We have reached the time of year when it seems like bugs and viruses are flying around and each of us are doing our best to avoid catching a cold or the dreaded flu. This can seem impossible, especially if you have young children or work in a large office. Both a bad cold and flu can make you feel rubbish but there is some key difference between the two although they are both caused by a number of different viruses.
Flu
Flu tends to come on very quickly in a matter of days rather than hours and can leave you feeling incredibly ill and even bed ridden for two to three days and drained and lethargic for two to three weeks. There are some common symptoms of the flu and these include:
- Headache
- Achy muscles
- High Fever
- Sore Throat
- Tiredness
- Cough that is dry
- Stuffy or runny nose
If you have the flu you will find it hard to go about your daily activities and many people will need to rest for the first few days in particular. There are certain individuals and some strains of the flu virus that can be very serious. This is why vaccinations are available for those in at risk categories or those who wish to pay to have the vaccine from their local pharmacist. These vaccines are available as a result of numerous Paid Medical Trials that have taken places like those you can find at www.trials4us.co.uk
To help ease the symptoms for flu you should make sure that you rest and stay hydrated and can take paracetamol to help with the fever and ibuprofen to also help with a fever and muscle aches. You should make sure that these are suitable for you to take and take them responsibly.
Cold
The symptoms of a cold tend to come on much slower than that of flu and will take a couple of days to fully appear. Depending on the severity of the cold you may find that are still able to go about your daily activities and work with help from some over the counter medication.
The main symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Blocked or runny nose
Some colds can produce a fever although this is like to be mild.
Again, the best way to ease the symptoms of a cold is to ensure you drink enough liquids, get plenty of sleep as well as taking paracetamol and perhaps gargling with salt water to help with a sore throat and stuffy nose.