Am I too sick to go to work?

He also cautions against reaching for relief too quickly. "All-in-one sniffly, sneezy medicines often turn a minor nasal viral infection into a chest infection by drying out secretions and not allowing the chest to clear itself." Another caution: If you are using those medications and you're dragging yourself through your workday, read the packages carefully. "Medication that has sedation as a side-effect could contribute to danger in the workplace or on the highways," says Milne.

If you are thinking about sending your child to school with the sniffles, Hanna suggests that you take your child's comfort into consideration. "Symptoms could become worse and the teachers may not notice, leading to absolute misery for your child."

Fever and chills
A fever is your body's way of fighting an infection, so staying at home is your best option to avoid passing your germs on to others. Forcing yourself to work through the discomfort might cause you more trouble in the long run. "Depending on your work demands, overextending yourself could prolong or complicate the illness," says Milne.

Any child under the age of six months suffering from a fever should see a doctor, while children older than six months should be kept home to rest and fight the infection. Even if their energy level seems OK, Hanna recommends keeping a close eye on them rather than sending them to day care or school, because they could risk becoming dehydrated if not closely monitored.

Stomach and indigestion
According to Milne, there are several possible causes of a sore stomach, including dietary indiscretion (for instance, overeating or eating foods that are too rich or spicy), side-effects from medications such as ASA and ibuprofen, overconsumption of alcohol, or an early sign of gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines, which can eventually cause loss of appetite, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea). "If you still have your appendix, and you're vomiting and the pain migrates to the right lower abdomen, you need to consider whether or not it's appendicitis," he adds.

Stomach discomfort that feels like heartburn or indigestion may indicate an impending heart attack. If you're also sweating and feeling anxious or have a sense of doom, don't brush the situation aside – seek medical attention right away, says Milne.

If your sore stomach is accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea, heading to work is not necessarily going to make things worse, but you will undoubtedly be more comfortable staying home, says Milne. "Especially if the work environment is prone to causing dehydration or is one where weakness could be dangerous, this is an individual decision."

Page 2 of 4