But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor. Colds and the flu cause many of the same symptoms. But colds are usually mild, while the flu tends to be more severe. A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing, and having a runny nose. You may not have a fever, or you may run a low fever—just 1 or 2 degrees higher than usual.
You may have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes, and a headache. The flu starts suddenly and hits hard. You will probably feel weak and tired and have a fever, dry cough, a runny nose, chills, muscle aches, a bad headache, eye pain, and a sore throat. It usually takes longer to get over the flu than a cold.
More than different viruses can cause colds. To keep from getting the flu, all children between six months and five years of age, adults older than 50 years, and people with asthma or lung problems should get a flu shot every October or November. There is no cure for a cold or the flu. Unless you have the flu and see your doctor within two days after your symptoms start, all you can do to feel better is treat your symptoms while your body fights off the virus. You can also use over-the-counter cold medicines to help you feel better.
So, all three illnesses can share many of the same symptoms. Remember, cold coughs usually produce phlegm or mucus. So, how do you treat the flu at home if you think you have it? What about a cold?
How can you start feeling better? Read on. Here are some steps you can take at home to feel better:. The best part? You can:. Make a video visit appointment for face-to-face care from a doctor or nurse practitioner. With video visits , your doctor will listen to your symptoms, answer questions and work with you to create a tailored treatment plan if needed. Start a virtual visit anytime, anyplace through Virtuwell. Getting started is easy. But if you have the flu, antiviral medications such as Tamiflu oseltamivir and Relenza zanamivir can help.
The case for therapeutic massage as an adjuvant in hospitalized covid patients. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. The interaction between respiratory pathogens and mucus. Health, work performance, and risk of infection in office-like environments: The role of indoor temperature, air humidity, and ventilation. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. About Flu. Updated October 26, Your Privacy Rights.
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Table of Contents. Risk Factors. When to See a Healthcare Provider. Frequently Asked Questions. Is It the Flu? Could It Be Something Else? Learn which over-the-counter flu medications work best to relieve your symptoms. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Related Articles. Symptoms of Influenza. Once influenza season begins, your doctor may also wish to test you for flu. If you have any chronic medical conditions, are over the age of 65, or are not vaccinated, you are at higher risk of getting a severe COVID infection and should call your doctor. Call your doctor for a fever that does not go down with fever reducing medicine do not use aspirin as it is contraindicated in influenza or any severe symptoms or symptoms that get worse over time.
Go the emergency department if you have chest pain or pressure, confusion, difficulty breathing or blue discoloration to your lips or face. And while social distancing and masking reduced flu last year, that may not be the case this year. However, there is already a moderate to high level of influenza circulating in some U. Getting a flu shot this year is particularly important to reduce the potential for a twin pandemic of influenza and COVID, which could further overwhelm the healthcare system.
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