Is it Cold or Flu Symptoms?
How can you tell if you have the flu or a cold? Many specialists advise taking your temperature.
With nasal congestion, a cough, pains, and lethargy, flu symptoms frequently resemble cold symptoms. However, a typical cold rarely exhibits fever symptoms higher than 101 degrees (38,3 C).
You’ll likely experience a fever at first when you have the flu virus, and you’ll feel awful. With the flu, body and muscle aches are also more typical.
You can use this to identify whether you have the flu or the common cold.
FEVER
Cold: Sometimes, usually mild
Flu: Usual; higher (100-102 F or 37,8-38,9 C; occasionally higher, especially in young children); lasts 3 to 4 days
HEADACHE
Cold: Occasionally
Flu: Common
GENERAL ACHES, PAINS
Cold: Slight
Flu: Usual; often severe
FATIGUE, WEAKNESS
Cold: Sometimes
Flu: Usual; can last 2 to 3 weeks
EXTREME EXHAUSTION
Cold: Never
Flu: Usual; at the beginning of the illness
STUFFY NOSE
Cold: Common
Flu: Sometimes
SNEEZING
Cold: Usual
Flu: Sometimes
SORE THROAT
Cold: Common
Flu: Sometimes
COUGH
Cold: Mild to moderate; hacking cough
Flu: Common; can become severe
COMPLICATIONS
Cold: Sinus congestion; middle ear infection
Flu: Sinusitis, bronchitis, ear infection, pneumonia; can be life-threatening
Usually, the time of year will give you some sense of what you’re dealing with. The standard flu season runs from fall to spring of the next year.
