Runny nose, frequent sneezing, feeling of general malaise and sore throat: these are the typical symptoms of colds, you can’t go wrong.
The flu instead presents with stuffy nose, cough or sore throat, muscle pain, fever.
Different seasonal disorders, which originate different viruses and different evolutions. But they have one thing in common: inflammation.
Turn off symptoms
When a virus, whether flu or other, invades the respiratory tract, our body reacts by activating the immune system and some nervous reflexes.
Substances called inflammatory mediators are released into the blood, which protect our body from infection but, at the same time, cause dilation of blood vessels and increased mucus secretion.
Inflammatory mediators also activate sneezing and coughing reflexes and can also stimulate nerve fibers responsible for transmitting pain.
This is why anti-inflammatories, such as acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, naproxen or ketoprofen by turning off inflammation, are effective in reducing cold and flu symptoms.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.