What is the Difference Between the Flu and a Cold?
Influenza, commonly called the flu, is contracted in the same way that a cold is, and, like a cold, is a seasonal illness caused by a virus. However, although both the flu and colds can share some similar symptoms, they are very different illnesses. The flu is much more serious than a cold.
Elderly people or people with chronic diseases are at risk for developing complications from the flu such as pneumonia. Pneumonia can cause death in flu sufferers over 65 years of age and is problematic for those with heart disease, asthma or compromised immune systems. Flu shots are often recommended as an effective way of preventing death and serious complications from the flu. Flu shots are said to be 70% effective, but must be administered each year as the strains of flu viruses are ever-changing.
Hand-washing, especially with antibacterial soap, is often a good way of preventing both the flu and a cold as both viruses are transmitted through droplets from sneezes and through contact with droplets on surfaces. Cold and flu viruses can live on surfaces for a few hours and touching an infected surface and then touching eyes, nose, or mouth areas can transmit the virus. Avoiding touching the face, hand-washing and sneezing into facial tissue followed by hand-washing are some good preventive steps in avoiding transmission of colds and flu.
A big difference between the flu and a cold is in the onset of the illnesses. Cold symptoms usually appear very gradually, while flu symptoms are quite sudden. A person just getting the flu can feel fine one minute and then come down with a fever and chills the next. Contrastingly, a cold can begin with sneezing or a slightly runny nose for a few days before much stronger symptoms appear.
Another difference between the flu and a cold is that colds do not cause a feeling of physical exhaustion like the flu can. Persons with a cold may feel less energetic than usual for a day or two, but fatigue from the flu can be severe and last a few weeks. Muscle aches and headaches also tend to be stronger in flu sufferers than in cold sufferers.
While flu sufferers tend to experience symptoms in many areas of the body, cold sufferers tend to experience symptoms relating to the nose. Sneezing, and/or a runny or congested nose are common cold symptoms. Fever, lethargy, aching all over and vomiting and/or dizziness are common early flu symptoms. However, after a few days, the flu virus may move to the respiratory tract and produce a sore throat and cough. A sore throat and cough can also be associated with a cold, but the throat is red in flu sufferers and not cold sufferers and the cough accompanying the flu is usually harsher and drier.
Written by Sheri Cyprus
