Even though they're common, there are still many misconceptions about colds and flu.

New York-Presbyterian Hospital offers some information to help you sort through the facts and fictions of colds and flu.

To begin, colds and flu are different. A cold is usually an upper respiratory tract infection. Symptoms include a sore throat, head congestion, sinus pain, and low-grade fever. Flu symptoms usually include a higher fever, a sore throat, cough and body aches.

A cold usually lasts two to three days while a flu can last as long as a week. Flu can lead to more serious health complications, especially in the elderly and people with asthma.

Now, here are some facts about colds and flu:

• The best way to prevent a cold is to wash your hands and to avoid people with colds.
• You can't catch a cold by staying outside in the cold too long. You catch a cold by touching something that's been touched by someone infected with a cold or by breathing in moisture that's been coughed out by someone with a cold. People get colds more often in the winter because they spend more time indoors in contact with one another.
• Antibiotics cannot cure a cold or flu, which are caused by viruses. The best way to defend against the flu is to get a flu shot. There is no vaccine against the common cold.
• If you have the flu, don't go to work. If you go to work, you'll expose your colleagues to flu infection. Stay home where you can rest and recover.
• Flu shots cannot give you the flu. They may cause mild flu-like symptoms, but this is rare.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about colds and flu.

Reference Source 101
October 18, 2004

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