Do I Have a Cold or the Flu?

Figuring out if you have a cold or the flu can be difficult. Learn how to spot the differences

By Krisha McCoy

You feel awful: You are running a fever, your nose is runny, you have a cough, and your head is pounding. Is it just a cold, or could you be dealing with the flu? It's often hard to tell.

Cold vs. Flu Symptoms: Finding the Cause

Both the cold and the flu, or influenza, are respiratory infections, but they're caused by different viruses. A cold can be caused by any one of more than 200 distinct viruses, while there are only a handful of viruses — called influenza viruses — that cause the flu.

As a general rule, the flu is usually more intense and fierce than the common cold. (However, those people who have been stuck in bed dealing with debilitating colds may argue the point.) In some situations, it can be important to know if you have the flu, since it is more likely to lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, bacterial infection, or hospitalization.

Cold vs. Flu Symptoms: Spotting the Differences

Fever, runny nose, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches are symptoms shared by both cold and flu. Although cold and flu share some of the same symptoms, certain indicators are common with each individual condition.

It's difficult to identify if you have a cold or flu because these symptoms overlap. It may be helpful to remember that a runny, stuffy nose is a common indicator of a cold, along with scratchy throat, sneezing, watery eyes, and a mild fever (below 102 degrees Fahrenheit).

Symptoms that indicate flu tend to be more severe than with a cold and include fever (above 102 degrees Fahrenheit), nausea, cough without phlegm, chills, body aches, sweating, and lack of appetite.

In addition to examining your symptoms, watch how these symptoms develop in order to give you a clue as to whether you have a cold or the flu. Cold symptoms tend to develop gradually, while flu symptoms can come on suddenly, without warning.

Cold vs. Flu Symptoms: Seeking Medical Care

Your doctor can perform tests in the first few days after you develop symptoms to determine whether you have a cold or the flu. However, you usually don't need to visit the doctor unless your symptoms are severe, you have a pre-existing health problem that puts you at high risk of a complication, or your symptoms indicate a more serious infection.

Whether you have a cold or the flu, expect your symptoms to stick around for about 10 days. There is no cure for a cold, but in some severe cases of the flu, your doctor may recommend an antiviral medication to speed up your recovery time. Antiviral drugs are considered a second line of defense after flu vaccinations.

Since both the common cold and the flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria, antibiotic medicines are not of any use in combating them.

Get plenty of rest, avoid smoking and alcohol, drink plenty of water and juice, and take over-the-counter medication to treat specific symptoms to help you feel better as your body fights off the infection.