Flu & Asthma – Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between a cold and the flu?
- What are the symptoms of the flu versus the symptoms of a cold?
- How can people with asthma or COPD protect themselves this cold and flu season?
- What treatments are available for asthma and COPD symptoms?
- Do other respiratory viruses circulate during the flu season?
- What actions can I take to protect myself and my family against both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu?
1. What is the difference between a cold and the flu?
It is sometimes difficult to figure out if a respiratory infection is a cold, the flu, or some other respiratory infection. The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Special tests, which usually must be done within the first few days of illness, can determine whether a person has the flu.
2. What are the symptoms of the flu versus the symptoms of a cold?
In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections or hospitalizations.3. How can people with asthma or COPD protect themselves this cold and flu season?
Don’t wait until you’re sick to take action. It’s never too early to prepare yourself for cold and flu season. Talk to your doctor about the flu vaccine and about creating—and updating—a personal Asthma Action Plan as soon as possible. People who suffer from asthma or COPD symptoms during cold and flu season may benefit from using a short-acting beta agonist (SABA) to help alleviate and control/manage their symptoms. Patients should also continue to take their controller medication for the treatment of their asthma or COPD, as directed by their physician, especially during cold and flu season.
4. What treatments are available for asthma and COPD symptoms?
According to current guidelines from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP), long-term controller medications should be taken daily by patients with persistent asthma to prevent symptoms by reducing inflammation, with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) being the preferred treatment option for initiating long-term controller therapy. Fast-acting rescue medications—including short-acting beta agonists (SABA) like albuterol, which relaxes smooth airway muscles—should be taken as needed to treat acute symptoms and exacerbations. Patients should work with their healthcare providers to identify the asthma treatment plan that is right for them. Discussing the different types of inhalers in each class and ensuring patients are knowledgeable about proper use of inhalers is imperative to achieving optimal disease management.
5. Do other respiratory viruses circulate during the flu season?
In addition to the flu virus, several other respiratory viruses also can circulate during the flu season and can cause symptoms and illness similar to those seen with flu infection. These non-flu viruses include rhinovirus (one cause of the “common cold”) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is the most common cause of severe respiratory illness in young children as well as a leading cause of death from respiratory illness in those aged 65 years and older.
6. What actions can I take to protect myself and my family against both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu?
CDC recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal flu. While there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three main seasonal flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. The seasonal flu vaccine can protect you from getting sick from these three viruses or it can make your illness milder if you get a related flu virus. The seasonal flu vaccine will not provide protection against 2009 H1N1 influenza. However a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is now available. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine—it is intended to be used alongside the seasonal flu vaccine.
