The throat, sinuses, and larynx may also be affected. How to get rid of a cold symptoms, causes, prevention. Cold weather by itself does not increase the chance of getting a cold. Information you need to know about the current 20192020 flu season. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms. Flu season is the time of year when you are most likely to get sick from the flu. It will usually end by april, but in some years it can linger into may. Cold symptoms are usually milder than the symptoms of flu.
Download this infographic in pdf format to print it. At the beginning of the 2014 to 2015 flu season, a mutated version of h3n2 caused a majority of. In 2017, cdc began using new methodology to classify. Flu flu symptoms stomach flu influenza medlineplus. The 2018 season is currently sitting at 63, but that number changes each week. During flu season, people are at the highest risk of developing the influenza virus. The symptoms of flu can include fever or feeling feverish chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue tiredness. The reason 2018 flu season is worse than usual is because the viruss dominant strain, h3n2, has been described by experts as one that causes. The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemisphere. If you believe you have either of these illnesses, it is smart to stay home for the length of your contagiousperiod.
Being able to differentiate a flu from a cold may be the difference between life and death. Symptoms can vary depending on the specific type of virus causing the common cold. They also have some similar symptoms, like coughing and stuffy noses. The 2017 2018 influenza season was a high severity season with high levels of outpatient clinic and emergency department visits for influenzalike illness ili, high influenzarelated hospitalization rates, and elevated and geographically widespread influenza activity for an extended period. Some people can also experience fever, cough, body aches, headache, fatigue, postnasal drip, and sore throat. Flu season typically runs from november through march, although you can get it in october or as late as may. The common cold, also known simply as a cold, is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the nose. Get your exclusive first look at the season finale of. People have been suffering from the common cold for a long time, and it doesnt look like well actually have any specific treatment course any time soon. In the united states, the flu season is considered october through may. In 2018, the food and drug administration fda approved a new drug called. When its cold people get together and huddle, jernigan noted, thereby spreading the virus.
Flu season calendar when and what exactly defines the flu season calendar. For most patients, parotitis symptoms struck about 4 days after flu symptoms, including chills, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, and fever. A cold and the flu typically develop in stages, with certain symptoms emerging. The best thing you can do to protect yourself other than a flu shot is to know the signs. Causes of frequently recurring cold and flu symptoms the. This infographic helps you compare cold and flu symptoms, debunk the most common myths. Find out more about how to treat each one here, how to avoid catching the cold or the flu, and special information on being ill during pregnancy and looking babies and children with a cold. This flu season is the worst in nearly a decade the new. If you do catch a cold, youre likely to be under siege for seven to 10 days, says summer allen, a family medicine doctor with the mayo clinic. Seasonal influenza activity in the united states has been elevated for weeks. If you often get symptoms of a cold or flu, there could be three reasons.
The results presented here are consistent with these earlier investigations and suggest that the natural history of colds is similar in adults and in children and that an internetbased program is an effective way to collect data on cold symptoms. The flu season runs from early october through about midmay. Flu and cold viruses spread mainly by droplets, when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk. A person with a cold can start spreading it from a few days before their symptoms begin until the symptoms have finished. Symptoms, treatment, contagiousness, and do i have it. The symptoms of a cold usually come on more slowly and are less severe than symptoms of the flu. The common cold refers to a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Other conditions, including allergies and the flu, can cause. The 2014 2015 season peaked at 6 percent, while the 2009 swine flu season. Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of outbreaks of influenza flu. The common cold produces mild symptoms see below usually lasting only five to 10 days, although some symptoms may last for up to three weeks. Sometimes i get a cold, and the symptoms are waning, but then they return in full force. Kristen nordlund a cdc spokesperson said feb 2nd, we have not hit our peak yet, unfortunately, its not going down yet.
Although flu symptoms are typically similar no matter the strain of influenza, history has shown that. The symptoms and signs of the common cold overlap with those of other conditions. If you have a cold, youll probably have symptoms like these. Flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. In this article, learn about the symptoms, how to tell summer colds from allergies, and. What you need to know about the 20192020 flu season. Maximum strength mucinex sinusmax severe congestion relief. The chart above represents a 3week moving average and not the actual ili by week. Cold symptoms are typically less severe than those of flu. The viruses that cause colds are spread by sneezing, coughing and hand contact.
People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms. Learn about the different types of seasonal allergies, symptoms, and treatment options. The common cold, also known simply as a cold, is a viral infectious disease of the upper. You also can get infected by touching a surface or object that has viruses. Learn more about the different types of colds and flu viruses and. For the majority of people with upper respiratory tract infections symptomatic treatment will offer better outcomes than. Symptoms of the common cold are generally mild and include runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion. The onset of flu is also often accompanied by severe body aches, weakness and sometimes skin sensitivity, he added.
Flu season usually runs from fall to spring, peaking during the winter months. Get the facts about cold symptoms and how they differ from those of other conditions. Influenza activity can sometimes be predicted and even tracked geographically. Learn about the symptoms and treatments of a summer cold. Signs and symptoms may appear less than two days after exposure to the virus. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, it can. Weeks 37 and 38 september 720, 2014 weeks 35 and 36 august 24 september 6, 2014 weeks 33 and 34 august 1023, 2014 weeks 31 and 32 july 27 august 9, 2014 weeks 29 and 30 july 26, 2014. In contrast, the flu, which is caused by a different class of virus, can cause severe symptoms but initially may mimic a. The last severe flu season was in 2014 2015 which resulted in 148 child deaths.
The typical symptoms of a cold include cough, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and a. The authors of the study said that, prior to the 2014 15 flu season, only 18 cumulative cases of influenzaassociated parotitis were reported since 1975. Sometimes people say that they have a flu when they really have something else. The 20172018 flu season was one of the deadliest in decades according to the cdc. People often talk about colds and flu influenza together, but its important to realise colds and flu are different illnesses caused by different viruses. Use this chart to see if your symptoms are more like a cold or the flu. Symptoms of the common cold are mostly due to the response of the individual to the infection, rather than to direct damage to the respiratory tract from the virus. With nearly 6,500 hospitalizations reported so far, statistically this season is neck and neck with 2014. The common cold and the flu may seem very similar at first. As of 2018 there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against honey. The flu often causes a high fever that lasts for three to four days. A saltwater gargle 14 to 12 teaspoon salt dissolved in. Signs and symptoms, which can vary from person to person, might include.
An estimated 80,000 americans died of flu and its complications last winter. In general, flu season can start anytime in late fall, peak in midtolate winter usually january or february, and continue through early spring. Symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, head congestion and cough can also be caused by allergies. However, you could get a bacterial infection after a cold, such as an ear infection or sinus infection, which may mean youre unwell for longer. Rhinitis runny nose and congestion are the most commonsymptoms. The severity of cold symptoms has been reported to reach a peak 23 days after onset 2,10.
People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Symptoms of a cold usually last from four to 14 days. We arent out of the woods yet, anne schuchat, md, acting director of the cdc, said. Although it is much more common to get a cold in the winter months, people can also get colds in the summer. Winter has arrived, and with it comes cold and flu season. The cdc says this seasons epidemic is on track to rival the 2014 15 flu season and hasnt yet peaked as of feb 2nd. It often comes on suddenly, whereas cold symptoms tend to appear gradually. Avoid alcohol, coffee and caffeinated sodas, which can make dehydration worse. If you are unsure whether or not youre contagious, a doctor can help you determine where you are in the recovery process. The 20172018 influenza season was a high severity season with high levels of outpatient clinic and emergency department visits for influenzalike illness ili, high influenzarelated hospitalization rates, and elevated and geographically widespread influenza activity for an extended period. There are over 200 different viruses that can cause colds.
Most people are contagious for a total of 14 days when suffering from either cold or flu symptoms. People are in closer contact with each other at this time of year, because they stay indoors, and so are more likely to infect each other. Really the bottom line is there is still likely many more weeks to go in this flu season activity. This years flu season is turning out to be so intense that the number of people seeking care at doctors offices and emergency rooms is almost. Flu season deaths top 80,000 last year, cdc says cnn. Cepacol instamax sore throat lozenges arctic cherry. In recent data collected from the cdc, 10 percent of deaths in the u. The common cold is an illness caused by many different viruses. The flu can also cause a headache, fatigue, and general aches and pain.
By the time you read this, flu season 2014 will be fully upon us. New studies describe link between parotitis, flu cidrap. You will need to see your doctor to find out for sure. However, flu symptoms also include fever, cold sweats, aches. Cold or allergy season can leave you with a dry nose.