COLD OR FLU? HOW TO DIAGNOSE YOUR DISEASE CORRECTLY

The most important things in brief

• Especially in the cool seasons, uninvited guests fly around our ears: viruses that cause a cold or flu.
• Many people use these terms interchangeably - but there are differences between these diseases.
• The first symptoms can be similar: pain when swallowing, runny nose and coughing.
• However, the symptoms of the flu can be far more serious.

Of course I can come to work - I just have a cold! Sentences that probably each of us has said or heard before. Sure, there's often some truth to it, if you "only" have a cold, you'll quickly feel the covers at home falling on your head. But there are cases where you overestimate yourself and underestimate the disease.

The supposed cold often turns into a real flu

When you have a cold or the flu - and there are key differences, as we shall see - the symptoms can feel pretty similar at first, that's true. The throat is scratchy, it hurts to swallow, the nose is running and the headache is already there: It's definitely a bad cold. Whether there is more to it remains to be seen. During this phase, listen carefully to yourself. You probably know your body pretty well, and if there are warning signs that want to tell you that you may have a more serious illness, don't ignore them. In most cases, you will already notice on the second day of illness in which direction the infection will most likely go.

Both diseases are caused by viruses - but by different ones

As long as the first signs don't really get worse and you don't get chills, fever, or joint and muscle pain, you can assume that you just have a cold. But be careful: The idea of ​​going to work is of course not a good one, since you are usually contagious for a few days because you carry the virus – often it is a rhinovirus. In addition to the symptoms just mentioned, severe tiredness, dizziness or chest pains are more likely to indicate that you have contracted the flu. All the symptoms are also much more severe than with a cold. Influenza also comes from a viral infection, but influenza viruses are completely different pathogens than rhinoviruses.

Are antibiotics useful?

No, antibiotics do not help with either the flu or a cold. These only work against bacteria. However, you can relieve symptoms such as headaches with the appropriate medication. Overall, the common cold, like the flu, is about alleviating the symptoms a little with tools. By the way, it's perfectly fine to stay at home if you don't have a fever, as even a normal cold is exhausting and lasts a few days. If you have the flu, you should go to bed after seeing the doctor because the after-effects of the flu can be severe. It can lead to pneumonia, heart muscle inflammation - and in the worst case even be life-threatening.