With winter approaching and the days getting shorter, we tend to spend more time indoors. Spending more time inside with family or friends can cause various illnesses and infections to spread more rapidly. 

Fortunately, there are measures you can take to keep yourself healthy as the year comes to a close. This article will discuss how to strengthen your immune system during the upcoming winter season. 

Steps to Strengthen Your Immune System

• Get Vaccinated

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19, influenza, and rhinovirus every year is an instant boost to your immune system. It’s one of the most effective preventive measures you can take and enhances the immune system’s natural response to pathogens. 

• Practice Excellent Hand Hygiene

Keeping your hands clean is essential to staying healthy throughout the year, especially during the winter. With the surge of bacteria and viruses during the cold season, children tend to catch these illnesses more than adults due to poor hand hygiene. 

Make a habit of washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before you eat, after using the restroom, and after coming home. Touching your face without clean hands can leave you susceptible to catching contagious illnesses. 

• Sleep

Getting enough sleep at night is necessary for your immune system to function effectively. Aiming for seven to eight hours of sleep per night will ready your immune system to battle illnesses through winter. 

• Drink More Water

Water aids in flushing out bacterial and viral toxins from the body. Try to drink eight to ten glasses of water per day to make sure you’re adequately hydrated and to support your immune system. 

If you fall ill this winter, Suncoast Urgent Care is here to help. Our team of professionals ensures that the communities of South Florida are healthy all year long. Contact us for an appointment!

With the holidays approaching, we’re entering the season for various winter illnesses. Along with practicing excellent hygiene, it’s crucial to know the signs and symptoms of the illnesses that we’re most often exposed to during the winter. 

This article will discuss the illnesses that most commonly surge with the holiday season. 

The Most Common Winter Illnesses

• Influenza

Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory viral infection that tends to affect people in the fall and extends into May. Vaccination is available for this virus during flu season and will help keep you and your family healthy this winter. 

Symptoms of the flu include fever, headaches, muscle aches, runny nose, coughing, and sore throat. 

• Colds

As the name suggests, the common cold is one of the most widespread illnesses during the winter. Children tend to catch a cold more often than adults, and the symptoms typically last for 7 to 10 days.

Symptoms of the common cold can include a mild fever, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and coughing. 

• RSV

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can be severe in infants. It’s an infection of the respiratory system that can last for up to two weeks. 

Symptoms include cold-like symptoms and wheezing. If your child is experiencing rapid breathing, it may be time to see a doctor. 

• Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious lung condition caused by bacteria or viruses and can last for up to three weeks. Cases of bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics. 

Symptoms include yellow or green mucus, rapid breathing, fever, chills, and chest pain. 

• Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is highly contagious and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. The symptoms of this condition include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. 

The symptoms of these illnesses overlap, making it difficult to distinguish between them. Suncoast Urgent Care has medical specialists that can diagnose and treat your illness and promote a faster recovery. Contact us for an appointment!