How serious is the flu? Many people think the flu is nothing more than a bad cold -- until they come down with it. When your entire body aches, your energy vanishes, and a fever, dry cough, sore throat, and headaches set in, it's impossible to mistake the flu for a mild illness. The flu can hit anybody hard, but it's especially dangerous for people over 65 and others with weak immune system...

• Chris Woolston, M.S.
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Aging: Misc. Common Cold Flu

Why does my child get so many colds? The common cold (also known as an upper respiratory infection) is caused by a virus. Trouble is, there are at least 200 different known viruses, with new ones occasionally appearing. Children develop immunity to the viruses one cold at a time. Remember all the colds you've had over your lifetime? Your child has to get every one -- and more -- to be immune to ...

• Lisa Asta, M.D.
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Common Cold Kids' Ailments Kids: Misc.

A cold can be an annoyance or a major misery, depending on its severity. But if you catch a cold when you're pregnant, you may well wonder how the over-the-counter (OTC) cold remedies you usually reach for could affect your baby. Are they safe? Unfortunately, for many OTC medicines, we just don't know the answer. It would be unethical to use pregnant women as guinea pigs, so researchers rely on an...

• Nancy Montgomery
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Common Cold Pregnancy Women's Problems: Misc.

Is there any way to avoid catching a cold? Cold viruses can lurk just about anywhere during cold and flu season, but that doesn't mean that you have to sniffle through the winter. A cold virus can't make you sick unless it finds a way into the upper reaches of your nose. If you can simply keep your fingers away from your nose and eyes (where tear ducts drain into your nasal cavity), you're unlik...

• Deepi Brar, M.S.
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Common Cold Diseases &, Conditions: Misc. Infections: Misc.