Cold and flu are the most common types of respiratory illnesses in the world. They affect almost everyone annually and although several drugs have been produced to inoculate against the diseases, most people still remain unaware of the differences between the two.
Flu Symptoms usually come between 3-6 hours of the person acquiring the virus. These include
- Fever (usually severe),
- Headache,
- Muscle Aches,
- Chills,
- Extreme tiredness,
- Dry cough,
- Stomach symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea
Cold symptoms on the other hand, are less severe and people usually experience them later. The main difference between cold and flu symptoms is their severity. Cold usually has very rare occasions with fever. Flu on the other hand, mostly has fever and very severe at that. Muscle aches are also very rare and slight in colds, whereas quite severe in flu. Patients suffering from cold usually do not experience chills as well, whereas Flu symptoms involve chills.
Patients suffering from cold usually do not experience tiredness, and if they do, it is only mild. Flu symptoms however, involve moderate to severe levels of tiredness where the person is unable to perform daily tasks. Cold symptoms involve a hacking and productive cough while flu symptoms involve a dry and unproductive cough. Patients suffering from colds usually also complain of sneezing, runny nose and sore throat but flu patients do not suffer the same.
Another difference between the two symptoms is that cold patients complain of only mild chest discomfort and very rarely suffer from headaches. Flu patients on the other hand, suffer from severe chest discomforts and also commonly complaining of headaches.
These varying degrees offer substantial differences between the two infections. Although medicine do provide a n adequate remedy the best means of preventing flu or colds is to remain warm and sleep well. Human immune systems depreciate considerably due to lack of sleep and this allows viral infections such as flu and colds to overpower the system. With adequate care however, these diseases can be avoided. People should heed these flu and cold symptoms so as to stay healthy.
