Know the 3 diseases often confused with the common cold

The common cold may sometimes be confused with a few other diseases that come with similar symptoms. Read on to know more.

By: Editorial Team | | Updated: December 5, 2019 9:51 am

The common cold is a very common disease and the symptoms of this condition are very familiar to everyone. © Shutterstock

The common cold is basically a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Though it is totally harmless, this condition can make you feel terrible. You recover within a week to 10 days. But during those 10 days, you may experience a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, congestion, headaches, dull body ache, sneezing, low-grade fever and a general feeling of being sick.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a condition where infection causes inflammation of the air sacs in one or both lungs. As a result, the air sacs may fill with fluid or pus and this causes cough with phlegm, fever, chills and difficulty breathing. In the early stage, symptoms of pneumonia are very similar to the symptoms of the common cold, especially the slight cough and fever. This makes it easier for people to think of the common cold first. As the disease progresses, patients will have more severe coughs and high fever, which can last for several days.

Pharyngitis

This is actually the medical term for a sore throat. Many people are prone to sore throat after suffering from a common cold. Pharyngitis, which we tend to ignore, also has these symptoms and it is mainly caused by pharynx discomfort, which affects eating and swallowing. There is inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the back of the throat, or pharynx. This inflammation can cause discomfort, dryness, and difficulty swallowing. Some patients experience nausea, vomiting and other symptoms. So, it is necessary to pay attention to figuring out the differences between the two diseases.

Rhinitis

Rhinitis is irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Symptoms are a stuffy nose, runny nose and sneezing. It can also cause sneezing, nasal itching, coughing and headaches. The symptoms of rhinitis are very similar to those of a cold. Patients with rhinitis usually have sneezing, runny nose and a very large amount of snot. The symptoms of nasal congestion are also very obvious when sleeping at night. These symptoms will appear repeatedly. It is more likely to occur when encountering cold air or some bad stimuli. At the same time, rhinitis patients may also have symptoms such as shoulder pain, dizziness and headache, which makes it easier to mistake it for the common cold.

Published : December 4, 2019 7:18 pm | Updated:December 5, 2019 9:51 am

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