Is it a cold or the flu?

	cold	flu
fever	rare	usual; high (100F to 102F, occasionally higher, especially in young children); lasts 3-4 days
headache	rare	common
fatigue, weakness	sometimes	usual; cam last up to 2-3 weeks
general aches and pains	slight	usual; often severe
exhaustion	never	usual; at the beginning of the illness
stuffy nose	common	sometimes
sneezing	usual	sometimes
sore throat	common	sometimes
chest discomfort, cough	mild to moderate	common; can become severe
treatment	antihistamines, decongestants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines	antiviral medicines- see your doctor
prevention	wash your hands often with soap and water; avoid close contact with anyone with a cold	annual vacciation; antiviral medication- see your doctor