is this the cold, flu, or more serious?

Question

for six days now i have had a blocked nose, headache, sore throat, dizziness when i stand up. even cough up some blood, but that was only for about 10 min. dont do that now. but i still suffer the rest. i dont smoke or drink, what do u think it is, and what i should do?

Answer 1

The majority of us who think we have suffered from the flu, only probably had a common cold but once you have suffered from flu you will know the difference. If you’re up and about and carrying on with everyday activities you are not likely to be suffering from the flu but a bad cold.

Some of the symptoms of a cold and flu can be very similar, however, flu symptoms come on quickly and more violently whereas cold symptoms will come on gradually.

Symptoms of flu include:

Aching muscles.
Dry cough.
A blocked or runny nose.
High temperature.
A shivery feeling.
Headaches, which can be severe.
Sore throat.
Loss of appetite.
Fatigue and weakness.


Symptoms of a cold include:

Runny nose and sneezing.
Sore throat.
Cough.
Slight headache.
Slight temperature.


What treatment is there for colds and the flu?

If you have got flu, the chances are you think you are dying, but most people recover in a few days and do not need to see a doctor.

Antibiotics won’t make any difference against flu as they act against bacteria and viruses cause colds and flu. The following can help to relieve cold and flu symptoms:

Rest and stay at home.
Make sure your room is warm and well ventilated.
Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, as a high temperature can quickly make you dehydrated.
Avoid smoking.
Try to eat to maintain energy levels, choose foods high in vitamin C (such as fruit) and carbohydrates (such as pasta and potatoes).
Use paracetamol to help reduce fever, aches and pains.
Suck throat lozenges or gargle salty water to ease sore throats

Answer 2

They do contribute to many things. First, even though we don't think too much about the common cold, you need to remember that it's virus, just like any other virus and can turn into things like pneumonia. When you already have 2 strikes against you, you really need to look out for the third. On your behalf you just want to do what every other teenager does, and go to the mall, or movies with their friends. Then all of a sudden Wham!!! you get the sniffles and your mum won't let you go right? Please just take the upper road here and sit down and have a heart to heart talk with her. Let her see how mature you can be about your illness's and show her you're just as concerned as her. You only have one life to live and this is it, so you need to decide how you want to live it, by being a whiner and having yelling match's back and forth which get neither of you anywhere or by trying to meet your mum halfway and see if that works. You just might need to give up more than you want at first, but once she see's that you are seriously taking your health into first priority then maybe she'll meet you a bit more. As for your asthma, did you know that people that exercise allot can trigger an asthma attack(exercise induced asthma) higher levels of ventilation and cold, dry air tend to exacerbate an asthma attack whereas people that do things indoors like swimming in an indoors pool and breathing warm, more humid air are less likely to have an attack triggered. Also there is no special diet for people like us, (by the way, I have COPD) but using common sense and logic especially when it comes to obesity, which is my biggest problem, can contribute to an even higher exerbation than people of a good weight for their age. I'm not sure about your vitamin C intake, but increase it as this will automatically and in several studies has been shown to increase your lung function. After just 2 weeks on a diet with 1500 mg per day can help do this along with an approved exercise program by your doctor( I know boring yawn) and Im sure you've heard it a hundred, no ten thousand times before, but it will get you allot further than you could possibly know. Last but certainly not least is to increase the amount of water you drink. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily also helps to keep the phlegm loosened up so that with your nebulizer can help you bring it up and out. Good luck and God Bless

Answer 3

if it has been going on for 6 days now you should probably go see a doctor. Having a blocked nose, headache, sore throat, and aching are all signs of the flu and a sinus infection.... but if it has been going on for 6 days you definitley need to go and see a doctor... ecspecially if you are coughing up blood... you could have strep if your cough is really deep, rough, scratchy and hurts your throat when you cough. Good luck... go see a doctor and get better soon!

Answer 4

It sounds like a particularly nasty cold. As long as you are no longer coughing up blood, I wouldn't worry too much. Just take paracetamol to keep your temperature down and try something like Beechams for the cold symptoms. However, read the label first cos a lot of these contain paracetamol and you don't want to take too much (No more than 4g per day of paracetamol) keep warm, drink loads of fluids and feel better soon! If you start coughing up blood again see your doctor cos it may be a chest infection.

Answer 5

Other than the coughing up blood this sounds like a normal cold, but I'd recommend seeing your Doctor/GP/local Walk In centre just in case. Symptoms shouldn't really last more than 3-5 days.

Answer 6

Forget the rest.
If you have been coughing up blood even if only for 10mins then get down to A&E without any further delay. It maybe nothing, but why risk it? Personally I tend to avoid GP's as I don’t trust there diagnosis, in my experience they are often wrong and with young children you dare not risk it. A&E is always the best place.

Answer 7

You need to see the doc. If you have been coughing up blood that needs to be checked out. Also the sinus pressure, headache and dizziness are consistent with a sinus infection aka sinusitis. See the doc today and get all of this checked out.

Answer 8

I would say it was flu (dizziness makes me think that) but I am not a doctor. The thing that sets alarm bells ringing is that you have coughed up some blood, I would suggest going to see your doctor as that isn't good!

Answer 9

That's a bit much for a plain cold. You might have flu or pneumonia. See a doctor: Medical intervention is in order.

Good luck!

Answer 10

I think you probably have a severe sinus infection, and you need to see your doctor. I get these, and they are exactly what you're describing. Hope you feel better soon.