Cough & Cold Profile Test

A simple cold or cough could often be indicative of something more serious and not to mention the
fact that your current condition could be infectious as well. This is why you need to consult with your
physician at the earliest and get a complete Cough and cold profile test done at the earliest. Some of
the symptoms that you are bound to experience are listed below,
Dry cough
Soreness of throat
Difficulty breathing
Difficulty swallowing
Discomfort and pain when swallowing
High temperature
Chills
Body aches
Joint pains
If any of the above sound familiar, then chances are high that you have a cold or it’s indicative of
something more serious, which is why you need to consult with your doctor right away.

Your doctor would first conduct a short physical examination after which he would assess all your symptoms, and review your medical history, before ordering for a complete cough and cold profile work to be carried out. It is at this point that you would have to inform your doctor as to whether you have undergone any surgeries in the recent past, and whether you are currently taking any medication as this can have a bearing on your test results. A complete profile workover consists of both a blood test and sputum analysis, and you do not have to undergo any special prep to take these tests.

This full profile is often ordered to determine if your current flu/ cold or cough is indicative of something more serious like pneumonia or some other autoimmune health condition. It is vital that you get a full profile done should you experience some of the symptoms listed above.

Your doctor would first collect a small sample of your blood, directly from your vein; he would first tie a band across your upper arm, make your veins jut out, thereby making it easier for him to collect the required sample. He would use an antiseptic to clean the target area before collecting the sample, and then bandage the wound. The sample would then be processed at the lab, to check for antibodies specific to various strains of cold as well as flu.

Additionally, your physician would take a swab and ask you to open your mouth so that he can collect a sample of your sputum for analysis. The results of the blood test should be available right away however, sputum analysis and culture test can take a few days, but it should provide your doctor with all the information he needs, to make an accurate diagnosis. In the meantime, he would prescribe medication to help alleviate some of your current symptoms and call you back for additional tests, depending on the results of the sputum analysis.