What is the difference between a bacterial and a viral cold?
Viral and bacterial pathogens can both cause inflammation of the mucous membranes in the respiratory tract and throughout the mouth and throat area and trigger typical cold symptoms. However, viral colds are much more common, but on the other hand they are also more harmless. They occur several times a year, whereas bacterial inflammations occur only rarely.
More often, however, bacterial superinfections can be caused by an existing viral cold. In this case, the mucous membranes are already pre-damaged, so that the illness is made easier for the bacteria. Bacterial colds are much more persistent.
They can make the classic cold symptoms such as coughing, rhinitis and hoarseness much more severe, but can also cause sinusitis, tonsillitis and middle ear infections. The mucus that forms on the mucous membranes in the nose and throat is often tougher due to bacterial pathogens and takes on a yellowish-green color. The duration of the illness also often increases with bacterial colds. Antibiotic therapy must often be carried out against the bacteria in order to eliminate the pathogens completely. However, as these are not carried out lightly, a blood test or examination of the mucus should first be carried out by a doctor to confirm the suspicion of bacterial involvement.
How can I recognize a delayed course?
A protracted course can be recognized by the fact that mildly pronounced symptoms persist for an unusually long time. A protracted course only shows that the pathogens are still in the body and the disease has not been defeated. Often, too early strains on the body are behind the protracted course of the disease when the cold has not yet subsided completely.
In this case, the immune system does not have the strength to eliminate the pathogen completely, so the inflammation and thus the symptoms persist. The most important measure is physical protection. Under all circumstances, this must be done for a sufficiently long time for the immune system to recover and then cure the disease completely. In an emergency, the immune system can be so damaged by the early strain that the harmless cold develops into a dangerous infection with potential complications such as pneumonia.If the cold persists despite physical protection, a doctor should also rule out bacterial involvement.
