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| Symptom |
Cold |
H1N1/Seasonal Flu |
| Fever |
Fever is rare with a cold. |
Fever is common with the flu in up to 80% of all cases. A temperature of 100° F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu. |
| Aches |
Body aches and pains are rarely associated with a cold. |
Severe aches and pains are common with the flu. |
| Chills |
Chills are uncommon with a cold. |
Chills are common with influenza. |
| Tiredness |
Tiredness is mild with a cold. |
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu. |
| Headache |
A headache is uncommon with a cold. |
A headache is common with the flu (present in 80% of flu cases). |
| Sudden Symptoms |
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. |
The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains. |
| Sneezing |
Sneezing is common with a cold. |
Sneezing is uncommon with the flu. |
| Coughing |
A productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. |
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough). |
Is it seasonal flu or H1N1 flu?
The differences between seasonal flu and H1N1 are subtle, and most people will not be able to tell which kind of flu they have. Four main symptoms associated with H1N1 are a fever above 100.4° F, a sore throat, muscle aches, and more pronounced respiratory symptoms.
Is it seasonal flu or stomach flu?
Influenza and the stomach flu are two completely different, and unrelated, illnesses. The true flu causes mostly upper respiratory problems. The stomach flu can be caused by a number of viruses and causes gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea and vomiting, stomach pain and cramping.
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