Stress and the changing weather must have taken their toll in my health recently after symptoms of colds struck me and is exhausting me down for the last 4 days already. It started with a stuffy nose, sore throat, and then followed by dry coughs. Yet, this hasn’t prevented me from reporting to work, especially now that I am at the near end rendering my 30-day resignation notice.
My father advised me to drink freshly-squeezed lemon juice with a tablespoon of honey to relieve the discomfort, which I did. And somehow, it helped relieve the discomfort I am feeling.
But what worried me a lot was when my daughter started showing the same symptoms in just a matter of two days being with me. The thought that it could trigger her asthma attack once more scares me a lot that I have to constantly remind my husband to frequently monitor her condition.
At first, I misdiagnosed myself with flu because of the similar symptoms, except for fever which, thank God, I did not experience at all. Just to give myself some peace of mind about my health and my daughter’s I did some Google search and found very helpful information on how to distinguish whether what you are having is flu or colds.
| Symptoms | Cold | Flu |
| Fever | Rare | Characteristic, high (100-102 degrees F); lasts three to four days |
| Headache | Rare | Prominent |
| General Aches, Pains | Slight | Usual; often severe |
| Fatigue, Weakness | Quite mild | Can last up to two to three weeks |
| Extreme Exhaustion | Never | Early and prominent |
| Stuffy Nose | Common | Sometimes |
| Sneezing | Usual | Sometimes |
| Sore Throat | Common | Sometimes |
| Chest Discomfort, Cough |
Mild to moderate; hacking cough |
Common; can become severe |
| Complications | Sinus congestion or earache |
Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening |
| Prevention | Good hygiene | Annual flu shot or FluMist |
| Treatment | Only temporary relief of symptoms |
Antiviral drugs (Tamiflu or or Relenza) within 24-48 hours of onset |


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