Mucus

The H1N1 virus—known as swine flu—is one type of influenza A virus. Influenza A(H1N1) viruses still exist today. Scientists call it the A (H1N1)pdm09 virus. Influenza type A and type B viruses cause disease epidemics in people during flu season. During most years, this is the winter months. The H1N1 virus emerged during the 2009–2010 flu season, when it caused a pandemic. It is often called swine flu because it is a combination of influenza viruses that infect pigs, birds, and humans. Today, it is one of the strains that causes seasonal flu. The H1N1 virus causes common flu symptoms in most people. Those who are pregnant, have a chronic health problem, or have a weakened immune system have a higher risk of severe effects from this virus. This article describes H1N1 virus history, causes, and risks. Elena Medoks / Getty Images What Was the Swine Flu Pandemic in 2009? The swine flu pandemic in 2009 was a global outbreak of the infl

Enlarge this image Doctors and researchers question the efficacy of many common over-the-counter treatments for colds and flus. Jeff Greenberg/Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Jeff Greenberg/Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images When you stroll down the cold and flu aisle in a drugstore, it's easy to get lost in the dizzying array of products promising to clear sinus pressure, dry up sniffles and stop plaguing coughs. Some concoctions even offer it all in one magical pill. But doctors say the science behind some of those claims is lackluster. "There's just not much that's very effectiv

Green mucus may mean a bacterial or, less often, viral infection, but that's not always true. You constantly breathe in bacteria, some of which are harmless, through your nasal passages. A build-up of bacteria may cause green mucus without making you sick. You may wonder whether you need antibiotics if you blow your nose and notice your snot is green. Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections, but your mucus color alone cannot tell whether an infection is bacterial or viral. You may not need antibiotics, even with a mild bacterial infection. Still, consult a healthcare provider if your symptoms do not improve or worsen. Read on to find out why green snot happens and what it may indicate about your health. Pattarisara Suvichanarakul / Getty images Green, or yellowish-green, mucus is one of the telltale signs that your body is working to flush germs that cause infections out of your system, Cory Fisher, DO, a family medicine specialist bas

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sniffles, snorts and blows of runny noses are the hallmarks of cold and flu season — and that increase in mucus is exactly what bacteria use to mount a coordinated attack on the immune system, according to a new study from researchers at Penn State. The team found that the thicker the mucus, the better the bacteria are able to swarm. The findings could have implications for treatments that reduce the ability of bacteria to spread. The study, recently published in the journal PNAS Nexus, demonstrates how bacteria use mucus to enhance their ability to self-organize and possibly drive infection. The experiments, performed using synthetic pig stomach mucus, natural cow cervical mucus and a water-soluble polymer compound called polyvidone, revealed that bacteria coordinate movement better in thick mucus than in watery substances. The findings provide insight into how bacteria colonize mucus and mucosal surfaces, researchers said. The findings also show how mucus e

While doubling up on cold and flu medicines like Sudafed and Dayquil may seem like a good idea—hitting symptoms hard for faster relief—doing so poses certain harms if you are not careful. This includes overdosing on medications used in both medicines, which not only increases the risk of side effects but might also end up injuring your liver and other organs. As a general rule, most multi-symptom cold & flu medicines should not be taken with other multi-symptom cold and flu medicines. If taking a single-symptom medication (like aspirin), you need to be sure that you don't take it with a drug of the same class (like Advil). Speak with your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you are not sure. This article lists 12 different over-the-counter (OTC) drugs commonly used to treat cold and flu symptoms and explains which can be taken together and which cannot. Verywell / Theresa Chiechi Pain Relievers/Fever Reducers There are two types of

DALY CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- After three years of law school and months of preparation, hundreds are trying to focus inside Daly City's Cow Palace on day two of the attorney licensing exam. "You are under so much stress when you are taking this exam," said Nijel Quadri, bar examinee. Adding to that stress the unexpected cold temperature at the event center. Some reporting 54 degrees inside. Test taker Nijel Quadri says the facility has heat lamps, but they only help depending on where you are sitting. "It's a very big auditorium type of room," said Quadri, "Maybe if you are seated closer to those lamps that are up above you can feel some of the warmth but down in the center, it felt pretty chilly." MORE: Central California teen becomes youngest to ever pass state bar exam The two-day exam is split into 6.5 hours on day one and six more hours for day two. We caught up with several bar examinees during their lunch break. Many soaking up the sun as they

Although rare, coughing up blood-tinged mucus if you have COVID-19 is not necessarily abnormal. Coughing is one of the most common COVID-19 symptoms, and you may notice blood if you are coughing too forcibly. Other times, coughing up blood may signal viral pneumonia, a complication of COVID-19. Coughing up small amounts of blood is usually not serious, but you'll still want to consult a healthcare provider. They may advise taking cough suppressants to reduce how much or violently you are coughing. Here's what to know about the rare occurrence, why healthcare providers say it may not always indicate severe disease, and when to consult a healthcare provider. Natalie Board / EyeEm/Getty Images Coughing up blood, or hemoptysis, is the spitting up of blood or bloody mucus from the throat and lungs. Blood that comes up with a cough often looks bubbly since it's mixed with air and mucus. The blood can appear bright red or rust-colored and may only show

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It's that time of year again, when stuffy noses and irrepressible coughs start to show up everywhere. The best precaution you can take against influenza or Covid infection is to get vaccinated. But there is little you can do for the common cold and other respiratory illnesses, especially once you get sick. Most are caused by viruses, so you cannot cure them with antibiotics, which are used to treat bacterial infections. While drugs like Paxlovid are accessible for treating Covid, antiviral treatments for influenza, like Tamiflu, are usually reserved for people who have tested positive for the flu and are at risk of developing severe complications, such as those who are pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised. For everyone else, doctors suggest resting and waiting out your symptoms — which for flu, can include a fever, headache, body aches and a stuffy or runny nose that lasts three to five days. Some people may also develop a cough or sore throat or experience fatigue, which can las

Green mucus may mean a bacterial or, less often, viral infection, but that's not always true. You constantly breathe in bacteria, some of which are harmless, through your nasal passages. A build-up of bacteria may cause green mucus without making you sick. You may wonder whether you need antibiotics if you blow your nose and notice your snot is green. Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections, but your mucus color alone cannot tell whether an infection is bacterial or viral. You may not need antibiotics, even with a mild bacterial infection. Still, consult a healthcare provider if your symptoms do not improve or worsen. Read on to find out why green snot happens and what it may indicate about your health. Pattarisara Suvichanarakul / Getty images Green, or yellowish-green, mucus is one of the telltale signs that your body is working to flush germs that cause infections out of your system, Cory Fisher, DO, a family medicine specialist bas