The other day one of my colleagues, A was suffering from a common cold. " No lah, this is flu. I am going to see a doctor ...scared H1N1 leh"
My other colleague, B and I were rather amused with her reaction. "You are over-reacting" i said...."Trying to 'siam' from attending meeting later right?"
B and I could see through A's intentions. B whispered into my ear "Yep, i am sure she is faking it......knowing that the meeting would be a draggy one, as always"
Many people actually mistaken a common cold for flu and vice versa. Though both are of viral origin, they are not the same (different strains of virus).
Symptoms of common colds:
1. Runny nose/stuffed nose
2. Scratchy throat/sneezing
3. No fever
4. No joint pains/body aches
5. No diarrhoea/vomiting
You do not need to see a doctor, just up your intake of immune-boosting vitamin C and drink lots of water will do. Generally mild in nature.
Symptoms of flu (short for influenza):
1. Fever
2. Coughs
3. Joint pains/aches
4. A small percentage may suffer from diarrhoea/vomiting
5. Fatigue/malaise
Best to see a doctor to help get rid of the infection and also in this case to rule out H1N1. More serious in nature as flu can kill and cause a pandemic. Influenza is a viral infection and you will not be cured by taking antibiotics. Anti-virals or vaccines may help but generally we rely alot on the body's immune system to fight the virus.
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