Do I Have A Cold or the Flu?
How to Tell the Difference
As
this year’s cold and flu season approaches,
many people will become confused and worried at the sign
of the slightest sneeze or cough. With the threat of
a possible avian flu pandemic in the 2005-06 flu season,
there is even more cause for concern. The viruses that
cause the common cold and the flu are two entirely different
creatures. While you may think that the symptoms of the
two illnesses are similar, this handy chart we have prepared
will show you that there are indeed several important
differences.
| Symptoms |
Cold |
Flu |
| Fever |
rare
in adults and older children, but can be as high
as 102° F in infants and small children |
usually
102° F, but can go up to 104° F
and usually lasts 3 to 4 days |
| Headache |
rare |
sudden onset and can be severe |
| Muscle aches |
mild |
usual, and often severe |
| Tiredness and weakness |
mild |
can last two or more weeks |
| Extreme exhaustion |
never |
sudden onset and can be severe |
| Sneezing |
often |
sometimes |
| Runny nose |
often |
sometimes |
| Sore throat |
often |
sometimes |
| Cough |
mild hacking cough |
usual, and can become severe |
Notice
that “vomiting” is not one of the
symptoms listed. While 24- and 48-hour stomach illnesses
are caused by viruses, they are not caused by the flu. “Stomach
flu” is not an actual illness.
The Best Way To Tell
Note
the major differences between the two columns in the “extreme exhaustion” category.
Anybody who has actually had the flu can tell you that
it makes
you feel like you have been hit by a truck. A big truck.
Your whole body hurts and you are so tired it takes a
huge effort to move your eyelids. The common cold does
not do this to people! If everybody felt that bad when
they had a cold, scientists would be looking for a way
to vaccinate against colds, too.
The Most Serious Difference
The most serious difference is that influenza is a potentially
life-threatening illness. Only premature infants or people
with severely compromised immune systems face such a
threat from a common cold. You want to make sure you
take all possible precautions against contracting the
flu this season: avoid unnecessary public contact, wash
your hands frequently and avoid people whom you know
may be ill. Vaccination is a good tool but not always
effective, depending on the strain of flu you contract.
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