Flu

What Is the Difference Between Cold and Flu? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

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Influenza, or the flu, and the common cold can be tricky to tell apart. Both are respiratory illnesses caused by viruses, and they share many symptoms.

The common cold and the flu are both contagious, but cold symptoms tend to be milder and improve within a week to 10 days, according to Mayo Clinic.

While most people who get the flu recover in less than two weeks, the symptoms are more severe, and serious complications, such aspneumonia,支气管炎疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）指出，以及鼻窦或耳朵感染，可以发展。

Since colds and the flu are caused by viruses, rather than bacteria, antibiotics are not an effective treatment option.

常见问题和答案

How long does the flu last?
Most people who get the flu recover in less than two weeks, but complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus or ear infections can develop.
Can antibiotics help treat a cold or the flu?
No. Since colds and flu are caused by viruses, rather than bacteria, antibiotics are not an effective treatment option.
How long does it take for cold symptoms to develop?
Common cold symptoms typically develop about one to three days after exposure to cold-causing viruses.
Is there a cure or vaccine for the common cold?
There is no cure for a common cold, but over-the-counter medications may ease symptoms. There is no vaccine, but good hygiene can reduce your risk of getting a cold.
What symptoms do cold and flu have in common?
Symptoms that the common cold and flu share may include body aches, headache, sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, sneezing, and fever.

Signs and Symptoms of Cold and Flu

Both the flu and colds affect the respiratory system, thoughflu symptoms通常比普通感冒更严重。

“There are many different viruses that can cause a cold, but most of these viruses cause very similar cold symptoms,” saysAaron E. Glatt, MD, chief of infectious diseases at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, New York.

Symptoms that the common cold and flu share may include:

与感冒不同，流感通常伴有发烧和influenza symptoms倾向于突然出现。根据CDC，寒意很常见，但不带感冒。

"Run-of-the-mill colds usually make you feel lousy but should not interfere with daily activities," saysStephen Russell, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

While most colds don’t require a visit to the doctor, they can turn into something more serious. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, some warning signs to look for include high fever,shortness of breath, and symptoms that last more than 10 days, continue to worsen, or get better initially but then get worse again.

Learn More About Cold and Flu Signs and Symptoms

感冒和流感的原因和危险因素

The flu is caused by influenza viruses, but many distinct viruses (most commonly rhinoviruses) can cause a cold.

Common cold symptoms typically develop about one to three days after exposure to cold-causing viruses. These viruses can be spread through the air, personal contact, and respiratory secretions — encounters such as a handshake, touching contaminated objects, and exposure to an infected person’s sneezes or coughs, notes Mayo Clinic.

据休斯顿卫理公会说，喊叫，唱歌甚至简单地说话也可以将受污染的液滴释放到空中，然后可以吸入该病毒，从而传播该病毒。

Certain populations are more susceptible to getting a cold or the flu, including the very young, older adults, and people with a compromised immune system.

Factors that can increase your risk of becoming infected include:

Age

Children younger than 5 and adults over 65 are at higher risk for developing complications from the flu, according to the CDC.

Season

Seasonal flu activity typically occurs between October and May (flu season），尽管疾病预防控制中心，尽管流感病毒全年左右。

类似地，大多数人在冬季和春季会出现感冒，但可以随时发生。

免疫系统减弱

如果您的免疫系统减弱，病毒可以更容易渗入身体。某些慢性疾病，例如癌症，HIV or AIDS, andautoimmune diseasesraise the risk of catching a cold or the flu, according to the CDC.

Smoking

长期吸烟使您的呼吸系统更容易受到冷和流感病毒和并发症的影响。美国肺协会报告说，吸烟者的冷症状往往更为严重。

Smokers also have a higher risk for severe illness from a flu infection, per the CDC.

怀孕

Women in their second or third trimester are particularly susceptible to complications from the flu. “We’re not exactly sure why, but there has always been a question of whether or not the immune system changes during pregnancy,” saysLaura Riley, MD, the chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine and obstetrician-妇科医生in chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

RELATED:8 Ways to Keep Your Immune System Healthy

有哪种类型的流感？

There are four types of influenza viruses: A and B, which are most commonly associated with seasonal flu activity and epidemics; C, which is relatively rare and causes mild respiratory illness; and D, which primarily affects cattle, according to the CDC.

Influenza A

There are many subtypes of influenza A viruses, based on two proteins — hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) — found on the surface of the viruses. Two strains of influenza A found in human beings are the H1N1 strain and the H3N2 strain.

A novel strain of influenza A (H1N1) virus, known as swine flu because it’s typically spread among pigs, led to a flu pandemic in 2009. Between April 2009 and April 2010, the CDC estimates that there were 60.8 million swine flu cases in the United States, which led to more than 274,000 hospitalizations and nearly 12,500 deaths.

1918年的流感大流行是鸟类来源的H1N1病毒。
H3N2比其他菌株更快地突变，这可以使其对流感疫苗特别抗性。

Influenza B

这些病毒不如流感症状，引起相似的症状，并可能导致季节性暴发。流感B并未按亚型分类，但是有两种病毒菌株：山大塔和维多利亚。

Influenza C

Like influenza A and B, these viruses are found in humans. But influenza C viruses are milder and are not thought to cause epidemics. Seasonal flu vaccines, which contain strains of influenza A and B, do not protect against influenza C viruses.

Influenza D

这种流感菌株尚不众所周知会导致人类疾病。一种相对较新的压力，主要影响牛，尽管一份报告于2020年10月发布Current Opinion in Virology指出它最终可能对人类构成更多威胁。

How Are Cold and Flu Diagnosed?

There is no specific test to diagnose the common cold. If your symptoms are more severe, your doctor may order tests or X-rays to rule out certain illnesses, such as咽喉炎or pneumonia.

To diagnose the flu, doctors sometimes use a rapid influenza diagnostic test, notes the CDC.

Swab samples from the nose or back of the throat are tested for influenza viral antigens (substances that cause your immune system to form antibodies). Test results are usually ready in less than 15 minutes, but are not always accurate. There are other, more reliable flu tests that can be performed only in hospitals or specialized laboratories.

Duration of Cold and Flu

感冒或流感的持续时间取决于涉及的病毒以及免疫系统抵抗感染的能力。这就是为什么年轻，老年人和患有慢性病的人最容易受到病毒感染和可能的并发症的影响。

“The best weapon we have is our own immune system,” says Donald W. Novey, MD, a family and integrative medicine specialist in Poulsbo, Washington. Good nutrition, adequate sleep and exercise, and low levels of stress can bolster the immune system. “A failure on any one of these four points can weaken the immune system and either prolong an existing cold or lead to more frequent ones,” Dr. Novey says.

Cold symptoms typically subside within 7 to 10 days, while the flu typically lasts three to seven days with severe symptoms subsiding after a few days. But some symptoms, like fatigue andcough, can linger for weeks.

People with the flu are most contagious during the first three to four days after their illness starts, but some adults may be able to spread infection one day before their symptoms start and up to seven days after, notes the CDC.

RELATED:How Long Does a Cold or Flu Last?

Treatment and Medication Options for Cold and Flu

无法治愈流感或普通感冒。有非处方的选择可以缓解喉咙疼痛和咳嗽，使鼻子充足和sinuses, and lessen body aches and headaches.

Cold medicines and pain relievers can have side effects and pose health risks, especially for people who have preexisting conditions such as high blood pressure. Mayo Clinic cautions that children and teenagers with flu-like symptoms should never takeaspirinfor pain or fever, because it has been linked to the potentially life-threatening condition Reye's syndrome.

Prescription antiviral drugs can be used to treat the flu, especially in patients at higher risk of complications (such as those with asthma, diabetes, or heart disease). According to the CDC, when taken within two days of the appearance of flu symptoms, these drugs can shorten the time you are sick, may reduce complications, and lessen the severity of symptoms.

There are four U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved antiviral drugs recommended by the CDC:奥斯塔米维尔（tamiflu）,peramivir,zanamivir (Relenza), andbaloxavir marboxil (Xofluza)。

RELATED:The Flu: Self-Treat, See a Doctor, or Go to the ER?

Prevention of Cold and Flu

To avoid getting the flu in the first place, the CDC recommends that everyone six months and older get a flu vaccine every year (unless you’ve had a severeallergic reactionin the past).

These vaccines protect against the viruses that public health officials anticipate will be most common during the upcomingflu season。

“防止流感的最佳工具是vaccine. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most effective thing we have,” saysCarol Baker, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Houston.

There is no vaccine to prevent the common cold, but practicing goodhygienecan reduce the risk of illness or spreading viruses to others. "Most colds stem from viruses that are spread from person to person through close contact," saysWilliam Schaffner, MD, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. The CDC recommends washing your hands often for at least 20 seconds at a time and not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

Wearing a mask will reduce your risk of catching a cold from someone else as well.

Complications of Cold and Flu

Most common colds are not severe, but they can worsen or lead to health complications.

“肠病毒that are often the culprits in the common cold can cause brain lining inflammation that causes severe headaches, difficulty looking at bright lights, neck stiffness, high fever, and confusion,” saysCameron Wolfe, MBBS, an infectious-disease specialist at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

If cold or flu symptoms persist or worsen, the patient may have a secondary or bacterial infection. That can lead to sinus orear infections,支气管炎, and pneumonia. The flu can also worsen preexisting medical problems, such as triggering asthma attacks in people with asthma.

More rarely, severeflu complicationscan include heart infections such as心肌炎, and brain inflammation illnesses such as encephalitis.

Learn More About Complications of Cold and Flu

Research and Statistics: Who Gets Cold and Flu?

Most people feel the effects of the common cold or flu every year. Adults average two or three colds each year, per the CDC;

and young children may get sick as many as 8 to 10 times a year before they turn 2.

疾病预防控制中心（CDC）称，美国人群中有3％至11％的人每年感染有症状的流感感染。

There is a wealth of data available to track seasonal flu activity, including the CDC and World Health Organization websites, as well as local public health offices. (See the我们喜欢的资源下面的部分。）

COVID-19 and Cold and Flu

COVID-19, the disease caused by thecoronavirusSARS-CoV-2, and the flu are both contagious respiratory illnesses and share many symptoms, including fever or feeling feverish, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue,咽喉痛, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, and headache. You might even wonder, based on your symptoms, whether a severe cold is COVID-19.

One difference in possible symptoms: People with COVID-19 may experience a change or loss of taste or smell, which isn't a symptom of the flu. COVID-19 symptoms can also take longer than flu symptoms before they appear after infection and people can be contagious for longer.

COVID-19 and the flu are caused by different viruses. One doesn't cause the other, though it is possible to contract both at the same time. Diagnostic testing can confirm which virus you're dealing with, notes the CDC.

COVID-19 vaccinesare now approved for anyone 5 years and older.

RELATED:Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?

Related Conditions of Cold and Flu

感冒和流感相关的一些条件,meaning you may develop them after being sick, or they may make you more susceptible to catching a virus. These include:

What Is the Flu Season Like Where You Live?

  • The Everyday Healthflu mappredicts flu severity county by county across the United States so you can plan ahead and take precautions to avoid the flu — both at home and in places where you plan to travel.
  • By entering your ZIP code, you can find out what influenza conditions may be like in your county in the weeks ahead.

我们喜欢的资源

最喜欢的组织以获取基本信息

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

ACOG’s Immunization for Women program provides patients, including those who are pregnant, with up-to-date recommendations and guidelines on treating seasonal influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases. This trusted source also provides a searchable ob-gyn directory.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC’s website presents weekly updates on flu activity nationwide. The site details how the flu may be spreading in each state and which strains of the virus are most prominent. It also contains useful guidelines for the most current treatments and vaccinations.

国家传染病基金会（NFID）

Founded in 1973, the NFID is a nonprofit dedicated to educating the public and healthcare providers about infectious diseases. Its influenza web page provides basic information about the flu and links to sections about influenza in vulnerable segments of the population, such as孩子们and老年人。

国家卫生部门

Thanks to this search function on the CDC's website, you can locate your state health department, which can then help you find direct access to your county’s health department. Your local health department will likely provide updated information on flu activity in your area, as well as information on how to access vaccinations.

世界卫生组织（WHO）

世界卫生组织全球流感的网站提供worldwide surveillance information on flu outbreaks and what prevention efforts are taking place. It also provides information from its conferences regarding future strategies to combat the flu.

Best Flu Vaccination Information

CDC — Vaccine Safety

The CDC’s flu vaccine page provides up-to-date information on approved influenza vaccines, along with potential side effects.

National Vaccine Information Center

这种独立的非营利组织提供了有关疫苗科学的广泛信息，并包括有关特定疫苗有效性的研究。

疫苗

This U.S. Department of Health and Human Services site educates the public on various vaccine-preventable illnesses, including influenza. The flu section of the site includes basic information about the flu vaccine and a search tool to help you find places to get vaccinated in your area.

Best Information for Colds

梅奥诊所

本网站提供的信息将帮助您确定症状是否与感冒有关，以及您需要去看医生时，并提供了预防技巧，可以帮助您避免生病。

国家医学图书馆

The common cold section of the MedlinePlus website provides comprehensive information on the causes and symptoms of the common cold, as well as links to information on how to determine whether you are suffering from a cold, the flu, or an allergy. It also includes information on potential treatments and therapies.

Best Resources for Parents

Healthy Children

This American Academy of Pediatrics site focuses on how to identify flu symptoms in your children, the potential treatments, and preventive tips.

KidsHealth — Flu

该网站的流感部分提供了有关保持家庭健康以及如何治疗孩子流感症状的基本教育和预防信息。

KidsHealth — Colds

The KidsHealth site also has a page dedicated to providing general information on common cold treatments for kids and potential complications.

Best Apps for Combating the Flu

FluView

The CDC’s FluView app allows you to track flu activity by region, which can also be helpful if you plan on traveling.

Zocdoc

Type in your location, your reason for seeing a doctor, and your insurance carrier and Zocdoc will help you book a doctor’s appointment in your area.

找到更多应用程序来帮助您在我们的文章中与流感作斗争，7 Apps to Help You Fight the Flu。

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