Is it a cold or the flu?
Many people may confuse a stomach ‘bug’ or a cold with the flu. It is actually a respiratory illness that attacks the nose, throat and lungs.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control Web site, the flu usually comes on suddenly and may include these symptoms: fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body ache. A doctor can perform a test to see whether a person has the flu.
The flu is spread when a person who has the flu coughs, sneezes or speaks and sends the flu virus through the air, and others inhale the virus.
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Symptoms
According to the CDC, colds usually begin slowly, two to three days after infection by the virus and normally last only two to seven days. A bad cold can last up to two weeks, but this is unusual. You will first notice scratchy, sore throat, followed by sneezing and a runny nose. You may get a mild cough several days later. Adults and older children usually don't have a fever, but if they do, it will be very. Infants and young children, however, sometimes run temperatures up to 102°F (39°C).
If you have the flu, you will have a sudden headache, dry cough, and you might have a runny nose and a sore throat. Your muscles will ache, you will be very tired, and you can have a fever up to 104°F (40°C). Most people feel better in a couple of days, but the tiredness and cough can last for two weeks or longer.
The flu is a respiratory (breathing) illness. You cannot have "stomach flu." Symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting are uncommon with the flu, except in very young children. Check with your health care provider if you have questions about the diagnosis and treatment of these illnesses.
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