Do you know how to tell the difference between the cold and flu?
A doctor has explained the big difference between colds and the flu – and it turns out there is an easy way to tell. Speaking on BBC Morning Live, regular GP Dr Xand van Tulleken issued a stark warning to viewers, urging them to take preventative measures against four illnesses this winter
Revealing a staggering 350% increase in flu cases compared to the same period last year, this prompted the doctor to advise those who haven’t yet booked their vaccine to do it now and not to leave it too late and later get sick. You can book your free NHS flu vaccination here.
How to tell the difference between the flu and cold
Dr Xand explains that the “cold will come on a little bit more slowly and typically a cold is upper respiratory tract. Perhaps you may have a very sore throat with a lot of snot and nasal congestion. But flu will drop you like a sack of bricks. Flu is a different experience. A cold you can keep functioning, it’s miserable, it’s no fun, but flu can be life-threatening.
“It can hospitalise you and cause major problems. It tends to come quickly and flu is what you call a whole systemic illness so it’s muscle pains, severe muscle soreness, weakness, exhaustion, being short of breath. Sometimes confusion and it can make many other health conditions worse. So the big distinction basically is flu, the really bad one”.
Is the flu deadly?
Dr Xand says: “You can reduce your risk of hospitalisation substantially. The first thing is when you’re thinking about that pneumonia, you don’t want to be in bed and let your lungs shut down.” Because of this, he says simply taking a deep breath in the morning can help.
“Literally opening your chest alters your risk of getting a severe chest infection. It doesn’t reduce it to nothing, but it makes a big difference. The same thing with movement.“ By doing stretches Doctor Xand says it will “keep your muscles active” and it will also “reduce your chance of getting a blood clot and DVT”, he added.
He also further explained that with the quad-demic being a current issue, “it’s a huge burden on the NHS. So there’s been a slightly lower normal than uptake of the flu vaccine and you only need a few more vulnerable people and a little less vaccine [uptake] and suddenly the opportunity for this virus spread [increases] and of course flu can be life-threatening”.
