Some of the symptoms of colds and the flu are the same so it can be hard to tell what you have. Remember that with the flu you get a fever. The flu will also make you sicker and can be deadly for some people.
The "common cold" is a group of viruses that make people sick. It's normal for people to get a few colds a year.
Symptoms of colds:
- A sore throat or a "tickle" in the throat
- Coughing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sneezing
- Headache
- Low fever
- Loss of appetite
- Yellow or greenish mucus from nose or throat
How to treat a cold:
You can take cold medicine, which will help with a stuffy nose and headache.Put Vaseline on your nose if it's red and sore.
Spray salt water in your nose to clear up stuffiness in between taking cold medicine.
Take cough drops or syrup to help a sore throat and cough.
Drink a lot of clear fluids like water or sports drinks with electrolytes to flush your system.
Get lots of rest.
Call the doctor if you have:
- Greenish or gray mucus that lasts more than ten days
- A fever over 38°C that lasts more than five days
- Chest pain, chills, or shortness of breath
- Blue lips, skin, or fingernails
- No appetite for more than a day
- Dehydration
- Ear pain which could be an ear infection
