When to Stay Home from Work

Too Sick To Work?

Here's A Guide To Common Ailments And Whether You Should Stay Home

Oct. 6, 2004

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(WebMD) The alarm's buzzing ... but something's not right. You're sniffly, sneezy ... queasy. You have a common cold. Or is it something worse? Should you drag yourself to work? Or spend the day in front of the tube?

"Presenteeism" — going to work when you're sick — is as contagious as the flu. Millions of Americans are doing it. By one estimate, upwards of 75 percent head to work with the common cold or other problems.

Sure, sick employees keep the computer warm. But research shows that people sick with the common cold are not very productive. In fact, their lost productivity accounts for up to 60 percent of employer health costs — more than if they'd taken a sick day.


So you wake up with a common cold or some other ailment that's getting you down. What should you do?

To help you decide, Sharon Horesh, MD, instructor of clinical medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, gives her advice.

Just keep this in mind: "There's no antibiotic that can get rid of the common cold or flu or stomach virus," Horesh tells WebMD. "That's my pet peeve ... antibiotics only work with a bacterial infection ... bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, earache, pink eye."

Also, be careful about which medications you take for the common cold, says Nathan Segall, MD, a private practice allergy specialist in Atlanta.

The overwhelming majority reach for over-the-counter antihistamines, he says. But beware: Even if it's a so-called "non-sedating antihistamine" it could cause sleepiness and mental fogging, says Segall. "Some individuals will be more likely to have these side effects than others will."

That turns into a double-whammy: The common cold itself will affect your ability to concentrate because of clogged nasal passages and headache. Add a bit of drowsiness (whether it's from the pills or from difficulty sleeping). Pretty soon, you're making mistakes at the keyboard, barking at co-workers, generally feeling miserable. Even if it's just the common cold, maybe you should have called in sick.

To keep it from happening again, here's a checklist of symptoms that help you determine if you have a common cold or something else:


Sniffling

• If you are sniffling — but not achy, not feverish — it's probably allergies. Get to work!
  
  
• Sniffling, achy, tired, fever? You're coming down with the common cold or the flu. You are contagious in those first days. You are miserable, face it. You're not going to get much done at work. Also, you will recover quicker from the common cold or flu if you get some rest, says Horesh.

Chills, Sweats

• If your clothes are getting drenched, you likely have a fever. (A warm forehead is a very low-grade fever or nothing at all.) When you have a fever, stay home — you're contagious! It's likely flu or, yes, the common cold. Drink fluids. Stay away from work until you feel better, Horesh advises.
  
  
• If you have a fever plus white patches on your tonsils (say "ah"), it may be strep throat. It's highly contagious. You may need an antibiotic. See a doctor!

Coughing

• If it's a tickle in the throat or it feels like postnasal drip, the cough is probably from allergies or the common cold. Unless you've got other common cold symptoms, such as aches or fever, get to work!
  
  
• If the cough feels deep, makes you short of breath, and brings up green mucus, it's likely more than the common cold — perhaps bronchitis or pneumonia, according to Horesh. See a doctor!

Earache

• If your ear really hurts, if you can't hear well, you may have an ear infection. That's not contagious. Congestion from a common cold can also leave your ear in pain. You need to see a doctor to see which it is. You may need an antibiotic. Ear infections usually don't go away on their own, she says.

Pinkeye

• If your eyes are bright red, if there's creamy white stuff in the corners, if your eyelashes are getting matted, that's likely pinkeye, which is highly contagious. Don't go to work. See a doctor for an antibiotic. It's another infection that needs antibiotic help, Horesh tells WebMD.

Sinus Pain

• Pain around the eyes, top of the forehead, the cheekbones, even the top of your teeth are signs of a sinus infection, but it could be a common cold. Call in sick and see a doctor to see if you need an antibiotic. Next day, you'll likely be able to get yourself to work since sinus infections aren't typically contagious, Horesh advises.

Tummy Problems

• A stomach virus — nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, aches, low-grade fever — can lay you low for several days. For 24-48 hours, you'll be absolutely miserable. It can take up to five days to recover. Drink lots of fluids, especially water, so you don't get dehydrated, says Horesh.
  
  
• For the first day or two, fluids and soup should be your diet. Then it's soft solids like mashed potatoes, applesauce, Jell-O, toast, and bananas. Slowly get into solid foods like meat. If you eat solid food too early, it just upsets your stomach more.
  
  
• With food poisoning, vomiting and diarrhea usually occur six to 12 hours after you eat. The time frame is helpful for distinguishing it from a stomach virus. With food poisoning, once you vomit, you feel better.
  
  
• Rule of Thumb: If you can hold down food, you can go into work.

Sprains/Strains

• Go to work if you sit at a computer all day. But if you're on your feet, you will have more swelling, so wait until you can walk with little discomfort. An Ace bandage will give support to an ankle so you won't re-injure it, Horesh advises. Anti-inflammatory pain relievers help most people, even if they're not in a lot of pain, because they reduce swelling; take it with food so your stomach isn't irritated.
  
  
• An ice pack is a good way to reduce swelling without risking stomach problems.

Headaches/Migraines

• Though headaches can be caused by things like the common cold, if you can't tolerate noise or light, you likely have a migraine and shouldn't be at work, says Horesh. If you haven't seen a doctor for your migraines, make an appointment. There's no point in suffering with them. There are drugs you can take for migraines that start working within the hour and shorten the migraine's duration.

Poison Ivy

• This shouldn't keep you at home (unless your eyes are swollen shut). If the rash is still oozing, it's still very contagious. Wear clothes that cover it. Wash your hands frequently. If the rash is on your hands, avoid handshakes, she says.
  
  
• If you share any office equipment — keyboard, phone — make sure it's washed after you use it. Of course, that advice holds for any infectious illness, whether it's poison ivy or the common cold, Horesh tells WebMD.

SOURCES: Sharon Horesh, MD, instructor of clinical medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. Nathan Segall, MD, allergy specialist, Atlanta.

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD
© 2004, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

No post - I'm very sick

Unfortunately, this cold is a monster. Once again I am home from work after going in yesterday. Sorry no post today.

Caribbean Cruises

My favorite cure for a cold? A Caribbean cruise! Sorry for the shameless ad today. I feel miserable. However, it's actually two very good deals.

Cruise Freek Forums is sponsoring our first Holiday Cruise in 2008. After an open poll the Grand Princess departing on December 19, 2008 was decided upon and for full details about the cruise please visit the new website created just for this event:

http://grandprincessdecember192008.makeswebsites.com/

This site features pricing, ship photos, and just about everything you need to know about booking this special cruise offer. Our own Host Bob of Worldview Travel has been assigned the group and questions and bookings can be made through Host Bob at 800-869-0674, Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm Pacific Time or you can drop Host Bob an email at bobd@worldviewtravel.com

The second annoucement is from our own Host Susan who would like to inform Cruise Freek members that her agency, Ships N Trips Travel, will be having a Princess Cruise Line sale from October 21 through October 27. This sale features reduced deposits of just $100 per person and each booking during this time will receive a coupon book in their stateroom. While this offer is NOT available for the Holiday sailing mentioned above, you might want to take advantage of it for the group sailing on Ruby Princess which will be taking place Valentin'es week in 2009. For more information on the Valentine's Day cruise in 2009 please visit:

http://cruisefreekforums.forumfreek.com/Valentine-s-Day-President-Week-2009-Aboard-Ruby-Princess-h8.html

Host Susan of Ships N Trips Travel has been assigned the group and questions and bookings can be made through Host Susan at 888-221-1209, Mond ay - Friday 9am to 5pm Eastern Time or you can drop Host Susan an email at susan@shipsntripstravel.com

Questions and bookings should be made directly with the travel agents mentioned above.

10 tips to help colds from Spreading

Going against the rules of colds and spreading them, I drug myself to work today. Why? I have no idea.

Ten Tips to Stop Colds From Spreading

1. Wash Hands. Washing hands literally rinses germs away. Use plenty of soap and warm, running water. It is important to rinse the hands under warm running water for 30 seconds. Teach children to say their ABC's or count to 30 while washing so they can keep their hands under the water long enough.

2. Don't share cups. Using paper cups can be helpful to avoid spreading germs. Its a great idea to have a dispense of small cups in the kitchen or bathroom to encourage children to make it a habit. Have small waste baskets handy so the paper cups can be disposed of immediately. Leaving paper cups on tables, counters or elsewhere can spread the virus germ.

3. Use paper tissue.It is best to blow the nose on paper tissue and throw it away. It is important to keep the nose gently blown to rid the body of mucous. Throwing the tissue away immediately is also important because it is a source of cold virus that can to be spread to others by leaving it on a counter, desk, couch, chair, etc.. Have small waste baskets around in places handy to use to encourage proper disposal.

4. Don't touch eyes, nose or mouth. If exposed to someone with a cold, don't th ouch your eyes, nose or mouth, which is where germs can be passed. Try to help children understand how germs can be spread in this way. Encourage children to wash their hands frequently, as germs are often spread from our hands to our mouth, after touching a surface with virus germs.

5. Use disposable towels. Paper or other disposable towels instead of cloth towels in the kitchen and other areas. Both bacteria and viruses can live on cloth towels for hours. Have waste containers handy to dispose of the paper towels immediately so that any viruses on the towels end up in the waste basket instead of on the counter.

6. Keep toys clean. Toys often carry germs. Wash children's toys regularly in warm, soapy water to kill bacteria and viruses.

7. Sneeze away. Of course, sneeze away from others and into a tissue that can be thrown away. If you don't have a tissue handy, sneeze into your arm. If you have to cover you mouth with your hands, be sure to wash your hands immediately afterward. Model these behaviors for children. It's not a good idea to hold in a sneeze, so let it out, but try to sneeze in a way that doesn't spread germs to others.

8. Ventilate. Open windows when the weather permits because germs may remain stagnant in the air. Use a humidifier to keep the air moist to avoid nose irritation.

9. Wipe up Germs. Germs my rest on surfaces for up to three hours. Surfaces that are touched frequently, such as door knobs, handrails, light switches, telephones, remote controls, and counter tops should be wiped frequently with disinfectant wipes.

10. Don't smoke or allow smoking. Smoking can irritate the nose and lungs, drastically increasing children's susceptibility to colds. If the child already has a cold, smoke can really irritate the lungs and nasal passages and cause a cold to become something more serious. A smoke free environment is best for health.

Even if the Common Cold is all top common,we all can practice simple prevention techniques to help avoid the spread of the virus. Many of the tips are common sense, but may take some practice. Children, especially may have trouble understanding how colds are spread and lack understanding of these common sense techniques. Try to find ways to make prevention fun and hopefully these good health tips will become habits.

No Post Today I Have A Horrible Cold

If any of you have the same strain of cold that I do - slight fever, some aches, almost flu like but too early to be the flu, you have my sympathy.

No post today my own cold is too bad

Sorry everyone, no post today. I'm still running a fever of 101 and my cold is in both my head and chest. This girl needs her rest today.

Tired of Your Co-Workers Passing Colds Around?

I woke up this morning feeling horrible including a fever of 101. I did not go to work because my cold is that bad. And, this is my second cold of the season, both caught directly as a result of my work place. I thought this would be a perfect article to post today given my own personal circumstances.

March 8, 2006 -- Many U.S. workers refuse to call in sick even though this attitude risks infecting their co-workers and compromises productivity, according to a new national survey.

In fact, 35% of U.S. workers said they felt pressured to go to work when they are sick with the flu , even though this causes about half of them to get upset when a co-worker does the same thing. When asked why they feel pressured to show up, 60% of employees said they are concerned about their work not getting done, 48% said they feel guilty for missing work, and 25% said they don't get paid for sick days. Other reasons include fear their boss will be angry and concern about losing their job.

So-called "presenteeism," or workers' being on the job, but, because of illness or other medical conditions, not fully functioning, can have a serious impact in the workplace. In a typical year, the flu in the workplace may result in as much as $10 billion in lost productivity, according to estimates from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

"The phenomenon of presenteeism is very relevant with regard to influenza," says Susan J. Rehm, MD, NFID medical director and a doctor in the department of infectious disease at The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

"We hope that by discussing the topic and helping people to better understand the symptoms and prevention and treatment of the flu, they will be better able to handle workforce pressures and the pressure that they put on themselves to go to work even when they have the flu," she says.

"One of the objective ways that people can make a decision about staying home is the presence of fever," Rehm advises. "Most colds aren't associated with fever whereas the flu very commonly has fever associated with it and it's likely that fever will be seen along with others symptoms that will make the person think twice about whether they want to go to work," she says, adding that studies have proven that staying home for a day or two can boost productivity in the long term.

According to the survey, 58% of respondents said they have had co-workers come to work sick or with the flu this winter, and 30% said they have contracted the flu virus from a co-worker. What's more, 40% of people are annoyed and 46% are sympathetic when a co-worker comes to work with the flu.

Stay Home if You Have a Fever

But Neil Schachter, MD, medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai in New York City and the author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu, says the awful truth is that most people are actually contagious in the 24 to 48 hours before they come down with the full-blown flu. "You probably exposed most of your co-workers to the flu before it hits you," he says. "If it's Monday morning and you start to feel sick, stay home because you have not infected your co-workers yet."

Try and remember that "it doesn't help the company to spread the flu to everybody there, and even the most aggressive boss would not want you around if you are going to bring everyone else down," he says. "It is a good attitude to show up and do work and not let everything stop you, but you need to take winter respiratory infections seriously."

An Ounce of Prevention

Fifty-two percent of the employees surveyed said their organization does not have a plan in place to prevent the spread of flu in the workplace.

That said, the best way to stay healthy during cold and flu season is to "wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands," he tells WebMD. "Make sure you get a flu shot, and if you are over 50 or have underlying health problems, get the pneumonia shot, too," he suggests.

Rehm adds that not getting paid for sick days is a huge issue. "One would hope employers will continue to look at these issues of productivity and establish policies that will make it easier for workers to stay home appropriately," she says.

Conducted by the NFID, the new survey comprised 978 adults aged 18 and older who were employed full-time and was conducted Jan. 26-30. A follow-up survey was conducted Feb. 9-13.

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SOURCES: Neil Schachter, MD, medical director, respiratory care, Mount Sinai, New York City; author, The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu. News release, New National Survey Shows Employees Feel Pressured to Go to Work, Despite Being Sick With Flu. Feb 27, 2006.