Sunday, September 28, 2014

What is a serious cold like?

A serious cold, also called an acute upper respiratory infection, can be very uncomfortable. It's important to know the symptoms as well as how to tell the difference between a cold and a flu so that you can take proper steps to get back to health. The major difference between a cold and flu to watch out for is the duration of onset of symptoms. If you start to feel poorly over the course of a few days, it's probably a cold. If your symptoms come in within the course of a few hours, however, you should be treated for the flu.


An acute or serious cold may have symptoms like fever, a sore throat, coughing, sneezing, congestion, and fatigue. When you have a cold, it's important to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, and use appropriate medication as needed. You may need to stay home from work or school to avoid spreading your cold or over-working your body, which might make it take longer to recover. Cold symptoms usually peak within the first few days, and the flu typically resolves itself in about the same amount of time. It your symptoms persist longer than a week, you should consider seeing a physician. Of course, if you develop any really severe symptoms like a high fever or you cannot keep fluids down, visit the hospital as soon as possible.

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