oooooh Doctor
Doctor!
How can I tell if I
have a cold or the flu?
A cold and the flu have many of the same
symptoms. But a cold is generally mild, while
the flu tends to be more severe.
A cold often starts with feeling
tired, sneezing, coughing and a runny nose. You
may not have a fever or you may run a low fever
- just a degree or two higher than usual. You
may also have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore
throat, watery eyes and a headache. As the cold
worsens, your nasal mucus may turn from thin and
watery to yellow and thick. Your symptoms may
vary with each cold.
A cold usually lasts three or four days but can
last up to 10 days. Many adults will have a
least one or two colds a year, and most children
will have five to eight. Colds are most common
during months when people tend to gather
indoors, such as in the winter.
The flu, which is a nickname for the
influenza virus, starts suddenly and hits hard.
Your fever may go as high as 40C (105F). You'll
probably feel weak and tired, and have a dry
cough, a runny nose, chills, muscle aches,
severe headache and a sore throat. The fever may
last for three to five days. After the flu goes
away, you may still feel weak and tired or keep
coughing for up to three weeks.
The flu is most common in winter and early
spring. It often occurs in outbreaks. The flu
virus changes often. About every 10 years it
undergoes major changes, so that more severe
outbreaks occur
Next month... skin rash or hives. |
