You can feel it coming on. As you grab another tissue to stifle yet another sneeze, your head is pounding, your throat feels dry and scratchy, and your nasal passages are closing in, making you sound and feel like a beached whale. But is it a cold or the flu? How can you tell?

“Even though the flu and the common cold share a lot of symptoms, there are differences because they are caused by two different viruses,” explained Sandra Campbell, Pharm D., director of the MSU Health Care Pharmacy. “The onset of influenza is very sudden, whereas a cold tends to develop more gradually.”

While the common cold can make one feel pretty miserable, the flu is generally worse. According to Campbell, symptoms of influenza typically include fever, chills, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. A sore throat, cough and nasal congestion can sometimes also occur but are less common with the flu. On the other hand, the most common cold symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, sneezing and sore throat.

Colds generally do not result in any serious health problems. Most people who get influenza will also fully recover, but some, particularly the elderly or those with medical pre-conditions, can develop serious complications, such as pneumonia or inflammation of the heart, or even death.

Given the fact that we continue to live in the midst of a pandemic further adds to the confusion, since many COVID-19 symptoms are also similar to those of the cold and flu.

“If you’re not sure what your symptoms indicate, it’s best to exercise caution and always get tested (for COVID-19),” Campbell said.