Why does viruses make you feel ill

The National Academies. How Infection Works. How Pathogens Make Us Sick. Infection occurs when viruses , bacteria , or other microbes enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease occurs when the cells in your body are damaged as a result of infection and signs and symptoms of an illness appear. The incidence of disease among those infected varies greatly depending on the particular pathogen and individual susceptibility.

Many of the symptoms that make a person suffer during an infection—fever, malaise, headache, rash—result from the activities of the immune system trying to eliminate the infection from the body. Lancet Infect Dis. Flu Influeza. Accessed 12 Nov Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NIH Publication No. September , Accessed 11 Nov Understanding Microbes in Sickness and in Health.

September Accessed 14 Nov The newly-made viruses are released to find a new cell. Viruses often infect specific places in our bodies, which is where we feel their effect. Rhinoviruses infect our upper airways behind our nose, and we respond with snot and sneezes: a common cold. Sore throat. And a general funk. You know you feel bad, but what should you do to treat it? The answer depends on the source. Virus Vs. Bacteria Every day, doctors must decide if infections are caused by viruses or bacteria.

Viruses Cause: Colds and flu Runny noses Most coughs and bronchitis Most sore throats Most fevers Most sore throats Most cases of pneumonia Diarrhea and vomiting While antibiotics won't help with viral infections, there a few anti-viral drugs that may be able to help ease symptoms.