|
SYMPTOM
|
COLD
|
FLU
|
|
FEVER
|
Fever is pretty rare with a cold.
|
Fever is usually present with the
flu. 80% of
flu cases include a fever.
A temperature of 100o F or higher for
3-4 days is
associated with the flu.
|
|
ACHES
|
Slight body aches and pains can be
part of a cold.
|
Severe aches and pains are common
with the flu.
|
|
CHILLS
|
Chills are uncommon with a cold.
|
Chills are fairly common in most
flu cases.
60% of flu cases include chills.
Chills and shivering are a normal reaction to a
cold environment, but unexplained chills can also be a
sign of the flu.
|
|
TIREDNESS
|
Tiredness is fairly mild with a
cold.
|
Tiredness is moderate to severe
with the flu.
It’s normal to feel tired at the end of a long
day or when you don’t get adequate sleep, but
unexplained tiredness can be a sign of the flu.
|
|
SUDDEN SYMPTOMS
|
Cold symptoms are not sudden and
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.
|
|
COUGHING
|
A hacking, productive (mucus
producing) cough is often present with a cold.
|
A nonproductive cough that does
not produce mucus is usually present with the flu.
Dry cough is present in 80% of flu cases.
|
|
SNEEZING
|
Sneezing is commonly present with
a cold.
|
Sneezing is not commonly present
with the flu.
|
|
STUFFY NOSE
|
A stuffy nose usually accompanies
a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a
week.
|
Stuffy nose is not commonly
present with the flu.
|
|
SORE THROAT
|
Sore throat is common with a cold.
A sore throat is pain and inflammation in the
throat that usually comes with a cold.
|
A 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.
Chest discomfort is pain or abnormal sensations
that you feel anywhere along the front of your body
between your neck and upper abdomen.
|
|
HEADACHE
|
A headache is fairly uncommon with
a cold.
|
A headache is very common with the
flu. It is
present in 80% of flu cases.
|