Cold and flu

Flu is a common illness that makes you feel much worse than a cold. It's caused by a virus and spreads easily between people. The good news is that most people get better on their own within a week.

How Do I Know If I Have Flu?

Flu hits you suddenly - often within just a few hours. You might feel fine in the morning and terrible by lunchtime. The main signs include:

• A high temperature that comes on quickly
• Your whole body aches
• Feeling very tired and worn out
• A dry cough
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Finding it hard to sleep
• Not wanting to eat
• Feeling sick or being sick
• Runny tummy or tummy pain

Children might also get earache and seem less lively than usual.

Is It Flu or Just a Cold?

It can be hard to tell the difference, but flu is usually much worse:

Flu comes on very quickly and affects your whole body. You feel so unwell that you can't do normal things like work or look after yourself.

A cold builds up slowly over a few days and mainly affects your nose and throat. You feel poorly but can usually carry on with daily life.

How Can I Feel Better?

There's no magic cure for flu, but you can help yourself feel better:

• Rest and sleep - your body needs energy to fight the virus
• Keep warm and comfortable
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to bring down your temperature and ease aches. For children, check the packet or ask your pharmacist if you're not sure about the right dose
• Drink lots of water - your wee should be light yellow or clear
• Stay at home until you feel better to avoid spreading flu to others

Your local pharmacist can suggest other remedies that might help. Just don't take paracetamol tablets and flu medicines that contain paracetamol together - it's easy to take too much by mistake.

When Should I Speak to My GP?

Get urgent help if you or your child have flu symptoms and:

• You're worried about a baby or child
• You're 65 or older
• You're pregnant
• You have diabetes or long-term problems with your heart, lungs, kidneys or nerves
• You have a weak immune system
• Your symptoms aren't getting better after 7 days

Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if you:

• Get sudden chest pain
• Have trouble breathing
• Start coughing up lots of blood

Stopping Flu From Spreading

Flu spreads very easily, especially in the first 5 days when you're most unwell. The germs live on your hands and surfaces for up to 24 hours.

To protect others:

• Wash your hands often with warm water and soap
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue (or your elbow if no tissue is handy)
• Throw tissues away straight away
• Stay at home while you have a high temperature

The Flu Vaccine

The NHS offers a free flu vaccine every autumn to people who are more likely to get seriously ill from flu. If you're offered the vaccine, it's worth having - it's safe and helps protect you and others around you.

Remember, antibiotics don't work against flu because it's caused by a virus, not bacteria.

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Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.