Are you suffering from Omicron or the common cold?

Q. How can one tell the difference between a common cold and Omicron?

In India, cases of the common cold tend to rise in the fall and winter. Rhinoviruses are the most prevalent cause of the common cold, which is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the mucus membranes of the nose and throat. These viruses often cause upper respiratory infections, although they can also cause lower respiratory infections.

A runny nose, headaches, sneezing, a sore throat, body pains, cough, and lethargy with fever are all signs of Omicron. A home quick antigen test or gold standard RT-PCR test should be used to rule out an Omicron infection first. If positive, one should be treated accordingly. The diagnosis is generally made based on the patient’s medical history and physical examination. Infections with the rhinovirus are typically mild and self-limiting. Due to their maturing immune systems, children are more impacted than adults. The virus is easily transferred by droplets coughed or sneezed out by infected people, as well as from fomites (direct contact transmission). The incubation period is normally three days long before symptoms appear and lasts for a week to ten days.

Nasal dryness and irritation, sneezing, and nasal congestion are all common symptoms. Nasal secretions may thicken and change colour to yellow or green. Other symptoms include throat irritation or a sore throat, watery and itchy eyes, a moderate cough, a low-grade fever with chills, headaches, and body pains.

Since this disease is infectious and spreads by hand-to-hand contact and airborne droplets, it is critical to emphasise proper steps such as hand washing with soap, the use of tissues when sneezing, coughing, and discarding the tissue as soon as possible, as well as social separation.

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Q. Can the common cold lead to any further health complications?

Rhinosinusitis, in which nasal secretions become yellow to dark green, producing face discomfort and heavy postnasal discharge, should not be caused by a regular cold. Blowing one’s nose or sniffing vigorously can induce an infection to climb into the middle ear space, resulting in acute otitis media, which causes severe ear discomfort and, in rare cases, eardrum rupture and discharge. It can also worsen reactive airway disease in both children and adults. It can potentially lead to bronchitis or pneumonia if left untreated.

Q. What are the treatment options?

As it is a self-limiting condition, treatment is mainly symptomatic. Rest and lots of fluids, excellent diet, nasal decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants, analgesic and antipyretic medicine as prescribed by a doctor are all common therapies. Antibacterial medicines are ineffective unless a secondary bacterial infection is present.