Current Health Issues

Part ot the mission of Health Services is to enhance your educational opportunities by eliminating health related barriers to learning and by promoting an optimal level of wellness. In an effort to assist our community in staying well we are providing some self care steps for common acute minor illnesses and injuries. These steps are not a substitute for seeking professional help. We encourage you to visit health services with any health related concerns; we are dedicated to providing high quality culturally sensitive medical and nursing care to all members of our community.

Mananging the Common Cold:

• Infections like colds are caused by viruses; in fact there are more than 200 known viruse that cause these infections
• The viruses attach to cells that line the nose and throat and multiply causing familiar symptoms
• Some viruses attach to the cells in your lower respiratory tract and cause coughs as well as runny noses and sore throats

Symptoms:

The aches and pains that we call a cold are really signs and symptoms we are fighting an infection. Other symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Red eyes
• Low grade fever and headache
• Loss of appetite

These symptoms will last a few days to a week

Medications:

Meds are generally directed at symptoms; and since most of these infections are viral not bacterial, antibiotics won't make you better any faster

• Take motrin or tylenol for fever
• Antihistamines may relieve congestion and runny nose (diphenhydramine works especially well at night)
• Cough medicne with an expectorant may also help

Self help tips:

• Eat and drink hot and cold liquids often
• Long hot showers help with congestion
• Wash your hands often
• Get plenty of rest

When to seek help:

• When you have a high fever
• If you have asthma or smoke
• If you can't hold down liquids
• If you have a severe headache
• If your symptoms just won't go away even with medications