So, how do you know if you have flu or just cold?
There is one clue: when you have the flu, you feel flu symptoms sooner than you would cold symptoms, and they come on with much greater intensity. With the flu, you may feel very weak and fatigued for up to 2 or 3 weeks. You'll have muscle aches and periods of chills and sweats as fever comes and goes. You may also have a stuffy or runny nose, headache, and sore throat.
Can I compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms?
Yes. The following chart can help you compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms. Use it to lean the differences and similarities between flu and cold symptoms. Then, if you get flu symptoms, call your doctor and ask about an antiviral drug.
Symptoms | Cold | Flu |
Fever | Rare | Characteristic, high 100-102 degrees F); lasts 3-4 days |
Headache | Rare | Prominent |
General aches, pains | Slight | Usual; often severe |
Fatigue, Weakness | Quite mild | Can last up to 2-3 weeks |
Extreme Exhaustion | Never | Early and prominent |
Stuffy Nose | Common | Sometimes |
Chest Discomfort,Cough | Mild to moderate; hacking cough | Common; can become severe |
You cannot confirm if you have swine flu just based on your symptoms. Like seasonal flu, pandemic swine flu can cause neurologic symptoms in children. These events are rare, but, as cases associated with seasonal flu have shown, they can be very severe and often fatal.
Doctors may offer a rapid flu test, but what you need to understand is a negative result doesn't necessarily mean you don't have the flu. Only lab tests can definitively show whether you've got swine flu. State health departments can do these tests.