Rhume

Rhume vs. Grippe

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It is sometimes very hard to differentiate between the common cold and the flu/influenza. Both are respiratory illnesses with common symptoms. The following table outlines distinctive features of each illness in hopes to provide clarity to their difference.

	Common Cold	Influenze
Causes	Over 200 viruses including rhinovirus (accounts for the majority of cases)	Three strands of the influence virus (A, B and C)
Symptoms	- Sore Throat - Cough - Runny nose, congestion - Feeling tired and run-down - Sneezing - Mild Headache - Mild soreness and achy muscles	- Sudden fever or feeling feverish - Chills - Cough - Sore throat - Loss of appetite - Muscle aches - Fatigue - Runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes
Treatment	Over-the-counter medicine	Antivirual prescription medications
Prevention	- Wash your hands properly and often - Stay away from others when you are sick or they are sick - Stay in shape, eat well and get enough sleep	- Get the flu shot - Wash your hands properly and often - Stay away from others when you are sick or they are sick
Approximate Length of Illness	1 - 2 weeks	A few days to under two weeks
Complications (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc)	Less common	More common

In general, the flu is worse than the common cold. Symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more severe in flu as opposed to the common cold symptom of a runny or stuffy nose.
The following table outlines the severity of certain common symptoms of the flu and cold.

Symptom	Common Cold	Flu
Sore Throat	Common	Common
Cough	Common	Dry cough
Runny nose	Common	Common
Feeling tired	Mild	Common
Sneezing	Common	Common
Headache	Mild	Common
Soreness and achy muscles	Mild	Common
Fever	May occur in infants and young children	Common
Chills	Uncommon	Common

References:

1. Rhinovirus. (2011). Retrieved July 22, 2014, from, http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/rhinovirus-eng.php 2. Cold Versus Flu. (2013). Retrieved July 22, 2014, from, http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm