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Colds and Flu: Telling Them Apart
Are you feeling sick as a dog, but don't know if you're dealing with a cold or the flu? It can be difficult to distinguish whether you have a cold or the flu, but there can be differences:
Colds
Many different symptoms can be associated with the common cold. Most symptoms include:
- A runny or stuffy (congested) nose
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
Other symptoms might include headache, sore or aching muscles, fatigue, and/or a cough.
While colds can be quite uncomfortable and make you feel very sick, they are usually milder than the flu. Symptoms of the common cold usually last less than a week, although more severe colds may last longer.
Many different viruses (over 200!) can cause the common cold. Some of these viruses can make you very sick and the symptoms of these illnesses may be the same as those of influenza.
Influenza
People sometimes use the word “flu” to mean stomach upset or a cold, but when someone has influenza, their symptoms usually include:
- Fever
- Cough or a sore
throat.
Symptoms like chills, body aches or diarrhea may also occur.
Flu symptoms often have a sudden onset. Acute symptoms of influenza, such as fever, usually last between 2-7 days; other symptoms such as fatigue may persist longer.
* Did you know? If someone is infected with influenza, he or she can spread the virus to others one day before their symptoms even begin!
For more information:
Centers for Disease Control - Q&A: Cold versus Flu -- http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm