If you are older or chronically ill, the doctor can give you a medicine that can reduce your flu symptoms. This medicine is not an antibiotic so it will work on a virus. It must be taken as soon as you have symptoms. If you get a cold or the flu, rest as much as you can. Take pain relievers for aches and fever and drink plenty of fluids.
Some people have trouble telling the difference between a cold and the flu.
Both can cause sore throat, cough, headache and fever. The main difference is the flu also can cause muscle aches and fatigue. If fever lasts more than four days or if cough and congestion last more than 10 days, Patterson advised seeing a doctor. See a doctor immediately if breathing becomes troubled. Recommendations on this web site do not endorse any commercial products or trade names.