Differential Diagnosis of Heat Cold
The "Relatives" of Heat Cold
Heat cold often begins with nasopharyngeal symptoms. Patients experience itching and discomfort in the nasopharynx, nasal congestion, runny nose, headache, and aversion to wind. Initially, nasal discharge is clear, but it becomes thick after 2 to 3 days, followed by fever, cough, sore throat, and aching, heavy limbs. The course of heat cold is approximately 3 to 7 days. It is important to distinguish heat cold from the following diseases:
1. Allergic Rhinitis
Clinically similar to a "cold," the difference is that allergic rhinitis has a sudden onset with nasal itching, frequent sneezing, and a clear runny nose. Attacks are related to environmental changes or sudden temperature shifts and can sometimes be triggered by unusual odors, resolving within minutes to 1-2 hours.
2. Influenza
Influenza often occurs in distinct epidemics. It has a sudden onset with more severe systemic symptoms, such as high fever, body aches, and significant inflammation of the eye conjunctiva, but the nasopharyngeal symptoms are milder.
3. Acute Infectious Diseases
Prodromal symptoms of diseases like measles, poliomyelitis, and encephalitis often include upper respiratory tract infections in their early stages. During the epidemic season or in endemic areas for these diseases, any upper respiratory tract infection symptoms should prompt immediate medical consultation.