by Chip Mahaney
The E.W. Scripps Company
All of a sudden, you don't feel yourself. You know you're coming down with something, but you don't know how bad it is, or even what to do first. Only a doctor's visit and a flu test can confirm whether you've got H1N1, or a seasonal flu, a bacterial infection or a common cold, or something else altogether. But here are some simple comparisons and contrasts between common symptoms for a cold and the flu:
HOW FAST DID YOUR SYMPTOMS APPEAR?
Cold: Cold symptoms may emerge and worsen over a couple of days.
Flu: Symptoms typically appear quickly, within 3-6 hours. Watch for a sudden onset of fever, aches and pains.
DO YOU HAVE A FEVER?
Cold: Fever is rare with a cold.
Flu: Fever is very common with the flu. About 80% of all flu patients experience a fever above 100 degrees for as many as 3-4 days.
ARE YOU COUGHING?
Cold: A productive cough (one that produces mucus, or a "wet" cough) is often present with a cold.
Flu: You may not be coughing at all. But if you are coughing, you're more likely to experience a "dry" cough, or one in which you're not producing any mucus.
ARE YOU ACHY? DOES YOUR BODY HURT?
Cold: Colds can come with slight body aches and pains.
Flu: Severe aches and pains are more common with the flu.
DO YOU HAVE A STUFFY NOSE?
Cold: Very common with a cold. It may take a week to work through it, but it should do so on its own.
Flu: Runny or stuffy noses aren't common with the flu.
DO YOU FEEL TIRED?
Cold: You may feel mildly tired with a cold.
Flu: You're more likely to feel moderately or severely tired with the flu.
DO YOU HAVE CHILLS?
Cold: Chills are uncommon with a cold.
Flu: 60% of flu patients experience chills.
ARE YOU SNEEZING A LOT?Cold: Sneezing is quite common with a cold.
Flu: Sneezing is not a common symptom of the flu.
Again, only a doctor and perhaps a lab test can tell you if you've got the flu or just a cold. But we hope you feel better now, at least knowing more about what's got you down.
Sources: flu.gov (Department of Health and Human Services), cdc.gov (Centers for Disease Control), flufacts.com (sponsored by Roche Laboratories).
