Colds are not fatal, but they assure maximum discomfort to their sufferers. A person with a cold not only coughs and sneezes regularly but also has a runny nose, a fever, a headache, a sore throat, and congested nasal passages all at the same time. It is hard to concentrate or stay awake, yet it is also difficult to fall asleep. Even though it only lasts a day or two in its severe stage, the time of suffering seems endless. An odd but important fact is that, even though the cold is the most common illness known to man, repeatedly affecting nearly everyone, there is no known cure. Antibiotics don't work well because every cold virus is unique.
Do you rush to see the doctor whenever you get a cold?
1. Yes. That's what doctors are for — making us feel better when we're sick — isn't it?
2. I just take some aspirin and try to go about my normal routine.
3. I relax and stay at home, knowing I'11 recover soon.
Sample Answers:
(A) I always tell myself when I get a cold to just stay at home, drink plenty of liquids, and get lots of sleep until I feel better. But somehow, instead, 1 try to ignore the cold as much as I can. I take medicine and go to work, but I feel terrible all day, I don't get much accomplished, and I probably just infect other people. Maybe next time I'll take my own advice!
(B) Patients want their physician to relieve their various medical problems. And the doctors want to be helpful, not only because of their professional obligation but also because they know the patient will find a new doctor if they don't help. But this mutual attitude has led to some very severe problems, related especially to the overuse of antibiotics. So viruses are adapting themselves to the most widely used drugs and making them ineffective. Sol never go to the doctor for some minor ailment like a cold. I want those vaccines to be useful.
Speak Your Mind
1. How often do you feel tired? What do you do at those times.
2. How often do you catch a cold? How do you find relief from it?
3. Do you sometimes have a stomach ache? How do you cope with it?
4. Do you ever suffer from a headache? Do you take aspirin or deal with it some other way?
5. Do you regularly take vitamins?
6. Have you ever suffered from insomnia? What did you do?
7. Are you afraid of the side effects of any medicine?
Speak Your Mind Helpers
1. How often do you feel tired? What do you do at those times?
(A)
These days I seem to get tired a lot more than I used to. Maybe I need to go to bed earlier or sleep longer.
(B)
I hardly ever feel tired. I almost always get plenty of sleep and avoid eating heavy meals. And I pace my activities during the day to keep from getting overwhelmed by work.
2. How often do you catch a cold? How do you find relief from it?
(A)
Every spring I have colds almost constantly. It's probably some kind of allergy. Getting relief is almost impossible. I've tried various medicines, but they just make me drowsy and inattentive, so I merely feel worse. Even the sneezing is better than that!
(B)
I catch a cold every now and then, but I usually don't have much trouble coping with it. I just go to the pharmacy and buy some cold medicine, drink lots of orange juice and vodka, and get a good night's sleep. I feel fine the next day.
3. Do you sometimes have a stomach ache? How do you cope with it?
(A)
I have a very weak stomach, and what I eat doesn't often agree with me. So I have lots of stomach aches, heartburn, and diarrhea. I guess there's nothing I can do except watch my diet and make sure there's a bathroom nearby.
(B)
Once in a while I overeat and suffer the consequences, but this is very rare. Mostly, I eat whatever I like, and as much as I want, and don't have any problems.
4. Do you ever suffer from a headache? Do you take aspirin or deal with it some other way?
(A)
I get a slight pain in the back of my head almost every day. But I just close my eyes and relax for a few minutes and it usually goes away. If it doesn't, then I'll take a couple of aspirins. But it's not a serious problem.
(B)
I don't get headaches, I get migraines. The side of my head feels like it's going to explode. Aspirin doesn't help, and neither do the other over-the-counter medicines. I have to get a powerful pain killer prescription, and even they don't help all the time. Eventually the migraine goes away, but until that happens the pain is absolutely unbearable.
5. Do you regularly take vitamins?
(A)
Ever since I was a child I've taken vitamins every day. There's no need to overdo it —once the body absorbs the maximum intake, it has no way to store any excess, so the remainder is just wasted. But I like to make sure that my body gets everything it needs to stay healthy.
(B)
Sometimes I get in the habit of taking vitamins every day with breakfast, but if I miss a few days I forget about taking them any more. I guess it doesn't matter, though, since I feel the same whether I take them or not.
6. Have you ever suffered from insomnia? What did you do?
(A)
I can't ever get to sleep easily. I toss and turn in bed, I get up and fix something to eat, I read a book, 1 try exercising, but nothing works. Maybe I'll finally fall asleep an hour or so before I have to get up for work, but then I feel even worse than if I'd gotten no sleep at all. Eventually, after several days, it all catches up with me, and then I fall into a deep sleep that nobody can wake me from. This is not a fun lifestyle!
(B)
Once in a while, just before a big test, I can't sleep. So the next day, as a result, I do poorly on the test, and then that night I sleep like a baby. It's not a regular problem, but I wish I knew how to deal with it more effectively.
7. Are you afraid of the side effects of any medicine?
F : Do you ever worry about the side effects of any medicines you're taking?
M : Why, no. I just follow the instructions carefully. Why do you ask? Is my skin turning green or something?
F : No, but I'm afraid mine might. I hardly ever take medicine, not even aspirin, but my doctor just prescribed a whole slew of them for my back pain, and I'm worried about how they might affect me.
M : Well, prescribing medicines is not an exact science. Sometimes the drugs will affect one person differently than another. People have different tolerances, and some people are allergic to certain medicines. So if you have any adverse effects, it might be a good idea to discontinue their use and see your doctor again right away.
F : Yes, that's what the doctor told me. How likely is it that I'll have problems?
M : The odds are in your favor. Medicines are pretty exhaustively tested before they're allowed on the market, and very few people have any trouble as long as they follow the directions carefully. But there's always that odd exception, so watch yourself. Be careful.
F : This is the reason why I usually avoid medicines: I'm afraid of the after-effects.
M : Being a little cautious is good for everyone, but I wouldn't worry so much. The
doctors usually don't offer prescriptions to medicines they're not familiar with.
F : But I hear horror stories about people who follow directions carefully and still have something terrible happen. They get a heart attack or go blind or something like that! I'm very concerned.
M : Usually the side effects are minor but unpleasant. People get blurred vision or stomach cramps or something like that. But they're just having a bad case of anxiety attack.
F : Really? What do you think I should do?
M : Why don't you see a doctor? He can probably prescribe something else that will calm your nerves.
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