Now that the influenza and cold season is upon us, CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center is encourging members of our community to take extra precautions to avoid contracting a cold or the influenza.

A stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing are usually signs of a cold. Fatigue, fever, headache, and major aches and pains probably mean you have the influenza. A trip the Emergency Room is usually not required and you usually do not have to call your doctor right away if you have signs of a cold or influenza.

Know When To Call Your Doctor

• Remember, a trip to the Emergency Room for the treatment of a cold of influenza may result in long waits since neither is considered an emergency.
• Patients with life-threatening injuries or illnesses will always take priority in any Emergency Room.
• You may be more comfortable resting at home until you can see your doctor.
• You should, however, call your doctor in these situations:
  • Your symptoms get worse.
  • Your symptoms last a long time.
  • After feeling a little better, you show signs of a more serious problem. Some of these signs are a sick-to-your-stomach feeling, vomiting, high fever, shaking, chills, chest pain, or coughing with thick, yellow-green mucus.

How to Avoid Getting a Cold

• Wash your hands often. You can pick up cold germs easily, even when shaking someone's hand or touching doorknobs or handrails.
• Avoid people with colds when possible.
• Sneeze or cough into a tissue (or arm fold) and then throw the tissue away.
• Clean surfaces you touch with a germ-killing disinfectant.
• Don't touch your nose, eyes, or mouth. Germs can enter your body easily by these paths.