With flu rates skyrocketing across the United States and elsewhere, you might be wondering if your sniffles are the flu or whether it’s something else. It can be hard to know, without testing, what is ailing you, but there are a few differences in symptoms for each of these conditions.
According to the CDC, symptoms of the flu include:
- Body and muscle aches
- Cough
- Fever
- Headaches
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Sore throat
The aches and pains can come on pretty fast, so that’s also a clue.
Cold Symptoms:
According to the Mayo Clinic, you may experience some of these symptoms:
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Sore throat
Note that cold symptoms don’t typically include body or muscle aches, which differentiates a cold from the flu. But what about COVID-19?
COVID-19 Symptoms:
The most notable difference with COVID-19 is the loss of the sense of smell and the ability to taste. You may also experience some of these symptoms:
- Cough
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Stuffy or runny nose
An Ounce of Prevention:
Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations are readily available at most pharmacies and are free if you have insurance. Vaccines don’t prevent you from getting infected and feeling a little sick, but will lessen the severity of the illness and risk of complications or hospitalizations.
The flu vaccine can be confusing because it covers several, but not all, variants of the flu, but experts agree that getting the vaccine is better than not because the vaccine still produces antibodies that can provide some level of protection, Scott Hensley,PhD, professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, told NBC News.
Easy At-Home Care:
Whatever ails you this winter, the treatment recommendations are very similar. Get some much-needed rest, stay hydrated, wash your hands frequently, and eat healthy foods to feel better.
If your doctor gives you a prescription for an infection, be sure to take all of the medication you are prescribed, even if you start to feel better after a few days of taking it. Your infection may still be lurking in your system, and you don’t want to get sick again if you can help it.
