Is it a cold or the flu?
First, your head feels a little funny. Then your throat gets scratchy. Before you know it, you’ve gone through two boxes of tissue and your nose still won’t stop running. Not to mention, your body is so achy you feel as though you’ve been run over by a truck.
That’s the flu for you. Or is it just a nasty cold? The first step is figuring out which virus is the culprit—and then you can go about properly treating it.
Which is which?
A cold often includes a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing. The flu usually features those same symptoms, but more severe—along with a fever, you can expect more coughing and more muscle aches.
The following chart from the Iowa Department of Public Health can help you pinpoint what’s making you—or, even worse, your child—suffer:
Treat yourself (or your child)
These basic treatments are typically recommended for colds and the flu:
- Lots of rest
- Plenty of fluids
- Over-the-counter medications to temporarily relieve symptoms such as cough and sore throat
Remember: Never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have cold- or flu-like symptoms without first speaking to your doctor. When taken during a cold, flu or chicken pox, aspirin can cause Reye’s Syndrome—a serious condition that can result in swelling of the brain and seizures.
The best treatment is prevention
You can protect yourself—and your children—against influenza by getting a flu vaccination each year, either with the flu shot or the nasal-spray vaccine. October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but because flu season can last into May, even getting vaccinated in December is better than nothing.
In addition, follow these good old-fashioned preventive measures:
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you’re sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting ill, too.
- If you get the flu, stay home from work, school, and social gatherings.
- Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread this way.
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