The difference between a cold and a flu

When it comes to colds and flu, many people often confuse these two diseases. In fact, for ordinary people, the symptoms of colds and flu are very similar, so it is understandable to confuse colds and flu. However, in essence, there are obvious differences between colds and flu, but for most people, they don't know what the difference is, and this is what many people want to know.

In fact, there are many differences between colds and flu, but because most people are not professionals, they do not have a deep understanding of this issue. This is why many people confuse colds and flu. So in response to this question, let’s talk in detail about the specific differences between colds and flu.

Cold is a common exogenous febrile disease caused by wind evil invading the human body. It can occur all year round. It is especially common in winter and spring. The main clinical symptoms are headache, nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat and cough, fever and chills. The disease can be mild or severe, with mild cases commonly known as colds and severe cases called severe colds. If the disease is severe and widespread over a period of time, with similar symptoms, it is called an epidemic cold.

"Medical Database": Cold, disease name. ① Mild symptoms of exogenous infection caused by wind evil invading the exterior. See the middle volume of "Shang Han Zhi Ge". Also known as wind and cold. "Jingyue Complete Works·Miscellaneous Symptoms" states: "If the pathogenic factors are light and shallow, they will invade the skin and fur, which is called cold." Please see the entry on colds for details. ②Typhoid fever and sunstroke. "Treatise on Seasonal Diseases·Colds" states: "Colds refer to the syndrome of wind damaging the Wei system as described in Zhang Zhongjing's book." See Stroke for details. ③Exogenous febrile disease caused by wind evil. Volume 4 of "Sanyin Jiyi Bingzheng Fanglun" states that all six meridians have colds: Taiyang cold, with symptoms of fever, aversion to wind, spontaneous sweating, stiff neck and head, pain in the waist and spine, and floating pulse, is suitable for Guizhi Decoction. Yangming cold, with symptoms of fever, abdominal distension, thirst, spontaneous sweating, lying down, heaviness, difficulty urinating, and a floating, stringy, long and rapid pulse, is suitable for treatment with apricot soup. Shaoyang cold, with symptoms of fever, aversion to wind, spontaneous sweating, stiff neck, fullness in the ribs, bitter taste in the mouth and thirst, and floating and stringy pulse, is treated with Chaihu Jia Gui Decoction. Taiyin cold, with symptoms of spontaneous sweating, chest fullness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dry throat, and a stringy and slow pulse, is suitable for Guizhi Shaoyao Decoction. Shaoyin cold, symptoms include dry mouth, dry tongue, sore throat, irritability, spontaneous sweating, low back pain and even calf pain, and a deep and stringy pulse. Guizhi Decoction is suitable. The symptoms of Jueyang cold include aversion to wind and fatigue, spontaneous sweating, acute pain in the lower abdomen, chills and fever like malaria, pain in the bones and joints, and a weak and slow pulse. Bawu Decoction is suitable.

Upper respiratory tract infection is abbreviated as SRI, also known as the common cold. It is a general term for acute inflammation of the nasal cavity, pharynx or throat. In a broad sense, upper respiratory tract infection is not a disease diagnosis, but a group of diseases, including the common cold, viral pharyngitis, laryngitis, herpetic pharyngitis, pharyngoconjunctival fever, and bacterial pharyngitis and tonsillitis. Upper respiratory tract infection in a narrow sense is also known as the common cold. It is the most common acute respiratory infectious disease. It is mostly self-limiting, but the incidence is relatively high. It occurs 2 to 4 times per year in adults and 6 to 8 times per year in children. The disease can occur throughout the year, but is more common in winter and spring.

Through the detailed introduction of colds and flu in the above article, I believe most people have discovered the specific differences between colds and flu. In fact, there are many differences between colds and flu. The biggest difference may be the cause. Of course, if you compare them carefully, the symptoms of colds and flu are actually different in many ways, but many people don't care.