Cold vs. Flu | Dr. Sam

Cold and flu stats

Statistics alone are reason enough for you to take the flu (also known as influenza) seriously.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year in the United States, on average:

More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications.

About 36,000 people die from flu every year.

Check Your Symptoms

The flu usually comes on suddenly, with symptoms like high fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches. Some symptoms may be severe, lasting from a few days to several weeks. The flu can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia that may require hospitalization and become life-threatening.

The following chart compares typical symptoms and key characteristics of a cold with those of the flu.

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, cough	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common; can become severe
Complications	Sinus congestion or earache	Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening
Prevention	No prescription medications Cold-Eeze®, is available over-the-counter*	Annual vaccination; amantadine, oseoltamivir or rimantadine (antiviral drugs)
Treatment	Only temporary relief of symptoms*	Amantadine, oseoltamivir, zanamivir or rimantadine within 24-48 hours after onset of symptoms **

Source: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, April 2001, published on WebMD.

Source for the information below: Medscape.com, from WebMD

*A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine has prompted the use and popularity of Cold-Eeze® (available in pharmacies, groceries, and health food stores without a prescription) to relieve cold symptoms. When taken in the first day of the cold, or when symptoms just begin, the claim is that Cold-Eeze® can reduce the symptoms of the cold and shorten its duration. Also, it may cut your risk of getting a cold if taken (as a chewing gum or candy that must be sucked until dissolved) when exposed to someone else who has a cold. Made from an almost non-detectable amount of zinc (a homeopathic remedy), the product has come under fire from the scientific community but many swear by its value. Another product, Zicam® (a homeopathic zinc that is sprayed in the nostrils) has come under scrutiny because of claims that the zinc altered the sense of smell and taste in some of its users. However, not enough is known about this product so consumers should stay away from it until we learn more about its potential side effects.

**There is some data from Israeli researchers that indicates a product found in health food stores (Sambucol® Syrup which is Black Elderberry but with toxins removed) may help decrease your chances of getting the flu and could reduce the symptoms of the flu. There are no guarantees, however.