When you get the flu it just plain hurts. There are no medical cures for the flu, only palliative treatments for pain and other symptoms. But your kitchen is a haven for healthy foods that can provide relief of symptoms making your down time a little easier.

When a person is under a lot of stress, she can experience symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety can make a person feel tense, restless and irritable. She can also have problems concentrating, feel that her mind has gone blank and be constantly worried.

Mononucleosis is an illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Mononucleosis is referred to as the kissing disease because it can spread easily, especially through close personal contact. Mononucleosis has flu-like symptoms and can make you feel very ill.

In the early stages, meningitis appears to have similar symptoms to that of the flu, according to KidsHealth. Meningitis is an infection in the brain and spinal chord caused by a bacteria or virus.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology states that approximately 10 percent of people report having a penicillin allergy -- but greater than 90 percent might not be truly allergic. A true penicillin allergy is caused by antibodies that the immune system has formed against the antibiotic.

Vicks VapoRub is one of the oldest and best selling cold remedies on the market. Consumer marketing company Nielsen reports that the ointment is the number one cold treatment for children by overall sales in 2009.

A cough during pregnancy is often a symptom of a cold or upper respiratory infection. While most coughs are not known to harm the baby, treating coughs can be challenging since only a small number of cold and cough medications are considered safe to use during pregnancy.

Good nutrition does not just affect the exterior of your body. A steady supply of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants help keep your immune system strong and healthy as well. Several foods can help ease a sore throat and cold as well as fight off the infection causing your symptoms.

One in 5 people will get shingles, and the chance increases with age, particularly after age 50. With odds like that, knowing the symptoms of shingles is useful information to have. Shingles represents a reactivation of a virus called varicella-zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox.

An expectorant is a type of medication that is used to loosen congestion in your chest and throat to allow you to cough up mucus easier. The most commonly used ingredient is guafenesin. Taking an expectorant as directed can help clean the lungs of mucus.

The signs and symptoms of a cold -- coughing, sneezing, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, watery eyes and fever -- can make you miserable. The common cold, which is an upper respiratory tract infection, can be caused by one of many types of rhinoviruses.

If you have a cold, chances are you’d like to do whatever possible to make yourself feel better. While cold medications can provide quick relief for many common cold symptoms, certain vitamins, particularly vitamin C, might help shorten the duration of the cold a bit.