Symptoms - Cold or Flu?
Colds and the flu are both highly contagious and, in their initial stages, it can be difficult to distinguish between a bad cold and a mild case of the flu.
The flu, unlike a cold, can have life-threatening complications, making it very important to be able to tell the difference between the two. Here’s how to tell a cold from the flu:
Cold Symptoms |
Flu Symptoms |
Low or no fever, but can be as high as 102 degrees |
High fever, 101 degrees to 104 degrees |
Sometimes a headache |
Commonly a headache |
Stuffy, runny nose |
Sometimes a stuffy nose |
Sneezing |
Sometimes sneezing |
Mild, hacking cough |
Cough that may become severe |
Slight aches and pains |
Often severe aches and pains |
Mild fatigue |
Fatigue, may be extreme and may persist for many days |
Sore throat |
Sometimes a sore throat |
No diarrhea/vomiting |
Sometimes diarrhea/vomiting (especially H1N1) |
Normal energy level |
Exhaustion |
Typically lasts three to seven days |
Can lasts up to 12 days |
When should you seek medical attention or emergency care for flu symptoms?
Want to know for sure what you have, or whether you have H1N1 flu or regular seasonal flu? Only testing can tell. But when there's lots of flu circulating in a community, doctors will only test certain patients -- for example, those who are being hospitalized or who have conditions that put them at very high risk of complications from the flu, such as pneumonia. Most people will not get tested.
