Difference between cold and flu

Cold and flu have many similar symptoms but flu is different from the common cold. Read to know the difference between cold and flu.

Flu is a viral illness caused due to any of the three types of influenza virus, that is type A, B, or C. Common cold is also a viral infection but it can be caused by several different types of viruses (>200 types). Rhinovirus is the commonest cause and it causes about 30%-35% of all adult colds. Other viruses which commonly cause cold are coronavirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus.
Flu can cause epidemics and pandemics and the mortality can be high but common cold is a self-limiting illness which is more of a nuisance than actually a concern.
There is no medication for treatment or prevention of common cold, and there is no real vaccine as well. Anti-viral medications (such as relenza, tamiflu and symmetrel) are effective for treatment and prevention of flu and the flu shot taken every year can protect you from type A and B flu viruses.

The symptoms of cold develop slowly and are mostly self-limiting. Flu symptoms tend to be more severe. Symptoms of flu appear rapidly in the patient (within hours) but symptoms progress gradually in case of cold. Fever is often present in patients with flu but it is rare in case of cold. People with common cold tend to suffer from congestion in the nose, running nose, and sore throat. A person with flu is usually sicker and in severe cases the patient experiences joint pain and fatigue, respiratory symptoms such as the cough are worse and it can even cause deadly pneumonia, leading to respiratory failures or even deaths in extreme cases. Flu can affect the intestinal tract especially in kids who may develop diarrhoea and vomiting. As their gut is relatively immature they may absorb more of the virus and the virus causes disturbance of the gut function. Aches and pain, and fatigue are mild in cold, but these symptoms are common and often severe in flu.

Some Cold and Flu Symptoms at a Glance
Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Aches, pains	Mild	Common, and can be often severe
Chest Discomfort	Mild to moderate	More common, can be moderate to severe
Chills	Rare	Occur often
Cough	Hacking cough (that is short, weak repeating cough), or productive cough (that is the cough has phlegm)	Dry, unproductive cough (that is cough is not associated with phlegm or expectoration)
Extreme exhaustion	Never	Occur early and is noticeable
Fatigue	Mild	Moderate to severe, which can for 2-3 weeks
Fever	Rare, and even when there is fever it tends to be mild or moderate	Common, and is usually high (102-104F or 39-40C); last for days.
Headache	Rare	Occurs often
Sneezing, running or stuffy nose	Common	Occasional
Sore throat	Common	Occasional
Other possible health problem	Mild self-limiting illness	Can cause complications such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalisations

Difference between Cold and Flu