Understanding the difference between cold and flu symptoms allows you to choose targeted treatments. You’re feeling unwell: you have a runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat. Is it a cold or influenza?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Colds and flu impact your respiratory tract, potentially hindering breathing. Each illness has hallmark symptoms that set it apart.
Distinguishing them is challenging due to overlapping features.
Main Difference Between Cold and Flu Symptoms
The common cold and influenza (flu) are both contagious respiratory infections caused by distinct viruses. The flu is caused only by influenza viruses, but the common cold can be caused by a variety of viruses, including rhinoviruses, parainfluenza, and seasonal coronaviruses.
Flu symptoms may include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue (exhaustion).
Cold symptoms are frequently less severe than those of the flu. People with colds are more likely to have runny or stuffy noses. Colds typically do not cause major health problems.
Because colds and flu overlap with similar symptoms, it can be difficult (if not impossible) to distinguish between the two based just on their symptoms. Special testing can determine whether a person has the flu.
Symptom Onset and Severity: Gradual vs. Sudden
Cold symptoms usually begin gradually with a sore throat, which normally goes away within a day or two. By the fourth and fifth days, a cough appears, accompanied by congestion, a runny nose, and nasal symptoms.
Adults rarely get a fever, though a mild one is conceivable. Children are more prone to having a fever with a cold.
On the other hand, the symptoms of the flu typically appear more quickly and abruptly and are more severe than those of a cold. Sore throat, fever, headache, aches and tightness in the muscles, congestion, and cough are all signs of the flu.
How Long Do Cold and Flu Symptoms Typically Last?
The typical duration of cold symptoms is one week. You are contagious during the first three days of a cold.
If cold symptoms do not seem to be disappearing after a week, you may have a bacterial infection, which means you may require antibiotics.
Most flu symptoms gradually improve over two to five days, although it’s not uncommon to feel run down for a week or longer.
Treatment and Prevention for Colds and the Flu
Most people with a cold or flu recover on their own without medical intervention. However, if symptoms persist for more than ten days or if over-the-counter medications fail to alleviate them, consult a medical professional.
Treatment of Colds and Flu
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- Rest and sleep.
- Stay warm.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear).
- Eat healthy food (it’s usual for young kids to lose their appetite for a few days).
- Gargle salt water to ease a sore throat (not recommended for youngsters).
- To relieve a sore throat, sip a hot beverage with lemon and honey.
- Use paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce your temperature and alleviate aches and pains.
- Decongestant nasal sprays, drops, or pills to unclog your nose (decongestants should not be used by children under 6). However, using them for longer than a week may exacerbate your symptoms.
- Babies and young children with chesty coughs can benefit from Vicks VapoRub.
- Breathe in steam to alleviate a blocked nose; try sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running.
- Do not take paracetamol and flu cures that contain paracetamol at the same time, as it’s easy to take more than the suggested quantity.
- Some studies suggest that taking vitamin C supplements regularly does not definitively prevent colds, but it may reduce the duration and severity of symptoms in some people.
- Other studies shown that sufficient levels of vitamin D can reduce the severity of respiratory infections and lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
- Zinc supplements may help reduce the duration and severity of colds when taken as symptoms appear, while always emphasizing the importance of not exceeding the recommended dietary intake.
Prevention of Colds and Flu
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- Frequently wash your hands.
- Avoid being close to anyone who has a cold or the flu.
- Vaccinate yourself against the flu every year after consulting your doctor.
When to See a Doctor: Cold vs. Flu Complications
1. Complications of the Common cold
Sinus infections, middle ear inflammation, and asthmatic reactions.
So, when you have a common cold infection, consult a specialized doctor if:
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- You have had a high temperature for more than 3 days.
- The symptoms of your cold worsen.
- You feel hot, cold, or shivering, or your body temperature is extremely high.
- You get chest discomfort or dyspnea.
- You’re worried about your child’s cold symptoms.
- After ten days, the symptoms of your cold do not improve.
- You have had a cough for more than 3 weeks.
- You have a chronic illness (such as diabetes or a heart, lung, or kidney disease), and you get chilly sensations.
- You suffer cold symptoms, and you have a weaker immune system (for example, because you’re receiving chemotherapy).
2. Complications of Flu Illness
The majority of individuals recover from the flu within a few days to less than two weeks; however, some may develop complications, such as:
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- Pneumonia which can be fatal.
- Sinus and ear infections are moderate concerns.
- Significant complications include myocarditis, encephalitis, myositis, and multi-organ failure.
- The flu can cause a significant inflammatory reaction, which can lead to sepsis and worsen chronic medical issues, including asthma episodes and heart disease.
The cold and flu season is upon us, and when temperatures decrease, respiratory infections become more likely. Understanding the difference between cold and flu symptoms can help you make more educated health-care decisions, especially if you care for children or the elderly.
Reference
- Achoo! cold, flu, or something else? | NIH MedlinePlus Magazine. (2018). Retrieved from NIH MedlinePlus Magazine.
- CDC. (2024, August 8). Cold Versus Flu. Retrieved from the Influenza (Flu) website.
- Cold, Flu, or Allergy? (2017, May 11). Retrieved from NIH News in Health website.
- Eccles, R. (2005). Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza. The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
- (2007). Flu or Cold Symptoms? Retrieved from the WebMD website.
- NHS. (2021, February 4). Common Cold. Retrieved from the NHS website.
- NHS. (2022, September 5). Flu. Retrieved from the NHS website.
