Table 1.

Influenza versus cold symptoms

Signs and symptoms	Influenza	Cold
Onset	Sudden	Gradual
Fever	>101°F lasting >3 d	Rare
Cough	Can become severe	Less common
Headache	Prominent	Rare
Myalgia	Severe	Slight
Fatigue	Fatigue lasting >1 wk	Mild
Extreme exhaustion	Early and prominent	Rare
Chest discomfort	Common	Mild
Stuffy nose	Sometimes	Common
Sneezing	Sometimes	Common
Sore throat	Sometimes	Common