Cold and flu are completely different

Colds and flu are two different diseases, but they have similar symptoms, so many people confuse and think that the two diseases are the same.

A cold is a group of symptoms caused by many different viruses, the most common of which are strains of Rhinovirus, which alone has more than 100 different strains. Other viruses that also cause colds include: Enterovirus, Coronavirus...
With the common cold, it mainly affects the nose, throat (pharyngitis), and sinuses (sinusitis). Patients will often have a stuffy nose, runny nose, low-grade fever, cough with phlegm, fatigue and a little cold. The symptoms of a cold usually appear gradually, the body is tired for about 3-4 days and resolves on its own within 7 to 10 days.

Influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. Usually caused by two strains of influenza virus A and B.
Typical symptoms in people with flu:
High fever, chills and sweating. Sore throat.

Dry cough. Headache. Muscle pain or body aches. Fatigue and weakness. Pain syndrome is a fairly prominent sign of the flu, helping to distinguish it from the common cold. Children with the flu often have headaches, muscle aches, and aches all over their bodies. Young children who do not know how to talk often only show themselves as fussy and excited a lot.
If you just look at the symptoms, it's difficult to tell the difference between a cold and a cold.
Flu symptoms are often long-lasting and are accompanied by fever, shivering, and muscle aches. Cold symptoms are usually shorter and are only accompanied by a runny nose and low-grade fever. In most cases, people with the flu will recover in 5-7 days. It is important to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water.
Influenza usually has a fairly rapid spread and is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract, because the sick person breathes in the air containing the flu virus. There are many strains of influenza virus that can cause mild illness, or pandemic, some highly virulent strains cause many life-threatening complications. Influenza is common in all subjects, but the elderly, children and pregnant women are susceptible to more serious complications such as sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and abnormalities for the mother and fetus. . Therefore, patients need to distinguish between colds and flu so that they can take active treatment right from the start to avoid these dangerous complications.

Colds and flu are both diseases caused by viruses, so there is no specific medicine, mainly only treating symptoms, improving physical strength, resistance and waiting for the disease to heal on its own. Complications should be treated if unfortunately there are complications. Always consult a doctor if you suspect you have the flu, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, infants, or those with weakened immune systems.

To prevent common illnesses for both the common cold and the seasonal flu, it is first necessary to improve the resistance with nutrition: eat a nutritious diet, increase vegetables and fruits that contain a lot of vitamin C, balance the groups. nutrients (starch, fat, protein), drink enough water.

There are now a number of vaccines for some strains of influenza virus. High-risk subjects, or living in epidemic areas, need to be consulted by a doctor to receive an effective flu vaccine.