Over-the-counter drugs and chicken soup help both, right? Not so fast.It’s important to learn which kind of illness you’re dealing with. That’s because the flu can have serious complications, like the lung infection pneumonia. It can even be deadly. Flu treatments work best within 48 hours of the time symptoms start. Prescription antiviral drugs may cut the time you’re sick.
Flu: Comes on Fast and Furious
If you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck, it’s probably the flu. Symptoms like sore throat, fever, headache, muscle aches, congestion, and cough tend to come on suddenly. Colds are usually less intense and include a runny or stuffy nose. The flu gets better over 2 to 5 days, but you might feel run-down for a week or longer. Colds come on slowly and last up to 10 days.
Fever: Usually Means Flu
While some people may get a slight fever when they have a cold, most don’t. If you have the flu, you’ll probably run a temperature of 100-104 F. Children’s flu fevers tend to be higher. Kids may also be more likely to have a fever with the common cold.
Flu: Fatigue Can Last for Weeks
You likely start off feeling extremely tired and achy all over. That fatigue and weakness may last for up to 3 weeks — or even longer in seniors and people with long-term (chronic) diseases or a weak immune system. With a cold, you usually feel bad for just a few days.
Colds and Flu: Both Can Cause Headaches
Still, a headache that comes along with a cold, like other symptoms that result from the virus, tends to be milder than one caused by flu.
