What is the difference between a cold a the flu?

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I got hammered by something over the weekend. Woke up during the night on Saturday, freezing one minute and burning up the next. Slept most of Saturday.

When I got into the office today, I am still coughing and have a congested nose. One person says "It sounds like you have a bad cold". Another says "Wow, you've got the flu".

Which is it???

I always thought that a cold was stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, etc. The flu was diareaha and vomiting. I'm not sure why I thought this, but it's the definition I've used.

[Phaycops]

IIRC, a cold is runny nose, sneezing, etc. The flu is all those things with a bad fever, chills, and body aches. Vomiting and nausea I think may commonly be called "Stomach flu" and that's where your confusion comes from. The common cold is pretty inocuous and will probably go away by itself. The flu can be very dangerous to old people and children; that's why my gramma gets her flu shot every year! But I'm not a doctor. Don't take my word for it.

The Central Scrutinizer,


I haven't got sick in over 2.5 years; not even a cold. I credit it to practicing t'ai chi ch'uan a lot, eating more fruit, and drinking more water.

Of course, this is just my testimony. :}

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Whodini
The Central Scrutinizer,


I haven't got sick in over 2.5 years; not even a cold. I credit it to practicing t'ai chi ch'uan a lot, eating more fruit, and drinking more water.

Of course, this is just my testimony. :}

I would credit it to eating more fruit, and drinking more water. Or luck.

[OdderMensch]

Proper diet without proper exercise? 90% of the mystical part of kung fu's health benifits is that it gets you off your lazy arse and makes you move, admitadly very slowly with Tai Chi :D

that being said, a cold is a bug, the flu is a virus? thats what I always thought anyway.

[edthedoc]

Medical brief:

A cold is a mild upper respiratory (i.e. nose, throat, sinuses rather than lungs) tract infection, self-limiting with generalised mild fever, aches and pains, runny nose. It is due to many different viruses such as rhinovirus. Symptoms last from 2-21 days but there is large variation and viruses can follow one after the other to produce symptoms over several weeks. Colds don't kill.

Flu is an abbreviation for Influenza: caused by a virus (RNA orthomyxovirus) which causes more serious symptoms: higher fever, rigors, general malaise and can precipate more serious illnesses such as bacterial pneumonia. Flu can and often does kill the young, old, infirm, poor, malnourished.

A simple Google search will provide masses of information for colds and flu.

Both are due to viruses WHICH DO NOT, NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL RESPOND TO ANTIBIOTICS SO STOP ASKING FOR THEM!!!!(slight bugbear of mine:) )

Layperson's brief:

A cold is a mild illness that means you won't need to take time off work and so won't get any sympathy. Flu is a more serious illness that needs time off work and sympathy. This means there is a remarkable high incidence of "flu", particularly in my experience amongst young men!

If you think you just need a lie-in it's a cold.
If you think you're going to die it could be 'flu!

[richardm]

'Flu is generally pretty incapacitating - you are wiped out, exhausted by it, you don't just feel a bit poorly.

An old doctor I knew had a test to tell the difference between a patient with a cold and a patient with flu. He'd make an excuse to go back downstairs "to fetch something from the car", perhaps, and on his way out he'd "accidentally" drop a ten shilling note.

If the note was still there when he returned, the patient had 'Flu :D

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer


I would credit it to eating more fruit, and drinking more water. Or luck.


Yes, it could be either of those, yet you automatically remove t'ai chi from the picture. Why do you do that?

[fidiot]

Originally posted by Whodini
Yes, it could be either of those, yet you automatically remove t'ai chi from the picture. Why do you do that?

Well, how about not assuming that everybody knows what t'ai chi is for starters?

[Ladewig]

I thought the best way to avoid these illnesses was to never borrow people's hankerchiefs, wash your hands frequently, and otherwise observe hygenic standards.

Originally posted by fidiot


Well, how about not assuming that everybody knows what t'ai chi is for starters?


Huh?

He said, in postulating why I haven't got colds to:

----
I would credit it to eating more fruit, and drinking more water. Or luck.
----


He completely removed t'ai chi from the picture.

If he doesn't know what he is, he can use Google. Basically it is a Chinese martial art and system of exercise, mostly composed of slow, weight-bearing movements (for martial purposes, they are done fast, of course).

I've been practicing it about 2 hours per day, for the last 2.5 years. Is it coincidence? Could be. Do the water and fruit have more to do with it? Could be too. Is some combination responsible, could be. Luck? Could be.

All I know is that these 3 things are what I have changed in my lifestyle. A case of; 'it works for me so I'm going to keep doing it'.

[Houngan]

Please. Tai chi is dandy for stretching and low-impact exercise, and of course a healthier body will be more resistant to infection, but any mystical connection is laughable. I cancel your anecdote with mine: I drink too much, get too little exercise, and have poor hygeine (in the sense of always washing vegetables, disinfecting hands, etc.) and haven't been sick in years. Unless the virus comes at you with a knife in a slow, overhand stabbing motion, I don't think tai chi is going to help.

H.

Houngan,


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Tai chi is dandy for stretching and low-impact exercise, and of course a healthier body will be more resistant to infection, but any mystical connection is laughable.
----


Why?

You automatically assume that. I also NEVER EVER EVER made any mystical connection. That you brought up all on your own.


----
Unless the virus comes at you with a knife in a slow, overhand stabbing motion, I don't think tai chi is going to help.
----


Good one. :)

T'ai chi is quite effective for martial aspects. You just do it quickly. Simple enough.

[scotth]

What is the difference between a cold and the flu?

What type of virus caused it.

[Thought Harvester]

Originally posted by Ladewig
I thought the best way to avoid these illnesses was to never borrow people's hankerchiefs, wash your hands frequently, and otherwise observe hygenic standards.

Bingo! I've gotten into sooo many arguments with people over the causes of colds. In particular, my best friend who insists he gets a cold after exposure to hot / cold weather conditions. In actuality, it's about exposure to the virus.

From commoncold.org:

"Myth 3: Becoming cold or chilled leads to catching a cold.

Facts: 1. As discussed above, almost everybody becomes infected whether they are chilled or not, if cold virus is dropped into the nose. (72)

2. One study has looked at this question. It was found that colds were no more frequent or severe in volunteers who were chilled than those who were not. (76)"

[pupdog]

I thought everybody knew the difference--feed a fever and starve a cold!

[JAR]

Originally posted by Houngan
I drink too much, get too little exercise, and have poor hygeine (in the sense of always washing vegetables, disinfecting hands, etc.) and haven't been sick in years.

I'm also skeptical of that Tai Chi claim. My dad went years without getting sick and he doesn't practice Tai Chi either.

Originally posted by JAR

I'm also skeptical of that Tai Chi claim. My dad went years without getting sick and he doesn't practice Tai Chi either.


I never claimed anything mystical, I never claim that it was all due to t'ai chi ch'uan, and I never claimed that you won't get sick only if one practices t'ai chi ch'uan.

[Houngan]

Originally posted by Whodini



I never claimed anything mystical, I never claim that it was all due to t'ai chi ch'uan, and I never claimed that you won't get sick only if one practices t'ai chi ch'uan.

Perhaps because you said, Yes, it could be either of those, yet you automatically remove t'ai chi from the picture. Why do you do that?

You don't have the courage of your convictions. Now, you could use the oldest internet dodge in the book, and claim that "I didn't mean it that way!" But face it, you wanted to suggest that tai chi played a significant role in your avoiding viral infection.

H.

[OdderMensch]

ok since I'm the one how said the M-word(yes, said, I type out loud ;) ) I'll put my two bits back in here.

Being healthy helps you fight off infections, yes? And even if you do get an infection a generaly healthy person will recover faster than a generaly unhealthy person, right?

Whodini claimed he hadn't been sick in years, and that he atributed it to
1)eating lots more fruit
2)drinking water and
3)practiceing Tai Chi


the next post said it was probably more the fruit than the Tai Chi, to which I repied,"tai chi is good exercise."

Diet and exercise are two important factors to overall health.

[GreyWanderer]

Originally posted by Houngan


Perhaps because you said, Yes, it could be either of those, yet you automatically remove t'ai chi from the picture. Why do you do that?

You don't have the courage of your convictions. Now, you could use the oldest internet dodge in the book, and claim that "I didn't mean it that way!" But face it, you wanted to suggest that tai chi played a significant role in your avoiding viral infection.

H.

Fruit, water, and excercise. Isn't that healthy?

[Lothian]

In my experience Flu is the name men give when they have the condition women call a cold.

[edthedoc]

Lothian: just what I said earlier, and I'm a bloke (!) but as a doctor do see a fair amount of young men who think they're dying when they've just got a runny nose, and clearly have never had a serious illness in their lives. Having said that, this is anecdotal, and I do see plenty of women who are similar so no sexist flaming from anyone please!

Also, this all reminds me of the Monty Python sketch in The Meaning of Life when the soldier has his leg bitten off by a tiger (yes, in Africa but that's part of the joke) during the night and the medic diagnoses the cause as a "virus". Still makes me laugh :) :) :)

[Lothian]

Originally posted by edthedoc
Lothian: just what I said earlier, and I'm a bloke (!) edthedoc,
Sorry I missed that. I am male as well.
I know people come into work feeling right as rain after a day off. By and large men say it was flu and women a cold.
Pointing out that if they had influensa then they would not be here looking and feeling healthy today has little effect.
I recall reading somewhere, and as a doctor I am sure you could confirm or dispell ,that doctors will rarely diagnose flu as influensa is a notifiable illness involving considerable paperwork. Therefore the diagnosis is normally flu like symptoms.

Houngan,


----
You don't have the courage of your convictions. Now, you could use the oldest internet dodge in the book, and claim that "I didn't mean it that way!" But face it, you wanted to suggest that tai chi played a significant role in your avoiding viral infection.
----


I have to save this one. This is too funny.

You're telling me what I was thinking when I was writing up my post? Come on... really now.

I listed the things I found useful, and people jumped on the t'ai chi ch'uan item (perhaps their bias creeping in a bit? nah...) saying there is a mystic connection, saying that I meant t'ai chi cured all my ills, etc etc.

When in reality I said none of that.

[UnrepentantSinner]

I was going to hit the CDC website and provide all sorts of links showing the difference between Influenza and Rhinovirus and then I realized we had mostly men on this board.

The difference between the two is that my testicles get sore during the flu, but don't when I only have a cold.

Not that that's very clinical, but it's a clear indicator on my part as to how long I'll be down with that particular schmutz.

[edthedoc]

Originally posted by Lothian
edthedoc,
Sorry I missed that. I am male as well.
I know people come into work feeling right as rain after a day off. By and large men say it was flu and women a cold.
Pointing out that if they had influensa then they would not be here looking and feeling healthy today has little effect.
I recall reading somewhere, and as a doctor I am sure you could confirm or dispell ,that doctors will rarely diagnose flu as influensa is a notifiable illness involving considerable paperwork. Therefore the diagnosis is normally flu like symptoms.

You are quite right, but the paperwork isn't that bad: it's just yet another task to do.

Diagnosing 'flu is actually difficult clinically: it can't be done with any degree of certaintly without sending swabs off etc. which is a pain in the butt and largely irrelevant as the patient will be better by the time the results come through.

'Flu-like illness is usually quite accurate as there are many other viruses that mimic flu (but generally milder). It also makes the patient (male!) feel better as you have mentioned the word "flu"! They'll then tell their friends, but leave out the "-like illness" bit of the diagnosis.

[messytime]

just a couple of thoughts..
i heard that athletes are more susceptible to infections like colds..and Hoyle and Wickramsinghe have a delightful idea that flu viruses are distributed by comet debris in a book called Our Place in The Cosmos..sorry about the vagueness but i'm not a scientist..

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Whodini



Yes, it could be either of those, yet you automatically remove t'ai chi from the picture. Why do you do that?

I have discovered that anything involving the word "chi" is a hoax.

The Central Scrutinizer wrote:

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I have discovered that anything involving the word "chi" is a hoax.
----


Yeah...

The chi in t'ai chi ch'uan is a completely different word than the ch'i (ki, qi, etc.) word.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Chicago is also a hoax. It doesn't exist. The city, not the movie.

[SpaceLord]

I have heard from somewhere that the flu was unknown until the 19th century...is this true?

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by edthedoc
Medical brief:

A cold is a mild illness that means you won't need to take time off work and so won't get any sympathy. Flu is a more serious illness that needs time off work and sympathy. This means there is a remarkable high incidence of "flu", particularly in my experience amongst young men!

If you think you just need a lie-in it's a cold.
If you think you're going to die it could be 'flu!

i don't think i need a lie in with a cold, i need a day, or three, off. Don't know why, but I cannot work. Flu is worse, usually a week off work.

People do react differently to colds. We all have different grades of immune systems.

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by Lothian
In my experience Flu is the name men give when they have the condition women call a cold.

women do seem to cope better than men with the cold.

People also seem to like to dramatise their illness, flu sounds better than cold.g

CS sounds like he got a cold, as a cold comes on quicker than the flu, as a rule, and leaves quicker.l

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by SpaceLord
I have heard from somewhere that the flu was unknown until the 19th century...is this true?

there were more people killed by the spanish flu than in WWI, which preceded it.

The appearance of new flu strains is one of the modern puzzles of science, and is suspected to have something to do with poor animal husbandry in places like china.

[luvtinayothers]

Originally posted by Whodini
The Central Scrutinizer,


I haven't got sick in over 2.5 years; not even a cold. I credit it to practicing t'ai chi ch'uan a lot, eating more fruit, and drinking more water.

Of course, this is just my testimony. :}

I drink Chai Tea and I get sick all the time.

Originally posted by luvtinayothers


I drink Chai Tea and I get sick all the time.


LOL! :D

Your joke made up for The Central Scroat's attempted use of humor to cover her obvious confusing of ch'i with chi.

I can recommend some very good (but expensive (but worth it!) green tea.

[Psi Baba]

Originally posted by Houngan
Unless the virus comes at you with a knife in a slow, overhand stabbing motion, I don't think tai chi is going to help.
LOL!!! Can I use this in a sig? That's great! (You owe it to me--damn near spit my coffee onto the screen!).

[luvtinayothers]

Interesting Chi discussion on Straight Dope:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=167264

Only a matter of seconds before Kimpatsu, Ken, or Valmorian are all up in there.

;)

[Soapy Sam]

I have had colds regularly in the last 2.5 years, but have never contracted Tai Chi.
I just thought this might, somehow, be germane to the discussion.
(Actually , I subscribe to Professor Pasteur's radical new theory of animalcules).

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I have had colds regularly in the last 2.5 years, but have never contracted Tai Chi.
----


I don't get it.

What do you mean by 'contracted Tai Chi' ?

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Soapy Sam
I have had colds regularly in the last 2.5 years, but have never contracted Tai Chi.
I just thought this might, somehow, be germane to the discussion.
(Actually , I subscribe to Professor Pasteur's radical new theory of animalcules).

Tai Chi doesn't exist, so how could you contract it, you big silly???

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer

Tai Chi doesn't exist, so how could you contract it, you big silly???


T'ai chi like the philosophy (the name for the yin yang symbol) or like the martial art/health exercise?

Or something else?