Do I Have a Cold or the Flu?

Although symptoms of the common cold and of the flu (influenza) overlap, there are important differences between the two.

The common cold is usually a mild illness with symptoms that include:

• Nasal congestion with runny nose and sneezing
  
• Sore or scratchy throat


• Cough


• Mild fatigue and fever, or no fever at all.

The flu is typically more severe with harsh symptoms that include:

• Fever, often above 102 degrees Fahrenheit


• Cough


• Shaking chills


• Marked fatigue


• Muscle aches


• Headache, often severe

The flu may result in secondary infections like pneumonia, or may worsen existing medical problems like heart failure, asthma, COPD or diabetes.

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