Do You Have the Flu, or Just a Cold?

It's important for you to know the difference between the symptoms of a regular seasonal cold and the flu. If you wake up sneezing and coughing, with a fever and feeling like you don't want to move out of bed, you could just be suffering from a cold that will last a couple of days and pass, or you could have a respiratory infection that will just get worse without treatment.

Both a cold and influenza are respiratory illnesses, but a cold doesn't last very long. The flu can make you sick for a few days or even a few weeks, and can result in serious health problems such as bronchitis or pneumonia, and may even send you to the hospital. The common cold usually begins with a sore throat and dry cough, which normally go away within a day or two. The sore throat is followed by a runny nose and congestion for a day or two, and then a cough and chest congestion for a couple of days. In adults, it is uncommon to have a fever from just a cold, although a slight fever may occur, especially in children. The common cold usually lasts for about a week.

During the first three days of experiencing cold symptoms, when your nose is running and you're coughing, you are contagious. Because colds are easily passed through contact and even just being close to someone who is sneezing, it's best to stay home and rest until the symptoms lessen or pass. With a cold, nasal secretions start out watery and later become thicker and dark. A cold can be caused by any one of several hundred viral infections, but if your symptoms don't start to improve after a week, then you might have a bacterial infection, for which you will need antibiotics. Check with your doctor to see if you may have an allergy or sinus infection.

The symptoms of the flu are usually more severe than the symptoms of a cold, and they tend to come on quickly. The symptoms of seasonal flu and swine flu are similar in many ways, in that they include sore throat, headache, fever, muscle aches, congestion, and coughing. Swine flu is also associated with diarrhea and vomiting. Most symptoms of the flu improve slowly over the course of three to five days, but some people may continue to feel tired and run down for five or six days. The flu can often turn into pneumonia, particularly in elderly people, children, or people with heart or lung complications. If you notice that you are feeling short of breath or having trouble sleeping because of congestion, or if your fever goes away and then comes back after a day or two, then you should see your doctor. A fever of more than 101 degree is rare with a common cold, but is fairly common with the flu.

If you have cold or flu symptoms, it is important to contact your doctor if you develop any of these severe symptoms:

• Persistent fever, particularly higher than 100 degrees.
• Persistent coughing, congestion, or headaches
• Painful swallowing
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or confusion
• Symptoms that had been improving but suddenly worsened, especially in children

Both cold and flu viruses enter the body through mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth, so every time you touch one of those areas of your body you might be infecting yourself if you have been exposed to a virus. For that reason, it is very important, especially during cold and flu season, to wash your hands frequently and avoid close contact with sick people. To prevent seasonal flu, you can get a flu shot to develop antibodies and provide protection. But if you do get the flu, either seasonal or swine flu, prescription antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza may help. Bed rest and chicken soup are also good treatments. Most of all, pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you've done all you can to relieve your symptoms and you're still feeling bad or getting worse after a couple of days, you should see your doctor.