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The key difference is that flu tends to come on suddenly and much more severely, whereas cold symptoms are milder and develop more gradually. Picture: iStock<\/p>\nConcerns are growing over the rising cases of flu across the country, with between 800 and 1,100 people expected to be in hospital with flu over Christmas. According to the HSE, the number of reported cases in the week ending Saturday, 12 December, was 3,287.<\/p>\n
With colds also circulating widely during the winter months, how can you tell which illness you\u2019re dealing with?<\/p>\n
Here is some advice on how to spot the key differences to help you safeguard your health and keep your family well through the colder months.<\/p>\n
Colds and flu are both respiratory illnesses but are caused by different viruses.<\/p>\n
\u201cColds are primarily caused by viruses, with rhinovirus being the most common culprit,\u201d says GP Naveed Asif. \u201cWhereas, the flu is specifically caused by influenza viruses, primarily types A and B.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is possible to be infected with both a cold and the flu simultaneously, as different viruses cause them, says Asif.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth have peaks during the cold season and can run your immune system down, making you susceptible to further infections.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth the common cold and the flu are highly contagious respiratory illnesses spread through direct contact and respiratory droplets,\u201d says Asif. \u201cTransmission occurs when virus-laden droplets are expelled during coughing, sneezing, or talking, landing in the mouths or noses of nearby individuals. In poorly ventilated situations, these droplets can travel longer distances.<\/p>\n
\u201cInfection can also occur by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the face.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA common cold usually causes a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a sore throat, mild cough and mild fatigue,\u201d explains GP Claire Agathou. \u201cMeanwhile, flu typically causes a sudden onset of fever, severe tiredness and weakness, muscle and joint aches, a headache, a dry cough, chills (feeling shivery and sweats), a loss of appetite and sometimes diarrhoea.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key difference is that flu tends to come on suddenly and much more severely, whereas cold symptoms are milder and develop more gradually.\u201d<\/p>\n
The key difference is that flu tends to come on suddenly and much more severely, whereas cold symptoms are milder and develop more gradually. Picture: iStock<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile colds are usually mild and self-limiting, both colds and flu can lead to complications such as sinusitis, ear infections, chest infections, and worsening of underlying health conditions,\u201d says Agathou.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlu can cause pneumonia, hospital admission, and serious illness in vulnerable groups. However, even those who are normally well can become very unwell, so it\u2019s important to contact your GP promptly to discuss your symptoms if you feel unwell or are concerned about your symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth are mainly managed with rest, fluids and symptom relief such as paracetamol,\u201d says Agathou.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, in higher-risk groups, antiviral medication may be prescribed for flu if started early.<\/p>\n
\u201cAntibiotics are not effective for either unless there is a secondary bacterial infection.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA cold usually settles within seven to 10 days, but flu recovery often takes one to two weeks, with fatigue sometimes lasting longer,\u201d notes Agathou.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe single most effective protection against flu is the annual flu vaccine, particularly for vulnerable groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther preventive steps for both flu and a common cold include regular handwashing and staying home when unwell,\u201d advises Agathou.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d also recommend avoiding touching the face, covering any coughs and sneezes and making sure indoor spaces are well ventilated.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Concerns are growing over the rising cases of flu across the country, with between 800 and 1,100 people…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":199674,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[14613,103,61,60],"class_list":["post-199673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-fitness-exercise-work-life-balance-healthy-eating","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}