What isthe differance between a cold and the flu.....?

Answer 1

It is a different virus, that causes the disease. The 'flu', otherwise known as the influenza is a bigger threat to your health.

Answer 2

Flu is a serious chest and lung infection which can lead to death in some cases. The old and the young are very vulnerable to flu and should get as flu jab come October each year from their GP here in UK.

A common cold is caused by a minor viral infection which the body usually defeats within seven to ten days. No real harm done, certainly no lasting harm. The best cure for the common cold is a couple of bottles of Whiskey. You are completely unaware of the cold or anything else.

Answer 3

A cold is a minor viral infection, typically affecting the sinuses and throat, which usually lasts maybe 5 days. Flu is a different virus that affects the above, and also the airways and lungs and has symptoms (aches &c.) over the whole body. If you are elderly, already ill &c. flu is serious.

Answer 4

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

Answer 5

They are both virusses. A cold is an 'upper respiratory infection', it affects your throat, nose and sinuses. The flu is stronger and affects your whole body.

In 1918 there was a terrible epidemic of flu in the US and Canada. It killed hundreds of thousands of people! Ever since then we treat flu with great respect, we urge old people, small kids, and people with chronic diseases to get vaccinations. Because we're always worried that another particularly virulent strain of flu will come along and kill a lot of people. So far, though, it hasn't happened.

But a cold never killed anyone, so far as I know.

Answer 6

The Flu is actually "Influensa/za" It is a virus that cannot be effectively treated with any known medication.

People often have a "common cold" and call it the Flu.

The flu can cause vomiting, fever, headaches, disorientation and a whole number of other symtoms that make it clearly worse than the common cold or "sniffle".

Answer 7

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

Answer 8

they are both caused by different types of virus. In fact there are many strains of virus that will give you a 'cold' and similar with the flu. The flu is a far more severe illness though than a cold.

Answer 9

Acute viral nasopharyngitis, often known as the common cold, is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system (nose and throat). Symptoms include sneezing, sniffling, runny nose, nasal congestion; scratchy, sore, or phlegmy throat; coughing; headache; and tiredness. In severe and rare cases, symptoms of conjunctivitis (red, itchy, or watery eyes) may also accompany a cold. Those affected may also feel achy. Colds typically last five to seven days, with residual coughing and/or catarrh lasting up to one to two weeks. The common cold is the most common of all human diseases infecting adults at an average rate of 2–4 infections per year, and school-aged children as many as 12 times per year. Children and their parents or caretakers are at a higher risk, possibly due to the high population density of schools and because transmission to family members is highly efficient.
Hand washing helps prevent its spread. Treatment is supportive.
The common cold belongs to the upper respiratory tract infections. It is different from influenza, a more severe viral infection of the respiratory tract that shows the additional symptoms of rapidly rising fever, chills, and body and muscle aches. While the common cold itself is rarely life-threatening, its complications, such as pneumonia, can be. (Wikipedia)
Influenza is a viral respiratory infection causing fever, coryza, cough, headache, and malaise. Mortality is possible during epidemics, particularly among high-risk patients (eg, those who are institutionalized, at the extremes of age, have cardiopulmonary insufficiency, or are in late pregnancy). Diagnosis is usually clinical and depends on local epidemiologic patterns. High-risk patients, their caregivers and household contacts, health care practitioners, and all children aged 6 to 24 mo should receive annual influenza vaccination. Antiviral treatments include the neuraminidase inhibitors zanamivir and oseltamivir, which are effective for both influenza A and B, and amantadine and rimantadine, which are effective only against influenza A.(Merck)
Please see the web pages for more details on Common cold and Influenza.

Answer 10

I don't know the scientific explanation but I know how they feel... They are both viruses, a cold is where you get a blocked nose, stuffy head, blocked hearing and sore throat, sometimes with a headache and fever, and flu is where you go dizzy, a fever, your whole body aches and you feel hot and cold at the same time, generally like death warmed up. Nasty!

Answer 11

one of them is a virus not sure which think it's the cold that's why antibiotics do not work, flu is much more sever than a cold and usually you have a rise in temperature a cold doesn't have a rise in temp no fever symptoms at all just makes you feel rough