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Suggest Treatment For Sore Throat And Lymph Nodes
Question: Hi, I am an elementary school teacher, and last week a student of mine was sick and the mother refused to pick him up. By Friday, I felt my nose was starting to run, followed by a sore throat and sore glands and lymph nodes in my neck. I thought I was feeling better yesterday (Sunday) after taking meds of course, and then this morning I woke up with a fever. I am also coughing up yellow phlegm. I took ibuprofen to bring the fever down which worked, but do I have a cold or the flu? I am also asthmatic and am worried I have the flu, although I do not have soreness in my muscles, only in my neck by the glands.
Brief Answer:
URI vs Flu
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health care questions.
I am sorry to hear that you are ill with fever chills muscle aches and enlarged lymph nodes. You are concerned that this maybe influenza. Clinically it is almost impossible for a doctor to be able to differentiate between a cold and the flu. Both are caused by viruses and only until recently have we had treatment for the flu with anti-viral medication. The only way to tell the difference between the flu and a cold is through testing nasal swap or throat swab. These tests are done at your doctors office and usually get results during that visit. The test is quick only 15 minutes but it is not very sensitive and specific so you could still have flu but test negative. So even with testing we can be wrong a good portion of the time.
The best options are to get flu vaccine early, prevent spread with good hygiene, stay home to prevent spread and then treat with antivirals if the infection is present.
It is very important for you since you have asthma that you get vaccinated early. Asthmatics have a especially more difficult time with influenza illness that the rest of the population. Flu can exacerbate asthma.
For you since you do have fever chills and muscle aches that you more than likely have influenza. In the state of Nevada there is already regional cases of influenza reported. I recommend that you see your physician and get tested for flu and get antiviral treatment if positive.
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns and questions
URI vs Flu
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health care questions.
I am sorry to hear that you are ill with fever chills muscle aches and enlarged lymph nodes. You are concerned that this maybe influenza. Clinically it is almost impossible for a doctor to be able to differentiate between a cold and the flu. Both are caused by viruses and only until recently have we had treatment for the flu with anti-viral medication. The only way to tell the difference between the flu and a cold is through testing nasal swap or throat swab. These tests are done at your doctors office and usually get results during that visit. The test is quick only 15 minutes but it is not very sensitive and specific so you could still have flu but test negative. So even with testing we can be wrong a good portion of the time.
The best options are to get flu vaccine early, prevent spread with good hygiene, stay home to prevent spread and then treat with antivirals if the infection is present.
It is very important for you since you have asthma that you get vaccinated early. Asthmatics have a especially more difficult time with influenza illness that the rest of the population. Flu can exacerbate asthma.
For you since you do have fever chills and muscle aches that you more than likely have influenza. In the state of Nevada there is already regional cases of influenza reported. I recommend that you see your physician and get tested for flu and get antiviral treatment if positive.
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns and questions
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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