Cold vs Flu: What’s the difference? On average, adults get two to three colds per year and get flu once every 5 years. Both viruses are incredibly common and have a lot of similarities.

However, when many people get a cold or flu, there are still a lot of misconceptions around the different symptoms.

Symptoms
There are a lot of similarities between cold and flu symptoms, but flu tends to be more severe. In many cases flu starts gradually and can at first seem like a cold. There are, however, some clear distinctions between the two, especially when looking at the type of cough, temperature, whether or not there is any mucus and if your stomach is affected.

Cold Symptoms

  • Blocked nose
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Sneezing
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Raised temperature
  • Feeling congested or pressure in the ears and face
  • Loss of taste
  • Loss of smell

Flu Symptoms

  • Sudden high temperature of 38c or above
  • Aches
  • Feeling tired or exhausted
  • Dry cough
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Loss of appetite
  • Stomach ache
  • Diarrhoea
  • Feeling sick
  • Vomiting

Home Remedies
With both cold and flu, there isn’t anything you can do to rid yourself of the virus, however, you can help get yourself better faster while decreasing the severity of the symptoms.

To speed up your recovery you can:

Drink lots of water to prevent dehydration
Get a lot of rest and sleep
Stay warm
Medication – There are a variety of cold and flu medicines available over the counter

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are common choices to treat the pain or fever associated with cold and flu symptoms, and are included in many cold and flu medicines.

Prevention
Unfortunately it’s not enough to keep distance from someone with a cold, as they can become infectious before symptoms start. The best way to avoid catching a cold is to:

Wash your hands regularly with warm water and soap or alcohol hand sanitiser
Don’t share towels
Don’t drink from the same cup as anyone else
Don’t touch your eyes or nose

The most effective way to prevent the flu is through the flu vaccine..

Loading...

 

Cold vs Flu: What’s the difference?