Health & Wellness

Flu and Colds

March 09, 2005

A cold and the flu have many of the same symptoms. But a cold is generally mild, while the flu tends to be more severe.

A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and a runny nose. You may not have a fever or you may run a low fever. You may also have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes and a headache. Your symptoms may vary with each cold. A cold usually lasts three or four days but can last up to 10 days. Most adults will have at least one or two colds a year, and most children will have five to eight. Colds are most common during months when people tend to gather indoors.

The flu, or influenza virus, starts suddenly and hits hard. Your fever may go as high as 105 degrees. You will probably feel weak and tire, and have a dry cough, a runny nose, chills, muscle aches, severe headache, eye pain and a sore throat. The fever may last for three to five days. After the flu goes away, you may still feel weak and tired or keep coughing for up to three weeks.

There is no cure for a cold or the flu. All you can do to feel better is treat your symptoms while your body fights off the virus.

Feel Better Tips

Stay home and rest in bed, especially while you have a fever.
Stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke, which can make cold symptoms worse.
Drink plenty of fluids like water and fruit juices. Try frozen flavored ice (popsicles). Fluids will help loosen mucus. Fluids are also important if you have a fever because fever can dry up your body’s fluids, which can lead to dehydration.
Drink hot tea with lemon and honey to soothe a sore throat and help loosen the mucus in your nose. Eating chicken soup can also help loosen the mucus.
Don’t drink alcohol.
Gargle with warm salt water a few times a day to relieve a sore throat. Throat spray and lozenges may also help relieve the pain.
Suck on cough lozenges or hard candy to quiet a cough.
It a child is too young to blow his or her own nose, use a suction bulb to remove the mucus.
Use saline nose drops to help loosen mucus. These nose drops don’t contain medicine, like decongestant nose drops. Saline nose drops are like salt water and simply help moisten the tender skin in your nose.

About 10,000 to 20,000 people in the United States die each year from the flue and complications that can be caused by the flu. About one of every 100 people who get the flu will have to go to the hospital. These are usually older people or people who have other diseases. In most cases, you don’t need to see your doctor when have a cold or the flu.

Call your doctor if you have