Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Fever	Rare	Characteristic, high (102–104°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
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest Discomfort	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common; can become severe
Complications	Sinus congestion or earache	Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening
Prevention	None	Annual vaccination; antiviral medicines—see your doctor
Treatment	Only temporary relief	Antiviral medicines of symptoms - see your doctor
April 2001 From the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Cold Facts The common cold is an illness caused by a viral infection located in the nose, sometimes involving the sinuses, ears and bronchial tubes. Symptoms may include stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache, feverishness and chills (symptoms may vary). A cold is most often a milder illness than influenza, however, mild cases of influenza may last for up to 2 weeks. There are over 100 different cold viruses. Rhinoviruses are the most important and cause at least one half of colds. If you have any questions, call Pullman Family Medicine at 509-332-3548. Flu Facts The influenza is a respiratory disease, but it also affects other parts of the body. Symptoms may begin very rapidly. When somebody gets influenza, the lining of the respiratory tract is damaged and the mucous membranes become swollen and inflamed. Symptoms include fever, chills, weakness, loss of appetite and muscle soreness. Flu may also be accompanied by a sore throat, a dry cough, nausea and burning eyes. If you think you have influenza, treatment is available. Call Pullman Family Medicine at 509-332-3548.