Trumm Drug

Is it a cold or the flu?

You just returned home after celebrating the holidays with your family and you don’t feel so well. Could it be a cold or worse yet the flu (influenza)? Both viruses attack the respiratory system. While knowing the difference between the two viruses won’t make you feel any better it is also the first step in treatment. Knowing the difference will also help in preventing the spread of it to other coworkers and family members. If you can distinguish between the two early enough (the first 48 hours) there are antiviral medications that your doctor can prescribe for the flu, after a positive lab test, which will decrease the duration of the virus. Otherwise, over the counter medications can help with common symptoms of fever, cough and congestion. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to help choose the appropriate over the counter medications. The following table will help you distinguish between the two viruses.

Symptoms	Cold	Flu (Influenza)
Fever	Rare	Usually Present > 100 degrees
Aches	Slight	Usual, often severe
Chills	Uncommon	Fairly common
Tiredness	Mild	Moderate to severe
Sudden Symptoms	Symptoms appear gradually	Symptoms can appear within 3-6 hours
Coughing	Hacking, productive cough	Dry, unproductive cough
Sneezing	Common	Uncommon
Stuffy nose	Common	Uncommon
Sore throat	Common	Uncommon
Chest Discomfort	Mild to moderate	Often severe
Headache	Uncommon	Common

The most common way these two viruses spread are from hand to mouth and not by airborne germs unless of course someone sneezes on you. The single most important way to prevent you from getting sick this winter season is to practice good hand washing. The best practice is to wash before eating anything. Another important thing to consider is getting a flu shot, especially those in high risk groups such as the very young (less than two years of age) and the elderly.

If you do experience any of these symptoms the right thing to do is stay home, get plenty of rest, plenty of liquids, and don’t spread the virus to other coworkers or family members.

---