Flu Vs Cold: Time to Learn Their Differences!

Let’s clear things up right from the start – flu and cold are two different things! True, most people tend to confuse them or use these two terms as if they were synonymous, but the truth is that the flu and cold are two different maladies of the human respiratory system.   

What are their differences? How can a non-expert distinguish between the two? What can you do to fight them off? Learn the answers by reading the following article.  

Flu & Cold – Their Differences

The flu is a disease of the respiratory system caused by the influenza virus, which, in turn, categorised in several kinds and types. A virus is the simplest form of life and lives parasitically, which means it needs a host to survive.  

The cold, on the other hand, is an infection of the respiratory system. “Infection” is a medical term that describes the accumulation of microorganisms in a specific part of the body where they shouldn’t be, thus causing inflammation.  

Common cold can be caused by several viruses, among whom the most frequent are the so-called rhinoviruses. This practically means that cold can be caused each time by a different virus in relatively short intervals.  

Cold is largely a seasonal malady, with most of the cases being recorded during the fall and winter months, as well as at the start of the spring.  

Flu & Cold – How they Are Contracted   

The flu is caused when the influenza virus invades our respiratory system. This usually happens when the respiratory droplets of a person already suffering from flu are ejected through coughing or sneezing, as well as through nasopharyngeal secretions. A person can also catch the flu if he or she touches a surface polluted with droplets or secretions and then touches his or her mouth or nose.  

Common cold, on the other hand, is caused by the invasion and accumulation of microbes somewhere in our respiratory system. Microbes enter our body the same way the influenza virus does.  

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Flu & Cold – Their Symptoms  

The Flu has much more serious symptoms and possible implications than the common cold. Influenza symptoms include fever, headache, exhaustion or weariness, red eyes, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and fluxion, muscle pains, or even nausea and gorge-rise. 

If not properly treated – and depending on its type -, the flu can have some implications for our body, such as pneumonia, acute tympanitis, sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and bronchiolitis.

Common cold has similar initial symptoms, but its development is much more lenient and seldom does it pose serious dangers for our health, especially is the person doesn’t suffer from another malady. Its symptoms include sore throat, nasal congestion and fluxion, sneezing and coughing, fever, loss of taste and weakness.  

Flu & Cold – Treatment   

The flu requires rest, drinking plenty of fluids, mainly water and juices, avoiding alcohol and tobacco. In some cases, it may also require the use of drugs, usually pain-killers and febrifuges, to alleviate the symptoms.  

In colds, the only thing you can do is fight the symptoms, mainly through rest, drinking plenty of fluids, febrifuges, decongestants and expectorants.  

Flu & Cold – Prevention

The best possible prevention for the flu and cold alike is good personal hygiene. By washing our hands regularly and avoiding touching or socialising with infected people we shield our body against the viruses and microbes that cause them.

Of course, flu prevention can also include vaccination and antivirus medication, especially in more vulnerable groups.    

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