Flu symptoms can come on suddenly,1 and early signs of the flu can be similar to those of a cold. Knowing the difference between a cold and the flu means you have a better chance of finding the right treatment to axe the flu sooner.
Symptom checker
Here are the early symptoms of the flu to look out for:1,2
Fever of 38 - 40°C (although not everyone with the flu will have a fever)
Body aches
Headaches
Chills
Weakness and fatigue
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Diarrhoea or vomiting (more common in children)
Of course, everybody is different, and while some people with the flu will get all of these symptoms, others might only experience a few.1
Coldorthe flu?
Unlike those associated with the flu, cold symptoms come on gradually. They include:1
Runny or stuffy nose
Sore throat
Mild/moderate cough
Sneezing
Colds do not usually require any specific measures beyond taking over-the-counter medications to help ease symptoms, and you can normally get these from your local pharmacy.
See if you can guess who has the flu and who just has a cold below…
While a runny nose and sore throat could be signs of a cold, Aishah is also suffering from diarrhoea – a symptom of the flu that’s especially common in children.
Ramesh’s cough was slow to develop, which is indicative of a cold, rather than the flu.
Chin
Age: 42 years old
Symptoms include:
Fever (developed suddenly), weakness, stuffy nose
Chin has the flu
Chin's fever developed suddenly, which is a strong sign of the flu.
Raymond
Age: 71 years old
Symptoms include:
Body aches, headache, cough
Raymond has the flu
While Raymond’s cough could be a sign of both the flu and a cold, his body aches and headache suggest he’s got the flu.
Suspect the flu? Call or visit your doctor as soon as possible
If you feel ill with some or all of the symptoms listed above, and you suspect the flu, speak to your doctor as soon as possible to confirm a diagnosis.
Treatments are available to protect you from the flu and its complications. These include a specific type of treatment called antiviral flu medications.3 Unlike over-the-counter remedies, antiviral medications target the flu virus directly.4,5
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu symptoms and complications. Available from: www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/symptoms.htm. Last accessed: August 2020.