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Colds and Flu

What to Do for Colds and Flu

Colds and Flu

Is It a Cold or the Flu? For Your Safety, Know the Difference

A cold and the flu (also called influenza) are alike in many ways. But the flu can sometimes lead to more serious problems, like the lung disease pneumonia.

A stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing are usually signs of a cold.

Tiredness, fever, headache, and major aches and pains probably mean you have the flu.

Coughing can be a sign of either a cold or the flu. But a bad cough usually points to the flu.

Know When to Call Your Doctor

You usually do not have to call your doctor right away if you have signs of a cold or flu. But you should call your doctor in these situations:

  • Your symptoms get worse.
  • Your symptoms last a long time.
  • After feeling a little better, you develop signs of a more serious problem. Some of these signs are a sick-to-your-stomach feelin...More

Fast Facts: Learn! Fast!

How can I tell if I have a cold or the flu?

  • A cold and the flu (also called influenza) are alike in many ways. But the flu can sometimes lead to more serious problems, like the lung disease pneumonia.
  • A stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing are usually signs of a cold.
  • Tiredness, fever, headache, and major aches and pains probably mean you have the flu.
  • Coughing can be a sign of either a cold or the flu. But a bad cough usually points to the flu.

For more information

What types of influenza ("flu") are there?

  • Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available.
  • Novel H1N1 flu is a newer influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in the U.S. in April 2009, and has spread to many countries around the world.
  • Bird flu is commonly used to refer to Avian flu (see below). Bird flu viruses infect birds, including chickens, other poultry and wild birds such as ducks.
  • Avian flu (AI) is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. Highly pathogenic H5N1 is deadly to domestic fowl, can be transmitted from birds to humans, and is deadly to humans. There is virtually no human immunity and human vaccine availability is very limited.
  • Pandemic flu is virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person.

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What are the symptoms of the flu and how should it be treated?

  • Influenza usually starts suddenly and may include the following symptoms:
    • fever (usually high)
    • headache
    • tiredness (can be extreme)
    • cough
    • sore throat
    • runny or stuffy nose
    • body aches
    • diarrhea and vomiting (more common among children than adults).
  • The single best way to protect yourself and others against influenza is to get a flu vaccination each year.
  • Your doctor may recommend use of an antiviral medication to help treat the flu. Four antiviral drugs (amantadine, rimantadine, zanamavir, and oseltamivir) are approved for treatment of the flu.
  • If you get the flu, get plenty of rest, drink a lot of liquids, and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
  • Also, you can take medications such as acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol®) to relieve the fever and muscle aches associated with the flu. Never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, particularly fever.

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What are the symptoms of a cold and how it should it be treated?

  • Although the common cold is usually mild, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from school and work.
  • More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the symptoms of the common cold.
  • Symptoms of the common cold usually begin 2 to 3 days after infection and often include:
    • mucus buildup in your nose
    • difficulty breathing through your nose
    • swelling of your sinuses
    • sneezing
    • sore throat
    • cough
    • headache
    • fever that is usually slight but can climb to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in infants and young children.
  • Cold symptoms can last from 2 to 14 days, but like most people, you'll probably recover in a week. If symptoms occur often or last much longer than 2 weeks, you might have an allergy rather than a cold.
  • There is no cure for the common cold, but you can get relief from your cold symptoms by resting in bed, drinking plenty of fluids, gargling with warm salt water or using throat sprays or lozenges for a scratchy or sore throat, using petroleum jelly for a raw nose, and taking aspirin or acetaminophen for headache or fever.

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News Articles

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    Excess weight boosts the odds of flu complications, but that's not all. Obese adults are contagious for much longer than their slim peers, researchers report. More...

  • Who Will and Who Won't Get the Flu?

    Doctors can't yet predict if someone exposed to the flu will become sick. But such predictions may be getting closer to reality, new research hints. More...

  • Pediatricians Back Flu Shot, Not Nasal Spray Vaccine

    Parents should choose to have their children get the flu shot in the fall instead of the nasal spray flu vaccine, pediatricians say. More...

  • Humidity Won't Hamper Spread of Flu Virus

    Humidity does not hinder the ability of flu viruses to infect people, claims a new study that challenges a long-held belief that the viruses become less active in moist conditions. More...

  • Could Rover Unleash a Flu Pandemic?

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    • 45 More

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    • Many, But Not All, Hospitals Require Flu Shots for Staffers

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    • Scientists Are Targeting the Common Cold

      British researchers have developed a molecule they claim could make colds a thing of the past. More...

    • Flu Vaccines Have High Impact, Even With Relatively Low Efficacy

      Even relatively low-efficacy influenza vaccines can have a high impact, especially with optimal distribution across age groups, according to a study published online April 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. More...

    • Even a 'Bad' Flu Vaccine Could Save 61,000 Lives: Study

      A truly dismal flu vaccine could still save thousands of lives, as long as roughly 40 percent of Americans got their shots, new research suggests. More...

    • What You Need to Know About Fever in Adults

      When it comes to a fever, what's true for kids isn't necessarily so for adults. More...

    • Recombinant Influenza Vaccine Found to Be Safe in Children

      The recombinant influenza vaccine is well tolerated in children aged 6 to 17 years, and it provides immunogenicity comparable to that of the inactivated vaccine, according to a study published online April 2 in Pediatrics. More...

    • With Warmer Weather Comes Wrap-Up of Severe Flu Season

      Spring continues to take the bite out of this year's brutal flu season, new numbers show. More...

    • End of Brutal Flu Season in Sight

      It's been a particularly tough flu season, but spring -- and real relief -- may be near, new numbers show. More...

    • More Bad Flu News: It May Raise Your Heart Attack Risk

      Suffering a nasty bout of the flu or pneumonia is bad enough, but now research suggests it might also spell trouble for your heart. More...

    • Study Debunks Link Between Tamiflu and Teen Suicide

      A new study suggests that Tamiflu (oseltamivir), the only commercially available prescription medicine approved to treat the flu, does not boost suicide risk among children and teens. More...

    • Flu Season Finally Slowing Down

      As winter nears its end so too does a tough flu season, with new data showing a decline in doctor visits and less severe strains of influenza beginning to dominate. More...

    • Fighting a Cold or Flu? Beware of Overdosing on Tylenol

      A brutal flu season has had people reaching for relief in their medicine cabinet, but a new study warns that overdosing on acetaminophen (Tylenol) is more common when bugs and viruses are circulating. More...

    • Increase in Acetaminophen Use, Overuse in Cold/Flu Season

      During cold/flu season there is an increase in acetaminophen use and overdosing, according to a study published online March 7 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. More...

    • Nasty Flu Season Easing Up

      A brutal flu season looks to be on the wane in the United States, with the latest government data showing that doctor visits are still dropping and less severe strains of the flu are starting to dominate. More...

    • Young Men Face Higher Risk for Rare Flu Complication

      Young men recovering from the flu should be aware of a side effect that causes nerve damage, a health expert warns. More...

    • Nasty Flu Season Shows More Signs of Slowing

      The brutal flu season continues to ease its grip on the United States, with the latest government data showing that doctor visits are still dropping and less severe strains of the flu are starting to account for more infections. More...

    • Health Tip: When to Seek Medical Care if You Have the Flu

      Most cases don't require a visit to the emergency room, but the Red Cross says these symptoms require immediate medical care: More...

    • Flu Shot a Lifesaver for Heart Failure Patients

      If you're a heart failure patient, new research suggests you would be wise to get a flu shot every year. More...

    • Why the Flu Makes You Feel So Miserable

      If you're unlucky enough to come down with the flu, you can blame your own body for your fever, cough, muscle aches and head-to-toe distress, experts say. More...

    • Why Was This Year's Flu Shot So Weak? FDA Wants to Know

      With a nasty flu season still raging, it didn't help that this year's influenza vaccine was just 25 percent effective against H3N2, the dominant strain. More...

    • Flu Season Shows More Signs of Slowing

      If the latest government data on doctor visits is any indication, a brutal flu season may be starting to wane. More...

    • It's Still Not Too Late for a Flu Shot

      Even though it's the end of February, it's still not too late to get a flu shot, doctors say. More...

    • New Version of Nasal Flu Vaccine to Return for Next Season

      Doctors can offer patients a new version of the nasal spray flu vaccine FluMist next winter, a U.S. government advisory panel says. More...

    • Odds of ARDS Up After Cardiac Surgery During Flu Season

      Undergoing cardiac surgery during the influenza season is associated with increased likelihood of development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, according to a research letter published in the Feb. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. More...

    • Even Hidden Flu May Trigger Trouble After Heart Surgery

      The flu virus -- even if it doesn't cause symptoms -- can lead to serious complications after heart surgery, a new study by Dutch researchers suggests. More...

    • Flu Shot During Pregnancy Poses No Harm to Baby

      There's some good news for expecting moms who are trying to weather a brutal flu season -- a new study shows that getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy causes no harm to newborns. More...

    • Influenza A(H3N2) Viruses Predominate 2017-2018 Season

      Most influenza viruses identified in the 2017 to 2018 season are influenza A, with A(H3N2) viruses predominating, according to research published in the Feb. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. More...

    • Flu Season Shows First Signs of Slowing

      While this flu season is still one of the worst seen in years, the first signs that infection rates are starting to level off were reported by U.S. health officials on Friday. More...

    • How to Spare Family and Coworkers Your Flu Misery

      You've caught the flu, but you have to go to work and you can't desert your family. What do you do? More...

    • CDC Says Flu Vaccine Just 25 Percent Effective Against Leading Strain

      Flu continues to ravage the United States in one of the worst flu seasons in recent years. And the ineffectiveness of this year's flu vaccine is partly to blame. More...

    • Low Dose-Rate Far-UVC Light Can Inactivate Influenza Virus

      Very low-dose 222-nm UVC ultraviolet light can inactivate more than 95 percent of aerosolized H1N1 influenza virus, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Scientific Reports. More...

    • Shining a Deadly New Light on Airborne Flu Virus

      As a particularly nasty flu season rages across the United States, scientists have found a powerful new disinfectant that makes "light" work of the virus. More...

    • A Bad Flu Season Keeps Getting Worse

      This year's dangerous flu season shows no sign of waning, and "may be on track to break some recent records." More...

    • It's a Century Since the 1918 Flu Pandemic - Could It Happen Again?

      One hundred years ago, the deadliest influenza pandemic of all time made a ravaging march across the globe. More...

    • Weak Vaccine Making Flu Season Even Tougher, CDC Says

      This flu season continues to be one of the nastiest in years. And it isn't helping that the flu vaccine may be less than 20 percent effective against the season's dominant strain, according to a new Canadian report. More...

    • Just How Bad Is This Flu Season? Experts Weigh In

      The United States is in the grip of a tough flu season, no doubt. More...

    • Health Tip: Traveling During Flu Season

      If you plan to travel during flu season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests: More...

    • America's Dogs Have Their Own Flu Battles

      While a brutal flu season is felling humans by the score, veterinarians warn that there have also been outbreaks of canine flu in some parts of the United States. More...

    • Flu Season One of the Worst in a Decade: CDC

      This flu season is shaping up as one of the nastiest in years, and it isn't showing any signs of easing up, U.S. health officials said Friday. More...

    • Influenza, Some Viral URIs Increase Risk of Acute MI

      Certain respiratory infections, especially influenza, are associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction during the first seven days after respiratory specimen collection, according to a study published in the Jan. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. More...

    • More Bad News on Flu: It's Tied to Higher Heart Attack Risk

      A bad case of the flu can trigger a short-lived, but substantial, spike in some people's heart attack risk, new research suggests. More...

    • Progress on 'Universal' Vaccine Against Leading Flu Strain

      However, scientists say they're getting closer to a "universal" flu shot for the leading strain of the illness -- a vaccine that wouldn't need to be redeveloped and readministered each year. More...

    • Too Few Older, Hospitalized Patients Getting Flu Tests

      As a nasty flu season rages throughout the United States, new research finds that one particularly vulnerable population often misses out on tests for the illness. More...

    • Older Adults Less Likely to Have Provider-Ordered Flu Testing

      Older adults are less likely than younger adults to have provider-ordered influenza testing, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. More...

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