what's the difference between flu and cold?

Answer 1

The real difference between a cold and the flu is that they are cause by different things. The flu is caused by a specific virus, while colds can be caused by viruses or bacterial germs. There is also a difference in the severity of each, with the flu being much more severe. A cold usually involves nasal and/or chest congestion. A person suffering from the flu may also have nasal and chest congestion but the cough is generally more severe. It is also accompanied by chills, body aches, malaise, and fever that can potentially get very high. The flu can be life threatening even in people whose health is not particularly poor.

Answer 2

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.

In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.

Answer 3

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Colds: Colds are short-term viral illnesses of the respiratory tract that cause inflammation in one or more parts of the upper airway with burning, sneezing and malaise — usually without fever. Colds can occur at any time of the year, often at a change of season.

The Flu: Influenza or "the flu" is a more severe cold-like illness, also caused by a virus, generally involving more of the respiratory track than a cold. Usually, a person with the flu will have a moderate to high fever, whole body muscle aches, great fatigue and is prone to lower respiratory infections and other more severe developments. The flu typically occurs in epidemics, usually in late fall and winter.

Answer 4

Without getting too technical, flu knocks you off your feet for 4-5 days, a cold is just irritating.

Technically, they are different viruses. Colds typically are caused by mainly rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and also certain echoviruses, paramyxoviruses, and coxsackieviruses.

Flu is caused by the Influenza virus, of which the several subspecies such as avaian and mammalian flu.

Answer 5

Influenza is much more serious than a common cold,with flu if you saw a bundle of money lying outside you would not want to get out of bed to go for it,that is the way my Dr explained it to me

Answer 6

I am pretty sure that a cold will just give you the coughing and sniffles. But the flu on the other hand will give you both of these and your muscles will be aching and you will have headaches rest well.

Answer 7

Flu is actually veryb serious as you will be ill indeed. Usually with flu your joints will be swollen enough to make movement difficult, you will feel exceedingly dizzy and have very poor co-ordination, usually your eyes will be very sensative to light and you will have a terrible head ache.
With a cold you just feel bad and have a very runny nose.

Answer 8

The common cold is centered in the nose.

With the flu, you are sick all over.

Answer 9

Basically, if you're a man you have the flu and have to go to bed and be waited on hand and foot for a week; if you're a woman, you have a cold, and must take 2 paracetamol, and get on with looking after your partener who has taken to bed with the same problem!

Answer 10

if not following science to answer this question that cold is like u are freezing and FLU, it makes u sneeze