The autumn season is upon us. However, unfortunately, when the leaves are
changing colors that also means that flu season is on its way. As it is
the time of year that we find ourselves run down and sick, many of us
also find ourselves asking the question, is it a cold or the flu? While
often a cold can dissipate on its own with home treatments such as rest
and fluids, it is important to treat the flu by means of the recommendations
of a medical professional in order to ensure it doesn’t grow to
become more serious.
While
the flu and the common cold are both in the category of respiratory illnesses, they occur because
of different strands of viruses. Usually a flu will be worse than a cold
in terms of symptoms, yet very often it can be very difficult to differentiate
between the two as the symptoms of one can be mistaken for the other.
While colds usually don’t progress into worse illnesses,
the flu can result in more serious conditions such as pneumonia as well as bacterial
infections which can lead to the need of hospitalizations. This is the
reason that it is so important to go and see your doctor in Arlington
to rule out the flu or receive proper treatment for it so it doesn’t progress.
Symptoms of the flu versus the common cold
Often flu symptoms are worse than cold symptoms, however, sometimes it
can be very difficult to identify the symptoms of which you are experiencing
more prominently. With the flu you will likely feel more body aches and
feverish chills where these symptoms are less common with a cold. With
the flu you will likely also experience a sore throat, cough, a runny
nose or a stuffed nose, headaches and fatigue. The most common symptoms
of a cold are a runny and/or stuffed nose. The complete list of
symptoms is as follows:
A Cold:
- A gradual onset of symptoms
- Very mild body aches
- Occasional fatigue
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Coughing
- Stuffy nose
- Runny nose
The flu (Influenza):
- An abrupt onset of symptoms
- Fever
- Body and muscle aches
- Chills
- Weakness and fatigue
- Occasional sore throat
- Occasional sneezing
- Occasional stuffy nose
- Discomfort in chest
- Cough
- Headache
If it seems that your symptoms more closely resemble that of the flu, you
should see a doctor in order to receive the appropriate treatment so that
you can prevent worse conditions like pneumonia. To avoid the wait time,
and to see a doctor on your own schedule, your best bet may be to seek
out an urgent care in Arlington. If it isn’t the flu, you should
highly consider getting the flu shot while you still can.
Here at Urgentology, we are an innovative and trusted urgent care with
a team of caring medical experts that want to help. If you suspect you
may be suffering from the flu or a severe cold, come see us for a walk-in
appointment or
contact us today to schedule one ahead of time.
Important: If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or
go to your nearest Emergency Room. Information in this site is not intended
to be used as a diagnosis for your symptoms. If you experience any of
these symptoms, please seek medical attention or visit Urgentology Care.