Common Cold vs. Flu Symptoms - Be a FLU FIGHTER get your flu shot today!

Mar 10, 2020

Fort Collins, Mar 10, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - Imagine you wake up in the morning, and you have a sore throat, cough, and a stuffy nose. How will you come to know whether these are the symptoms of the flu or common cold? While every person can experience different symptoms, the flu typically has some particular signs.

A common cold usually starts with sneezing, running nose, and sometimes even a sore throat. It can make you feel down for a few days. On the other hand, flu is a viral infection that starts with fever, tiredness as well as a cough. It can lead to serious health problems such as pneumonia. You can prevent flu by getting a flu shot. Many people think that flu shots are only available at your family doctor. But the fact is you can get flu shot at the urgent care centers such as NOCO Community Urgent Care in Loveland. It offers $20 flu shots every day, and no appointment is ever needed.

The symptoms of both common cold and flu are quite similar to each other, but flu symptoms are typically more severe than those of the common cold.

What are the symptoms of a common cold?

The common cold is a respiratory illness usually caused by different viruses. The symptoms of the common cold are generally milder than those of flu. Common cold starts with sneezing, cough, mild body and headaches, and a runny nose. People with a common cold are less likely to have a fever. If you have a common cold, you will face some nasal symptoms for the first few days. There will be a watery nasal secretion for two to three days, which will become thicker afterwards and will eventually subside.

Although a cold does not typically lead to serious health problems, people with a weak immune system are more likely to develop pneumonia as a complication. In this case, the treatment of cold becomes necessary. The best way to treat a common cold is to rest and drink plenty of fluids.

What are the symptoms of the flu?

Flu is more severe than the typical everyday cold. One of the common symptoms of flu is having a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Other symptoms include sore throat, cough, fatigue, a congested nose, body ache, and headache. People with the flu should avoid contact with other people, so they can prevent the virus from spreading. However, anti-flu vaccines have been proven to be the best way to protect against the flu.

How to avoid getting cold or flu?

The best way to avoiding getting a cold or the flu is by washing your hands regularly; personal hygiene is essential, and avoiding contact with people that are ill is very important. The Flu Vaccine is the most effective way to get protection against the flu, but you should still always wash your hands. Cold and flu viruses are spread by indirect contact as well. Maybe someone sneezes onto their hand and then touches a doorknob, only to have the virus picked up by the next person who also touches it.

All information, content, and material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.