(WXYZ) — The peak of cold and flu season typically runs from December through February, and that means a lot of runny noses, sore throats and sneezes.
With the holidays more than a month behind us, we are still dealing with the decision to eat and drink more and walk and runn less.
It's showing up in complaints at the doctor's office, and it's just one of the problems bugging metro Detroit.
"We are seeing definitely a lot of kids and adults coming in with sore throat," Dr. Brandon Karmo of Orchard Primary Care in Farmington Hills said.
One of the first questions he gets from patients complaining of a sore throat is, "is this strep?" and Karmo said the symptoms can give you a major clue.
"Strep throat s caused by a bacterial infection. It does not usually have a cough. So that's one of the big distinguishing factors in that," he said.
While colds, the flu and strep can cause a fever, strep may also cause swollen glands under one or both sides of the jawline. With strep, you may also see small white spots on the tonsils or back of the throat.
"These type of signs and symptoms, along with the pain, with swallowing difficulty, you know, drinking fluids, eating food, this could be a sign that it's strep throat," he said.
Karmo said RSV and COVID-19 have been trending down, but flu is still sending people for care.
At Docctor's Urgent Care in Shelby Township, they're also treating a lot of strep throat with antibiotics and watching pink eye affect people of all ages.
"Biggest thing that I'm seeing that is a little bit different than usual," Dr. Asha Shajahan, the medical director of community health at Corewell Grosse Pointe Hospital said.
She is treating new-onset hypertension.
"People coming in with symptoms of, you know, chest pain, headaches, just feeling more fatigued. And then it turns out that they have high blood pressure," Shajahan said.
Shajahan said holiday behavior like eating and drinking more can increase blood pressure. If your blood pressure is just a little elevated, the first treatment will be lifestyle changes.
That includes reducing salt in your diet, sleeping enough, getting weight down and exercising more.
If your blood pressure is too high, expect those lifestyle modifications and medication.
Shajahan says she is also seeing fewer cases of RSV, flu and COVID-19.
Part of that may be because most people are able to control COVID-19 at home with better treatments and more vaccinations, but she still sees at least one case of COVID-19 every day.
