A cold starts with a runny nose and sneezing. Then a cough and sore throat may develop. Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by a mild fever. However, in most cases cold symptoms subside in three to four days and you begin to feel better. This is not true with flu.
Flu is a lower-respiratory viral infection and is highly contagious.
The first sign of flu is the sudden appearance of fever. Fever, chills, headache, muscle ache and fatigue usually hit all at once with no little or no warning. Fever can run as high as 101 degrees F and may last up to a week. The best thing to do is stay in bed, rest and let it take its course. Most of the time flu can be prevented by taking an annual flu shot, says Dr. Kathleen Tajeu, a community health specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.