism infectious disease, however, will cause brain harm and even death if it’s not treated promptly with antibiotics.
Respiratory syncytial virus
Respiratory syncytial virus or RSV has symptoms which will even be mistaken for the respiratory disease (or a cold). “It will cause liquid nose and cough,” says Afif El-Hasan, MD, a representative for the yank respiratory organ Association and a podiatrist with Emperor Permanente.
Unlike the respiratory disease, though, RSV symptoms sometimes seem step by step. They usually escape on their own as well–you simply ought to drink many fluids and rest.
Similar symptoms return from infection with what square measure referred to as parainfluenza viruses. “They square measure just like the respiratory disease, however, they’re not as unhealthy,” says Dr. El-Hasan.
Strep throat
The respiratory disease and strep throat share several symptoms, however, there square measure 2 you’ll realize within the respiratory disease however ne’er in strep: a cough and nasal congestion.
Strep throat may bring swollen lymph nodes, swollen tonsils, a rash, or white blotches on the tonsils. None of those is typical of the respiratory disease.
If your doctor suspects strep, he or she is going to most likely swab your throat and take a look at for the microorganism. If they take a look at comes back positive, you’ll seemingly get antibiotics, which might sometimes clear up the symptoms quickly.
When to contact your doctor
This year’s respiratory disease is therefore unhealthy that more individuals square measure reaching to the doctor for flu-like symptoms than usual–and justifiedly, therefore. “If you believe you have got the respiratory disease, then you ought to see the doctor at intervals forty-eight hours because [antiviral] medicine has to be taken terribly quickly,” Dr. Peterson says. “Err on the aspect of caution.”
Most infectious agent infections, as well as the respiratory disease, tend to travel away on their own. however get on the alert for signs of bother like shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, dizziness, or dehydration. If you’re experiencing any of those added to your flu-like symptoms, decision your doctor or head to associate degree ER.
