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You went to bed feeling a little run-down but chalked it up to a tough week at work. Then hours later, you wake up shivering, feverish and achy.\u00a0Clearly, these symptoms aren\u2019t due to stress. You wonder: \u201cCould I be catching a cold, or do I have the flu?\u201d<\/p>\n
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The Common Cold Versus Flu Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n When you\u2019re feeling sick as a dog, it can be hard to tell the difference between cold and flu symptoms. Influenza and colds are two contagious viruses that share a lot of the same symptoms, but how you may experience those symptoms and how common they are is usually different.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe common cold and flu both cause respiratory symptoms but are caused by different viruses,\u201d said Eric Coker, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Direct Primary Care Associates. \u201cOften the symptoms can be very similar, but in general the flu tends to be worse than the common cold, and symptoms are more intense and may begin suddenly.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While the flu will often surprise you with how quickly symptoms begin, here are some additional tell-tale differences to note.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ways to Tell The Difference Between Cold and Flu Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAntiviral treatment works best when started within two days of becoming sick with flu symptoms and can lessen fever and flu symptoms and shorten the time an individual remains sick,\u201d Dr. Coker said. \u201cAntivirals may also reduce the risk of complications such as ear infections in children, respiratory complications requiring antibiotics, and hospitalization in adults. For people at higher risk of serious flu complications, early treatment with an antiviral drug can mean having milder illness instead of more severe illness.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cA trip to your primary care provider at DPCA is recommended whenever you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe weakness with difficulty walking, vomiting and an inability to keep down food or water\u2014or any other symptoms that are concerning to you,\u201d Dr. Coker said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wondered why your doctor doesn\u2019t give you antibiotics for the flu, that\u2019s because the flu is a virus and antibiotics only treat bacterial infections.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cold and flu remedies to help you feel better<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling under the weather \u2013 whether it\u2019s the flu or a cold \u2013 it\u2019s important to stay away from others. This includes staying home from work and school.\u00a0Take some time for yourself to rest and recuperate. Here are some supportive care tips that will help you feel a little better.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Talk to your health care provider at DPCA about scheduling your flu shot. They are typically available in early September and are available through the start of the new year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At DPCA, our physicians have fewer patients making you a priority. By joining Direct Primary Care Associates, you won\u2019t even be scared of another doctor’s appointment!\u00a0We are still accepting new patients at all our locations, and we would love to have you! If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a visit, please email Tim at Tim@DirectPCA.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You went to bed feeling a little run-down but chalked it up to a tough week at work. Then hours later, you wake up shivering, feverish and achy.\u00a0Clearly, these symptoms aren\u2019t due to stress. You wonder: \u201cCould I be catching a cold, or do I have the flu?\u201d The Common Cold Versus Flu…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":506,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"tpl-full-width.php","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=503"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":512,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503\/revisions\/512"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directprimarycareassociates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n<\/strong>You may run a little warm with a cold, but it rarely causes a significant fever. The flu typically causes a fever, and the fever will likely come on fast\u2014especially in younger children. A fever with the flu can typically last three to four days.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>If you\u2019re experiencing chills, body aches, headaches and severe fatigue (or exhaustion), you almost certainly have the flu. You may sometimes feel run down with a cold, but very rarely will you experience chills and body aches.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>If your nose is teeming with watery snot, you\u2019re sneezing and have a scratchy throat, these are common symptoms of a cold. Although you can sometimes have a runny or stuffy nose or sore throat when you have the flu as well.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>A cold often produces mucus, so a wet, productive (phlegmy) cough is common. When you have the flu, it\u2019s not uncommon to experience a dry cough with some mild pressure or tightness in your chest.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>RIDTs, also called flu antigen tests, help identify if you have influenza A or B and can help you get treated sooner. Early treatment with antiviral medications like Tamiflu may help lessen the symptoms of the flu.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>This is a perfect excuse to table work or schoolwork until you are well rested.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>Take fever-reducing medications, such as Motrin (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen). Other over-the-counter medications may help with cough or congestion like Tylenol Cold and Flu.\u00a0Drink plenty of fluids but focus on water. You can sip on some warm tea with honey or some warm broth.\u00a0After exhausting all over-the-counter options and you still don\u2019t feel well, you should head to your primary care provider at DPCA for some follow-up care.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n<\/strong>Of course, the best way to combat the flu is to not get it all. Vaccines help protect us and those around us from certain diseases by helping our bodies build immunity. Getting your annual flu shot is easy and it can reduce your chances of severe illness and hospitalization. Flu shots are highly recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, especially those who are pregnant or nursing and those who work with young children or who may be immunocompromised.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n