4 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Cough, Cold and Flu

Cold and flu season is once again upon us.  If you haven't gotten a flu shot yet, don't worry the common cold and influenza are only temporary illnesses and options for symptom relief are available for everyone in your family. 

Below are four things that you must know about the common cold and influenza.

Cold and Flu Facts

Did you know? The common cold is a leading cause of doctor visits, with over 100 million visits paid to the doctor each year. It also causes 22 million missed days from school, as well as 20 million lost work days in the United States annually.

Prevalence: At the peack of the 2012-2013 cold ad flu season, nearly 50 million adults and children experienced cold and flu symptoms - that's six times greater than the population of NYC! Most adults have 2-4 colds per year, while children average 6-10 colds annually.  On the average, 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu annually.

Cause: Flu is caused by influenza viruses that infect the throat, nose and lungs.  Common colds can be caused by over 200 different viruses.

What you need to know about cough

Did you know? Up to 50% of people who have a cold will develop a cough.  Prolonged coughing can cause unpleasant side effects, such as chest pain, exhaustion, light-headedness, and interference with socializing and work.

Prevalence: At the peak of the 2012-2013 cold and flu season, over 47 million adults and children experienced cough symptoms - that's more than the total population of the state of California.

Cause: One cause of cough is a reaction to an increase in mucus production in the airways. Coughing is how the body expels excess mucus from the airways and lungs.  

*Disclosure: This content has been sponsored by:

A Variety of Products Tailored to Treat You and Your Family's Symptoms Day and Night

Robitussin is doctor recommended and the #1 pharmacist recommended brand for cough, cold and flu combinations. For more information visit Robitussin.com

I received product compensation in exchange for this post.

About Our Founder

Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger,  and mother of five children, living in Spokane, WA. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert  runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, is the founder of Healthy Moms Media, and also blogs at talbertzoo.com. You can follow her on facebook.com/TheHealthyMomsMag, and twitter.com/cltalbert.

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