People generally think that Cold and Flu are same and they synonymously use the terms. But they are different and if we know some basic facts then it is easy to distinguish between the two.
In the table below, we have tried to present some basic differences between Cold and Flu based on some symptoms:
|
|
||
|
Symptoms |
Cold | Flu |
|
|
||
| Fever | Fever is rare with Cold | Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu |
|
|
||
| Coughing | A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold | A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough) |
|
|
||
| Aches | Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold | Severe aches and pains are common with the flu |
|
|
||
| Stuffy Nose | Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week | Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu |
|
|
||
| Chills | Chills are uncommon with a cold | 60% of people who have the flu experience chills |
|
|
||
| Tiredness | Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold | Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu |
|
|
||
| Sneezing | Sneezing is commonly present with a cold | Sneezing is not common with the flu |
|
|
||
| Sudden Symptoms | Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days | The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains |
|
|
||
| Headache | A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold | A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases |
|
|
||
| Sore Throat | Sore throat is commonly present with a cold | Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu |
|
|
||
| Chest Discomfort | Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold | Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu |
|
|
||
Though there is a very fine line between the two problems, they can easily be identified.
Happy Living 
