7 types of "colds" are actually serious diseases

Coughing, runny nose, sneezing, fever...are all common symptoms of the common cold. Most colds will heal with conventional cold treatments. But we need to be vigilant that some symptoms that appear to be colds may actually hide other diseases, or even be the prodromal symptoms of certain serious illnesses. According to experts, the early symptoms of acute nephritis, influenza, allergic rhinitis, pneumonia, leukemia, rheumatic diseases such as lupus erythematosus, and encephalitis may be similar to those of the common cold. Therefore, if a cold does not heal for more than a week, or if common cold medicine has no effect, careful observation and identification are required to avoid mistaking it for a common cold and delaying the disease.

1. Acute nephritis

Symptoms: Prodromal symptoms also include upper respiratory tract inflammation and tonsil inflammation

Identification: whether edema occurs, urine volume decreases, and urine changes to the color of "meat washing water"

Streptococcal infection is the main cause of acute nephritis. The prodromal symptoms are upper respiratory tract inflammation and tonsillitis 2 to 3 weeks before the onset of the disease, manifested as sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, and possible fever. These symptoms are very similar to those of a cold and can easily be treated as a common cold.

"A considerable portion of acute nephritis is induced by upper respiratory tract infection." Liang Jianbo said, however, acute nephritis still has some specific symptoms that are different from the common cold. First, there may be swelling of the legs and lower limbs; second, the urine volume will decrease; third, the color of the urine will turn into "meat washing water" color, that is, hematuria. "Therefore, if these three symptoms occur after a cold, patients must go to the hospital for a routine urine test to see if there is proteinuria and hematuria. They can also do a blood biochemical test to see if there is a transient increase in blood creatinine."

Liang Jianbo said that in addition, acute nephritis may also be accompanied by symptoms such as loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

2. Flu

Symptoms: In the early stage, there are also nasopharyngeal symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing

Identification: obvious systemic symptoms, persistent high fever, ineffectiveness of common cold medicines, mass outbreak

The initial symptoms of influenza are similar to those of the common cold, and nasopharyngeal symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing may also occur.

"However, influenza is different from the common cold in symptoms and infectiousness." Xu Pusheng said, first, the common cold mainly has nasopharyngeal symptoms, while influenza has mild nasopharyngeal symptoms and obvious systemic symptoms, including fever or chills, fatigue, etc., which are more severe than the common cold; second, there is usually persistent high fever; third, the common cold can usually be cured in about a week, while the course of influenza may be longer, and the effect of common cold medicine is not obvious; fourth, influenza is highly contagious, and often occurs in groups in a family, an office, a class or even a school.

"Therefore, if the above four characteristics appear in the cold symptoms, you should be alert to whether it is influenza, especially when common cold medicines are ineffective, you should seek medical attention promptly," said Xu Pusheng.

3. Allergic rhinitis

Symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, etc.

Identification: Clear runny nose in the morning, sensitive to pungent odors

Sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion...these "cold" symptoms are actually common characteristics of allergic rhinitis. Xu Pusheng said that many patients treat allergic rhinitis as a cold, but the more they treat it, the worse the effect becomes.

Xu Pusheng said that compared with the common cold, the nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis are more serious, with the following main characteristics: First, there will usually be clear nasal discharge and itchy nose in the morning, and some patients will have itchy eyes and tears; second, they will sneeze and yawn when encountering irritating odors; third, the effect of taking antiviral drugs is not obvious; fourth, there is generally no fever, and no symptoms such as body aches.

Xu Pusheng reminded that colds are caused by viruses, while allergic rhinitis is caused by various allergens such as pollen and fungal spores. Antiviral drugs are not effective for allergic rhinitis, and anti-allergic drugs are needed instead.

4. Pneumonia

Symptoms: high fever, cough, etc.

Identification: persistent high fever, coughing up yellow or rusty sputum

Lobar pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lungs with a lobar distribution caused by bacterial infection such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Symptoms similar to the common cold may also occur, such as high fever and cough.

Xu Pusheng said that this type of pneumonia is prone to occur in the elderly, children with low resistance, and young and middle-aged people who are overly tired. Compared with the common cold, this type of pneumonia has the following characteristics: first, the high fever persists; second, coughing up yellow sputum, and in severe cases, coughing up rust-colored sputum; third, chest pain may occur.

Therefore, when children, the elderly, and young and middle-aged people who are overly tired catch a cold, they must be observed carefully and go to the hospital for treatment in time.

5. Encephalitis

Symptoms: The prodromal symptoms of Japanese encephalitis are like a cold.

Identification: More severe headache and projectile vomiting

Epidemics of meningococcal disease usually begin in late winter and become prevalent in spring. Data shows that almost 1 in every 10 cases of meningococcal disease is mistaken for a cold. Cui Qiliang, director of pediatrics and chief physician at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said that the prodromal symptoms of meningococcal disease also mainly include fever, headache, sore throat, runny nose and cough. However, the headache caused by meningitis is more severe than that of the common cold, and it may also cause projectile vomiting.

Cui Qiliang said that in addition to meningococcal meningitis, the prodromal symptoms of diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, measles, and chickenpox are also similar to those of colds. These diseases are difficult to distinguish from the common cold, especially in the first one or two days of onset, which requires careful observation by patients and parents of children. For example, Japanese encephalitis can also cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and other symptoms; measles generally occurs in children aged 1 to 4 years old. A few days after the onset of the disease, red spots will appear on the cheeks and then spread throughout the body; chickenpox will cause blisters on the body.

6. Preleukemia

Symptoms: Frequent colds and fevers

Identification: Bleeding spots and bleeding gums

"In clinical practice, many leukemia patients are indeed discovered when they go to the hospital for treatment due to colds and fevers." Luo Bing, chief physician of the Department of Hematology, Rheumatology and Immunology at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, introduced that leukemia is a disease of the hematopoietic system. Due to the decrease in white blood cells, human resistance decreases, making it easy to catch colds and fevers repeatedly. Therefore, many patients mistakenly believe that they have a respiratory infection at first and often like to take medicine to solve the problem themselves, but the condition becomes more and more serious.

"But there is no need to panic." Luo Bing reminded that compared with the common cold, the early symptoms of leukemia have several characteristics: first, repeated colds and fevers will last for a long time and become more and more severe; second, there will be bleeding spots and subcutaneous hemorrhages on the body; third, there will be bleeding from the gums and blood blisters in the mouth; fourth, there will be anemia, dizziness, and headache symptoms; fourth, acute leukemia will also have sternum tenderness. "Therefore, once these symptoms occur after a cold, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a routine blood test and then follow the doctor's advice for further examinations."

7. Rheumatic diseases

Symptoms: Lupus erythematosus initially presents with fever and cold

Identification: swollen and painful joints of the limbs, rash, oral ulcers

Luo Bing said that rheumatic diseases are caused by immune dysfunction in the human body, which leads to a decrease in resistance. Therefore, it is easy to catch a cold. Some rheumatic diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, initially manifest as fever and cold.

"Immune dysfunction usually progresses slowly step by step. Therefore, the early symptoms of rheumatic diseases are relatively not as easy to identify as leukemia." Luo Bing said that when the disease develops to a certain stage, there will be some specific symptoms along with the cold symptoms. The main symptoms include: 1. Redness, swelling, heat and pain in the joints of the limbs for unknown reasons after a cold; 2. The appearance of skin rash; 3. The appearance of oral ulcers; 4. The appearance of proteinuria, that is, white bubbles in the urine. This is because lupus erythematosus may cause nephritis, leading to proteinuria. "Therefore, if the cold does not get better after a week and the above symptoms appear, it is recommended to see a rheumatologist."