On Friday
I gave you some recipes relating to relief of the sniffles. It was my pleasure to be of small
service. I fervently trust that nobody has had cause to overdose on the second…
Aitch's
SOS, though, caused me to think back to the last month before leaving
Sydney. It was May-June, autumn becoming
winter and the advertising was all about with the orthodox propaganda. "Influenza
KILLS. Get your vaccination!" This is not the place for going into a
treatise on the whys and wherefores of such panic button measures. (Believe, me you don't want to get me started
on that one…) However, it is worth
noting that, for the most part, it was kept within the confines of medical
centres and hospitals. Then, about 10
years ago it seemed they weren't selling enough of the stuff so they started to
infiltrate the aged homes and kiddy day care centres. If the doctors won't push it for you, then
push it directly to the public.
What had caught my eye of astonishment though was, for the first that I was
aware, an over-the-counter product very commonly used to help folk 'soldier
on', was advertising itself as the best thing since the Big Bang to suppress
the symptoms of the common flu.
… go back
and read the last two words.
For some
years now I have been fighting the battle of terminology.
Influenza - (now rarely used. 'Flu' is easier for kids and old folks to
say.) A viral infection having a deep
and penetrating effect upon the immune system, resulting in severe cold-like
symptoms, often accompanied by fever (frequently high and potentially life
threatening), and usually one or more symptoms determining the strain of the
virus - for example stomach symptoms, bowel symptoms, chest symptoms and so on. From onset to sequalae is traditionally
around 21 days, with extended periods of recovery required. It is not unheard of for hospitalisation to
be required.
Common Cold - rhinitis being the key
symptom. Sneezing, eye symptoms, sinus
blockage. Sometimes head or ear ache and
there may be sore throat and cough.
Generally no fever. From onset to sequalae is between 3 and 7 days with
a few days of 'lag'.
Feverish Cold (became known as 'flu-type' cold)
- somewhere mid 20th century the common cold started to do something a bit
strange. It began to mimic
influenza. Where fever comes, symptoms are
prolonged and certainly require monitoring to ensure that actual influenza has
not eventuated. From onset to sequalae
is generally around 10 to 14 days, with post-viral recovery being variable
according to the individual.
The
Modern World, though, is not too keen on letting the viral-infected organism
rest and recover. "SOLDIER ON"
it yells - "take suppressive drugs and get over yourself". It was following this type of approach to
infection that we began to see cases of what is now referred to as PVS; post-viral syndrome. "We'll make you better now so you can be
sicker for longer!"
Those
things which make you feel good in the short term seek payment in the long
term.
The other
thing that happened with the onset of the feverish cold is that sick notes got
written up as 'flu-type viral infection' and the common man began talking in
terms of having 'the flu' instead of
'the cold.' Trust me. No-one (and I mean no-one) who has ever had a dose of influenza proper will ever
forget, or make the mistake of saying to their spouse or employer, "I've
got the flu, I need a coupla days off".
Influenza
is not 'common'!
Okay, so having menolooped, let me make it clear this
is not an article submission for the Medical Journal of Your Choice - it is an
ancillary health professional's personal gripe at the misuse of medical
terminology in the interests of keeping a sick society, rather than empowering
well-being. There is a time and place
for all medical approaches, including manufactured ingestive therapies. Influenza may require medical intervention. The other two?
You can take it easy for 6-7 days. Or we can cure you in a week.
It's an oldie but a goodie. Any 'therapy' for these two complaints ought
to be of the relieve and rest variety.
Take an elixir. Sleep. Plain colds, feed. Feverish colds, liquids only till appetite
returns. If absolutely necessary, some
aspro or similar to quench fever. By all
means alert your doctor. If you are at
risk from other factors, all precaution should be taken.
But a cold is a cold is a cold.
That's all.
Spot on, Yamani.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Every single person who was coerced into taking the flu shot got sick. Me stuck to her guns. No is no.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteThank you ladies. It's a tough one - Jane & Joe Public are so caught up in the cycle it's hard to cut out the spin!