How many ways are there to know is it a cold or flu?

It’s very frequent that people wake up with coughing, sneezing and more. Also sometimes headache and muscle pain follows them. These symptoms may be result of flu or cold. Millions of people don’t consider importance of problems’ real reason. But it’s very important because while cold affects people for only few days and you don’t have to go doctor, flu may take you to bed for weeks and result illnesses like pneumonia. So it’s very important to take measures about problem in first days. While some symptoms are same on two illnesses, some symptoms can take it easy to distinguish illnesses. How many ways are there to know is it a cold or flu?


There are 9 main symptoms that can distinguish flu and cold. First of all, fever is an important symptom for it. In cold, fever not occurs every time and it’s usually mild. It’s very rare to see high fever in cold. But in flu it’s usual and mostly goes over 39-40. Also it lasts for more than two or three days. It can reach more in youth and children and especially very dangerous for children.

Headache is another important symptom for distinguish flu and cold. Headache in cold is very occasional. Some headache comes from bronchus but it doesn’t spread to whole head. But in flu, headache is very common and strong. Sometimes it causes hard to open the eyes. Drugs for beating headache are very affective for cold but it’s not effective for flu mostly.
Stuffy Nose is the main result of cold but very rare in flu. Also in stuffy nose of cold, mucus is very persistent and it will come back soon after clearing. In flu, it will only come one or two hours after clearing. Also cold will force you to breathe deep because of inhalation problems but flu doesn’t force such things. Also sneezing and sore throat is very common in cold but they are very rare in flu. Sometimes an allergy may give symptoms like cold and it can cause sneezing.
Cough is a symptom for both two illnesses. But in cold, cough is mostly mild and goes to moderate after few days. But in flu, cough starts immediately and continues severe. In flu, coughing starts to create a chest pain after some hours but in cold, chest pain is very rare.

Extreme exhaustion is also a good way to distinguish flu and cold. Extreme exhaustion for people with cold is very rare. These people may live and speak without any pain. But in flu, extreme exhaustion is very high and comes with muscle pain. People with flu are very hard to speak or live without pain. Also extreme exhaustion starts with first day of flu but not seen on first period of cold.
Cold goes to middle ear infection if it isn’t treated but flu gets serious very fast and may result bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis. Sometimes flu can be life threatening.
Today there are effective drugs and treatment ways for two illnesses. Cold can be cured without any drugs and health world is arguing about necessity of drugs on cold. But flu must be treated soon. Especially fever reducers are very important because persistent high fever may cause lots of complications especially for children. Also some symptoms may be seen on both illnesses and doctor must be called in these situations like dizziness, persistent vomiting, bluish skin color and extreme irritability. These symptoms may be the result of cold or flu but also another illness like allergy or similar.