Cold, Flu, & Cough Health Center

News Related to Cold & Flu

51. Zinc May Prevent and Shorten Colds
    

    Feb. 15, 2011 -- Taking zinc, either as a syrup or lozenge, through the first few days of a cold may shorten the misery of an upper respiratory infection, a new research review shows. The review also found that zinc cut the number of days that kids missed school because of being sick and reduced the

    Read Full Article
52. Most People With Flu Don’t Stay Home
    

    Jan. 25, 2011 -- Staying home when you have the flu helps reduce the risk of others catching the disease, yet a recent survey finds that 66% of Americans go about their daily activities even after flu symptoms set in. The same survey, however, revealed a double standard: 59% said they feel annoyed w

    Read Full Article
53. Catch a Bus, Catch a Cold
    

    Jan. 20, 2011 -- People who have recently ridden a bus are six times more likely than those who don’t use public transportation to find their next stop is the doctor’s office, researchers say. The risk in question, they say, is of developing an acute respiratory infection (ARI).  Experts at the Univ

    Read Full Article
54. Flu Is Widespread in 11 States
    

    Jan. 14, 2011 - Don't put off your flu shot any longer: The winter flu season has arrived. While only four states have high levels of flu activity, the seasonal illness is widespread across 11 states. And there's evidence of outbreaks in several U.S. cities. Sadly, four children died of flu in the f

    Read Full Article
55. Early Antibiotics Help Ear Infections in Young Children
    

    Jan. 12, 2011 -- Young children with ear infections recover faster and more completely if doctors give antibiotics right away rather than waiting to see if the kids get better on their own. The findings come from two clinical trials, one in the U.S. and one in Finland. For young children with middle

    Read Full Article
56. Echinacea Mildly Effective in Treating Colds
    

    Dec. 20, 2010 -- Despite its popularity as a natural remedy for treating the common cold, a new study suggests echinacea does not substantially reduce the severity or duration of the common cold. Investigators led by Bruce Barrett, MD, PhD, an associate professor of family medicine at the University

    Read Full Article
57. Flu Spreads Fast Among High School Students
    

    Dec. 14, 2010 -- Forget Facebook, it's the thousands of close encounters within real, live social networks at high schools that could prove dangerous to students' health. A new study shows that on a typical day high school students engage in thousands of social interactions that put them at risk for

    Read Full Article
58. Georgia Tops U.S. in Seasonal Flu Activity
    

    Dec. 6, 2010 -- Flu season is here, and so far Georgia is the state hit the hardest by this year’s influenza virus, according to the CDC. “Georgia is reporting high levels of influenza-like activity,” Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases,

    Read Full Article
59. Accidental Overdose of Cold Drugs in Kids Declines
    

    Nov. 22, 2010 -- The voluntary withdrawal of over-the-counter cough and cold medications that cause adverse reactions in babies has resulted in a dramatic decline in accidental overdosing and other problems requiring emergency room treatment, the CDC says in a new study. Product withdrawals occurred

    Read Full Article
60. Preservative-Free Nasal Spray May Soothe Sinuses
    

    Nov. 16, 2010 -- A new preservative-free nasal spray may be a safe and soothing alternative for sensitive noses irritated by traditional nasal sprays. A new study suggests that a preservative-free saline nasal spray that relies on an acidity to kill germs and remain sterile may offer a new way to tr

    Read Full Article