Considering that the flu virus can distribute like wildfire among unvaccinated communities, it’s tempting to worry that each cough, muscles ache, and sign of a fever is actually an indication you caught the flu.

Which is understandable, considering the fact that you’ll find a lot of different disease that bring about copycat flu-like signs and symptoms, like fever, cough, runny nostrils, and headaches, and others, per the locations for infection controls and reduction.

“Any intimidating illness that promotes the immunity system can [produce] some of the same signs,” clarifies Cindy Weston, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, associate professor from the Texas A&M College of medical. Put differently, “most flu virus just feels like a frequent cool,” Joseph Khabbaza, MD, a pulmonologist at Cleveland center, says to fitness.

The only way to learn needless to say there is the flu virus is to obtain tested–but you’ll find subtle clues to help you differentiate between influenza the other else.

Here are some of the numerous conditions that causes flu-like warning signs, but aren’t the flu.

Colds

Both common colds and influenza include viral ailments, they both tend to take place in equivalent conditions, and they’ve got many overlapping disorders, like a throat pain and a rigid nose.

An important change was how fast the observable symptoms seriously. “A cold typically slowly progresses sign by symptom over [several] weeks,” says Keri Peterson, MD, an internist at Lenox mountain healthcare facility in new york. “With the flu, the constellation of signs and symptoms of large fever, cough, muscles ache, and extreme lethargy occurs in 24 to 48 hours.”

And though numerous symptoms overlap, common colds typically don’t have torso pain or looks aches, that are a lot more feature on the flu, brings Dr. Peterson.

Strep neck

The flu virus and strep throat display many signs and symptoms, but there are two you might find into the flu but never ever in strep: coughing and nasal congestion.

Strep throat might also deliver distended lymph nodes, swollen https://datingranking.net/pet-dating/ tonsils, an epidermis rash, or white blotches regarding the tonsils. Not one of these try common with the flu.

If the doctor suspects strep, the individual will likely swab their throat and examination when it comes down to germs. If test comes home positive, you’ll most likely see antibiotics, which can generally clean up signs and symptoms rapidly.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia may come separately from the flu virus or it can be a secondary problem of getting ill. You may resemble you’re across flu virus and then bang–you’re stricken with another illness. “People get the flu and possibly actually operating it out, and per week roughly afterwards, they’re arriving with pneumonia,” Weston claims.

Generally, pneumonia that include or following the flu virus are caused by bacterium and will feel treated by antibiotics. With this style of pneumonia, “the coughing is fairly chronic and unrelenting and sometimes of chest area soreness,” Weston says. “The temperature might be low-grade or higher. Very often there’s no desire for food with pneumonia, so there is generally somebody pain.” A pneumonia coughing likewise has mucus inside it.

Pneumonia that’s perhaps not connected with the flu virus is commonly viral; viral pneumonia normally typically milder compared to the microbial sort.

You may also involve some obstruction, coughing, and fatigue, that could point to the flu–but in cases like this, they’re just flu-like ailments.

Physicians can listen for telltale signs and symptoms of pneumonia by placing a stethoscope to your torso, claims Dr. Peterson.

Mononucleosis

Mono is called the “kissing ailments” as it can feel passed away through saliva (and coughing, sneezing, and discussing products).