The whole house is coughing, someone has taken to bed with a fever, and you are trying to work out whether this is a cold you push through or a flu that flattens you for a week.
They are not the same illness, and telling them apart helps you look after yourself sensibly and know when a doctor is genuinely needed.
Cold or flu, how to tell
A common cold is a mild viral infection of the nose and throat. It usually builds up over a day or two, with a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a sore throat and a mild cough. You feel below par but you can generally still function.
Influenza, the flu, is a different and stronger viral illness. It tends to arrive suddenly, with a high fever, aching muscles, headache, exhaustion and a dry cough. The tiredness can be severe enough to keep you in bed, and it often lasts a week or more.
As a rough rule, if you are well enough to carry on with your day it is probably a cold, and if it has knocked you flat it is more likely flu. Note that COVID can look exactly like either, so a test is worth considering.
Why antibiotics are not the answer
This is worth being clear about. Colds and flu are caused by viruses, tiny germs that antibiotics have no effect on. Antibiotics only work against bacteria, which are a different kind of germ.
Taking antibiotics for a viral cold or flu will not help you recover faster, can cause side effects, and adds to the wider problem of bacteria becoming resistant to these medicines. A doctor prescribes antibiotics only when there are signs a bacterial infection, such as some chest or ear infections, has taken hold.
Looking after yourself at home
The care that actually helps is simple. Rest, and give your body the energy to fight the infection. Drink plenty of fluids, which matters more in our heat, especially with a fever.
For fever, aches and a sore throat, simple pain relievers such as paracetamol used as directed on the packet are effective. Warm drinks, honey for a cough in anyone over the age of one, steam and saline nose drops all ease symptoms. There is no cure that shortens a cold, and the remedies on the shelf treat how you feel rather than the virus itself.
Stay home while you are feverish, both to recover and to avoid spreading it to others.
Who should take flu more seriously
For most people flu is miserable but safe. It carries more risk for certain groups, and they should seek advice earlier. That includes older adults, young children, pregnant women, and anyone with a long term condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma or other lung disease, or a weakened immune system.
In these groups flu can lead to complications, the most important being pneumonia, an infection deep in the lungs. That is when a self limiting illness becomes something that needs medical care.
When to see a doctor, short of an emergency
Book a consultation if a fever lasts more than three or four days, if a cough drags on beyond about three weeks, if you feel you are getting worse rather than better after the first week, or if you are in one of the higher risk groups and want to be checked early.
An examination, and where needed a blood test or a chest X-ray, can tell whether a simple viral illness has turned into something that needs treatment.
Staying ahead of it
The yearly flu vaccine is the best protection, particularly for higher risk people, and it is worth asking a doctor whether it is recommended for you. The everyday habits help too. Wash your hands, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home when you are unwell so you do not pass it around the office or the classroom.
Most coughs and colds simply need patience, rest and fluids. Keep the warning signs above in mind, look out for the vulnerable people in your household, and get seen when the picture does not fit an ordinary bug.
A cough or fever that will not settle? Get checked at Newtown.
Our doctors can assess a chest infection, and our laboratory can run tests to see how unwell you are. When pneumonia is suspected, X-ray is available on site at 55 Woodford Street, Port of Spain. Book a consultation if a cough or fever is not improving. Our Accident and Emergency department is open 24 hours if you are struggling to breathe or a child is very unwell.
This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your own health. If you believe you have a medical emergency, call or visit our 24-hour Accident and Emergency department immediately.