What is the difference between the flu and the common cold? How do you tell the difference?

Influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses. The virus is present in the respiratory tract of a sick person and is transmitted to others through droplets when a sick person coughs or sneezes. Influenza is highly contagious and can easily cause an outbreak epidemic.

Generally, there are more opportunities to be popular in winter and spring. Influenza tends to occur in close contact with people, the main manifestations are similar to the common cold, but the symptoms of systemic poisoning are more severe, influenza can aggravate potential diseases such as cardiopulmonary diseases or cause secondary bacterial pneumonia or primary influenza viral pneumonia, the elderly and people with various chronic diseases or weak constitution are prone to serious complications after influenza, and the case fatality rate is higher.

Epidemic is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza virus, and the common cold is a respiratory infection caused by rhinovirus and coronavirus. The symptoms of influenza are fever, chills, muscle and joint aches, fatigue and other systemic symptoms are very obvious, which are more serious than the common cold. The etiology of influenza and the common cold is also different, influenza is caused by influenza virus, and the common cold is caused by rhinovirus and coronavirus, the common cold can be used in three to five days, but the relative time of influenza is longer, it takes one to two weeks to be self-limited, but in the case of complications, there may be severe pneumonia.

Influenza and the common cold are mainly distinguished by epidemiology, and influenza virus nucleic acid testing is also required, if the nucleic acid test is positive, it can be further determined whether you are infected with influenza virus.

The flu is a contagious cold, whereas the common cold is not. The symptoms of the flu are a little more pronounced. If you want to prevent the flu, wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, and ventilate frequently when you go out in winter.

It is two completely different diseases, the cause of the disease is completely different, the infection is completely different, there will be seasons, the general flu situation is more serious, the infection is bacterial, the infection is particularly serious, sneezing, runny nose.

The causative agents of the two diseases are different. Influenza is caused by influenza viruses, while the common cold can be caused by a variety of pathogens, such as rhinovirus, adenovirus, bacteria and mycoplasma.

The causative agents of these two diseases are different. Epidemic viruses are caused by influenza viruses, while the common cold is caused by a variety of pathogens such as rhinovirus, adenovirus, bacteria, and mycoplasma.

** is not the same, the season of appearance is also completely different, the flu is generally because of the exposure to the influenza virus when the speed of onset, the disease is more serious, the spread rate is particularly fast.

Although they are both colds, there are some differences between the common cold and the epidemic cold.

Its own range of infection is not the same, if it is a common cold, it may sometimes be caused by freezing and cold, generally because a single individual is caused by some reasons, and the epidemic ** range is very broad, which may cause many people in an area to have a cold, which is infectious.

And the degree of serious harm is also different, if it is a common cold, it will cough and sneeze, if it is not serious, drink more hot water, and do not need to take medicine, even if you get it, it will not hurt, but it will take more paper and water.

But the flu is not to be taken lightly, and if we don't take it seriously, it may even be severe enough to cause pneumonia and even have to be admitted to an intensive care unit.

Maybe they all seem to be coughing, sneezing, and runny noses, but the end result may be completely different. No matter how severe the common cold is, that's all there is to it.

But the epidemic will turn these symptoms into more serious pneumonia and so on, for those young children and the elderly who are not in good health, or those who have their own physical diseases, their immunity is not good, if they suffer from the flu, it may have a further blow to their body.

And in some places where there is a general epidemic, there will also be some news, saying that there is a flu here, so at this time, we also need to pay more attention in our daily life and not crowd into a crowded place. Because colds spread slowly from crowded places, and drink plenty of hot water to keep yourself healthy.

The symptoms of the common cold will be milder, while the symptoms of the epidemic will be more severe, the muscles will ache all over the body, and the recovery will be slower.

They are not contagious, and the common cold is generally not contagious.

The common cold and flu can look at the color of the nasal discharge, and if the nasal discharge is very yellow, then it may be the flu.

The common cold is easier**, while the flu needs to be isolated**.

It takes three or four days to get better, but the flu will be more stubborn.

The common cold is not the same as the flu, the common cold is not contagious, while the flu is highly transmissible.

If you have a common cold, there are fewer people who catch a cold during this time, and there are more people who catch a cold during this time.

In general, the symptoms of the common cold will be slightly mild, and the recovery time from the flu is longer.

For the common cold, just take some medicine, like the influenza is a common cold that most people will have.

The epidemic flu is very difficult to cure, and the common cold is very easy to cure.

Most of the common cold is a symptom of cough and runny nose, and the high fever does not go away and recurs, and it is accompanied by cough and runny nose is the flu.

Although the common cold and flu are both caused by viral infections, the differences are still relatively large. The common cold is the most common viral viral infection, such as rhinovirus, adenovirus or respiratory syncytial virus, etc., relatively mild viral infection, may be manifested as upper respiratory tract catarrhal symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, may be accompanied by systemic symptoms, low-grade fever, fatigue, basically have a certain degree of self-healing, most of them will get better in 5-7 days, or take traditional Chinese medicine to assist **, the symptoms are relatively mild, rarely cause more malignant complications, such as myocarditis. If you get enough rest, it is relatively rare.

The flu is different, the flu is a relatively heavy influenza virus, there is obvious seasonality, the symptoms are more severe, the onset is relatively fast, the symptoms are high fever, muscle and joint pain all over the body, some are accompanied by headaches, back pain, but the catarrhal symptoms may not be particularly severe, such as sneezing, runny nose symptoms are not particularly serious. Basically, patients will be advised to check for influenza A and B, and some anti-influenza drugs are better when applied earlier, such as oseltamivir, which inhibits the replication of the virus in the early stage. Some symptoms may cause complications, such as viral pneumonia, and more critical pathologies also require timely monitoring.

The differences between the common cold and the flu are as follows:

1. The common cold is generally a low-grade fever, and the flu is mostly a high fever;

2. The course of the common cold is longer than that of the flu, and the common cold will have a certain self-limiting ability;

3. The common cold can occur all year round, while influenza mostly occurs in autumn and winter;

4. Influenza can be prevented by vaccination, and there is no vaccine for the common cold.

The main difference is that the strains of cold infection are different, and the epidemic infection is stronger and widespread, and a certain proportion of people die.

The common cold, is a virus that colonizes our normal respiratory tract, so there is no seasonality. Influenza, also known as epidemic flu or seasonal cold, is characterized by being contagious. In our country, the epidemic is actually managed according to the category C infectious disease, which will cause a large area of population infection, and there may be a risk of transmission between people.

The infection caused by the new coronavirus is more transmissible and contagious. Our country is managed according to Class B infectious diseases. The common coldIn general, for people with no underlying medical conditions and normal immune function, the symptoms can be relieved quickly.

Epidemic posture refers to the more severe symptoms of the cold because it is associated with influenza virus infection and may cause more severe systemic symptoms such as fatigue and body aches. In addition to respiratory symptoms, the symptoms of this systemic infection, such as fatigue, body aches, sore throat, including subsequent cough and sputum production, are relatively more severe than those of the flu. In fact, the epidemic is managed according to the category C infectious disease, which will cause a large area of population infection, and there may be a risk of transmission between people.

The infection caused by the new coronavirus is more transmissible and contagious. Our country is managed according to Class B infectious diseases.

The common coldIn general, for people with no underlying medical conditions and normal immune function, the symptoms can be relieved quickly.

Epidemic symptoms are more severe because it is associated with influenza virus infection, which may cause more severe systemic symptoms, such as fatigue and body aches.

In addition to respiratory symptoms, the symptoms of this systemic infection, such as fatigue, body aches, sore throat, including subsequent cough and sputum production, are relatively more severe than those of the flu.

1. Influenza is caused by influenza A or B virus infection, which is related to the season and often occurs in winter and spring every year.

The common cold is caused by colds, colds, bacterial infections, etc., regardless of the season, and can occur throughout the year.

2. The onset of influenza is acute, and the symptoms appear quickly, often with sudden high fever, not easy to reduce fever, recurrent high fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, cough and other characteristics, and will be accompanied by severe pain or chest discomfort. If it is complicated by infection, it will also lead to complications such as pneumonia, myocarditis, and encephalitis, which is more harmful to health.

Common symptoms of the common cold include sneezing, runny nose, headache, etc., and rarely fever, chills, and usually do not cause serious health problems.

3. Influenza must take antiviral drugs for antiviral ** within 2 days of the onset of the disease, and if there are symptoms such as high fever, cough, and concurrent infection during the period, it is also necessary to use fever-reducing, antitussive, and anti-infective drugs for symptomatic use**.

In the case of a common cold, as long as you pay attention to rest, properly replenish water, and maintain indoor air circulation, even if you do not go through **, you can recover through your own immunity. If the symptoms of a cold that cause runny nose, nasal congestion, cough are severe, or if a bacterial infection occurs, it can be treated with medication**.

4 Influenza can be transmitted by droplets, is highly contagious, and spreads quickly. Therefore, after the symptoms of influenza, it is necessary to pay attention not to contact with children, the elderly, pregnant women, etc., who are not strong in immunity, so as not to infect others.

Theoretically speaking, the common cold is also contagious, but the reason why people suffer from the common cold is mainly due to the decline of the body's immunity due to cold, cold, etc., so normal people have immunity to the common cold, so the contagiousness of the common cold is very low. But if the resistance of the people around you is very poor, you may still be infected with the common cold.

The large temperature change and the large temperature difference between morning and evening are also important reasons for the high incidence of colds in early spring. At this time of year, the number of hospital respiratory outpatient visits and hospitalizations increases significantly. Chen Dexiong, director of the emergency department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said that many patients think that the flu is a cold and there is nothing to be afraid of.

But in fact, patients with severe flu may experience coma, convulsions, high fever, and even death.

What should I do if I have the flu? Chen Dexiong believes that if it only manifests as upper respiratory tract symptoms such as sneezing and runny nose, and the systemic symptoms are mild, and there is no fever or only low-grade fever, it can be observed at home first. However, if the patient is an infant or an elderly person, or the patient has a history of heart and lung and other local underlying diseases, and the symptoms include chest tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath, dyspnea, and poor appetite in addition to fever, it is best to come to the hospital as soon as possible.

Many patients tend to confuse influenza with the common cold," Chen pointed out that although the symptoms of influenza and the common cold are similar, they are two completely different infectious diseases, and the differences are mainly manifested in:

First, the causes of colds are different. Influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, which is highly contagious and rapidly transmitted, and is transmitted through droplets and contact with people with influenza. There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C, and human influenza is mainly caused by the first two influenza viruses.

The common cold can be caused by a variety of pathogens, such as rhinovirus, adenovirus, bacteria and mycoplasma, etc., and the common cold often occurs when the body's resistance is weakened, such as excessive fatigue and cold.

Second, the symptoms are different. The biggest difference between the flu and the common cold is that the flu is "urgent", with sudden chills, sudden onset of high fever, headache, malaise, nasal congestion, runny nose and other respiratory symptoms. The common cold, on the other hand, has mild systemic symptoms, no fever or low-grade fever, and will have symptoms of runny nose and sneezing.

A common cold can be cured in 3-5 days. ”

Third, the contagiousness is different. Influenza viruses can be transmitted to others when people with influenza cough or sneeze, and they are very contagious, which is why influenza is prone to form an outbreak epidemic. The common cold mostly appears in isolation, and rarely occurs in batches.

In addition, influenza also has a characteristic, that is, it has obvious seasonality, and the incidence is relatively high in winter and spring. He said.

For the prevention of influenza, the influenza vaccine is an effective means of preventing and controlling the flu, while there is no vaccine for the common cold. During the period of high incidence of influenza, you should avoid crowded public places, wash your hands frequently, pay attention to indoor ventilation, and wear masks in public places; At the same time, strengthen physical exercise, balance diet, enhance physical fitness, avoid cold, rain, excessive fatigue, pay attention to personal hygiene, etc. "These practices can help prevent both the common cold and the flu. ”