7 Most Common Winter Diseases to Watch Out For

Raynaud’s disease

Raynaud’s disease is a condition that occurs in winter and causes your fingers and toes to feel numb due to cold temperatures. This is a less common condition that can be quite uncomfortable, causing severe complications in the long run. 

Researchers say that women who live in colder climates are more likely to have Raynaud’s disease. Some of the most common symptoms of Raynaud’s syndrome are cold finger and toes, your skin changes its color when exposed to cold temperatures, and numbness. 

If your symptoms get worse or you develop toe or finger infection, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the causes of Raynaud’s disease are still unknown, but researchers believe that blood vessels may overreact to cold temperatures. 

Cold sores

Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are a common viral infection that can last several days and affect people of all ages. They usually leave no scars after healing. Cold cores can be spread through direct contact with an infected person, including kissing. 

The virus that causes cold sores is called herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (or sometimes the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)) and can be contagious even though the cold sores aren’t visible. 

Unfortunately, there is no cure for this virus, but your doctor may prescribe you various treatments to manage the outbreaks. 

These sores can be more frequent in the winter because that’s the season that weakens your immune system. However, in some cases, cold sores may occur due to the common cold or flu. 

The flu

The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects your nose, throat and lungs. In general, the flu symptoms are similar to the common cold. People who suffer from flu can develop mild to severe symptoms, but unfortunately, there are cases where complications can lead to death, especially in people who suffer from other chronic diseases that weaken their immune system. 

According to medical experts, if you want to prevent this disease, you need to get a flu vaccine each year. Symptoms of flu include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting, and diarrhea.