Illnesses sweep community
Coughing & sneezing?
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

Colds, flu and allergies have had quite an effect on Wharton County this winter, making it seem as though the entire population is suffering from some or all of the three.

"I've had this since before Christmas," said Becca Socha, Chamber president and owner of Socha's Nursery. "It's just the migraine headaches with the puffy sinuses and chest congestion with a cough, and wheezing. I have to sit in a chair to sleep at night.

"I went to the post office, and everybody's got that real deep chest congestion, like we're all walking around with pneumonia. I keep thinking it's going to get better, but it isn't."

Maria Franco said she's observed much the same, although she's not sick.

"A bunch of people have been coming in with this stuff," said Franco, who works at L-Stop convenience store. "A lot of people have that sinus. Look at this weather - that's why."

Jo Cain, physician assistant at South Texas Medical Clinics in El Campo, said they've been busy handling colds since Thanksgiving.

"I've seen lots and lots and lots of colds and runny noses, but not a lot of flu," she said. "We've had lots of people test negative for flu, but not a lot of flu."

It has been a banner year for cedar pollen in the Hill Country, and winter gusts have driven that crop into the Gulf Coast since before Christmas. Classic hay fever or cedar fever symptoms include itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing and coughing, and Cain said added to a cold, allergy sufferers face a double whammy.

Dry weather and a high pollen count is a rough combination for allergy sufferers, but current rains should help ease their pain.

Flu, however, is by no means on the wane. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most recent synopsis states that from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, influenza activity continued to increase in the United States. In Texas, flu went from a local phenomenon to a statewide problem beginning in mid- December, and has remained so ever since.

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses, but are caused by different viruses.

Because they have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell them apart. 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. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Colds and flu are caused by viruses, so asking a doctor for antibiotics - which kill bacteria, not viruses - may do more harm than good by increasing antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics will not cure upper respiratory viral illnesses, such as colds or flu, most coughs and bronchitis, sore throats not caused by strep or runny noses.

Children and adults with viral infections recover when the illness has run its course. Colds caused by viruses may last for two weeks or longer. To help a person with a cold or flu feel better, the CDC recommends they increase fluid intake, use a cool mist vaporizer or saline nasal spray to relieve congestion and soothe the throat with ice chips, sore throat spray, or lozenges.

Viral infections sometimes lead to bacterial infections, so the CDC says patients should let their doctor know if their illness gets worse or lasts a long time.