Our team at AFC Urgent Care Sevierville wants to share some insight about the common cold and how to tell the difference between a cold and the flu.
What Causes a Common Cold?
Just like the flu, the common cold is a virus. Because it’s viral in nature, it cannot be effectively treated using an antibiotic.
A common cold is quite contagious, as it is spread through droplets in the air—most often when a person coughs, sneezes or even talks! That’s why it’s important to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face with your hands.
Symptoms of a Common Cold
- Runny nose
- Stuffy nose
- Cough
- Congestion
- Slight body aches
- Mild headache
- Low-grade fever
- Malaise
- Sneezing
What Is the Difference Between a Cold and the Flu?
While the symptoms of a common cold and the flu can be quite similar, cold symptoms tend to be milder than the flu. For instance, the flu usually has you running a fever around 100.4 and higher, while the common cold can cause a low-grade fever or no fever at all.
In addition, people with colds tend to have a runny or stuffy nose as the main complaint, while people with the flu can have a runny/stuffy nose but also a fever, the chills and body aches.
Treatment for a Common Cold
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Use saline nasal drops.
- Eat chicken soup.
- Sip warm liquids.
- Add moisture to the air.
- Relieve pain and fever with OTC meds.
Is it a cold or the flu? Visit our medical team at AFC Urgent Care Sevierville for a diagnosis and treatment plan as soon as possible! We are open seven days a week.
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