Coughing up the facts on winter illness
Wheezing, gagging, runny nose, cough, sniff and class no-shows.
Chilly temperatures arrive with the winter season, bringing a slew of illnesses that rarely pop up during the warmer months of the year. From October to March, Utah State University students must battle diseases like cold, influenza, fever and strep throat while maintaining their grades. Most winter illness can be subdued however, with prevention techniques.
“There is a lot to be said about prevention of illnesses,” said Dr. Jim Davis, director of the Student Health and Wellness Center. “Having good general health is key; good nutrition, being well-rested, all of the things that are impossible to do when you’re a student are still important along with good exercise and lots of
fluids.”
There are multiple precautions students can take to keep from getting ill.
“I think the most important thing for students to do going into the winter is to get them in good health,” Davis said.
Healthy eating and getting plenty of exercise, along with practicing good hygiene, will get students prepared for the winter months, he added.
“Once you are in good shape, the most essential thing is good hand washing,” he said. “Most germs are transmitted either by respiratory droplets, which are difficult to stop, or by direct human contact.”
Good hygiene habits can help significantly in the reduction of disease transmission.
The risk of spreading dangerous microbes through contact like handshaking can be reduced significantly with special care, said Leona Goodsell, assistant nursing director at the Bear River Health Department.
“About 50 percent of communicable diseases can be prevented through good hand washing,” she said.
With limited time between classes, it is not always convenient for students to wash their hands between classes. Some USU students, like undeclared freshman Shayna Jorgensen, use anti-bacterial hand lotion to keep their hands germ free.
“It smells good, is convenient and keeps your hands clean, it’s great,” she said.
Davis said the popular lotions help with bacteria, but they are not perfect.
“There are some problems with those. They’re not 100 percent effective, and most of them are not anti-viral though they are anti-bacterial, “he said. “That gives you a false sense of security.”
When cold weather forces people indoors, an optimal environment for germ transmission is created, Davis said.
“Viral illnesses are difficult to prevent when you close the windows and start re-breathing air in closed spaces and crowding people in,” he said. “It gets easy to transmit contagious
illnesses.”
While being indoors with large groups of people puts an individual at risk to get sick, the mother’s old mantra of “catching cold outdoors” can cause harm, too.
“In Utah where the environment is dry, natural protection occurs from the membranes lining the throat and nose, and those are made weaker or incapacitated by dryness and irritation,” Davis said. “When you go outdoors in this dry cold area, it causes a mucosal injury to the linings of the nose and mouth, and can cause a disruption that will allow germs to enter.”
It is still safe, if not beneficial to go outdoors, Davis said, but proper, warm clothing should be worn.
“It’s probably better to be out in the open fresh air than in closed quarters with a lot of people,” he said.
Some students may be curious about their health-care options if they become seriously ill.
“If you’re running a fever with a temperature above 101.5, or if your having difficulty breathing or have pain, not only should you not attend class, but you should probably see someone about health care,” Davis said.
Students are welcome to check into the Student Health and Wellness Center, Davis said.
“That’s why we’re here,” he said. “We’re here to help, whether it’s a serious illness or not.”
Use of the center is pre-paid as a part of student fees.
Diagnosis can be critical when a student is ill, in instances such as strep throat. Many individuals misconceive a sore throat as strep throat, or don’t get treatment when they are ill with strep throat.
“Strep is a diagnosis which you really need by culture, a lot of people who get a sore throat think it’s strep, but you really don’t know until you get it cultured to check if germs are there,” Davis said. “Strep needs to be treated with antibiotics, once you’re treated with antibiotics for 24 hours, you’re no longer contagious and you can return to class.”
Flu shots are also available and help prevent influenza, Goodsell said.
“Anybody that wants a shot can get one,” she said. “I would recommend everyone to get a flu shot.”
There is a misconception among many that ingesting large amounts of vitamin C will help colds. Goodsell said that is not true.
“You’re not going to get any extra benefit from a lot of vitamin C,” she said. “It is a water-soluble vitamin, any extra will be removed by your kidneys, and that isn’t good for your kidneys.”
The most important thing to maintaining good health is to practice good living habits.
“It’s important to determine how your body feels,” Davis said.
-str@cc.usu.edu