While the common cold and flu come with very similar symptoms, those flu symptoms, both for the seasonal flu and the H1N1, are typically a bit worse and more intense.

Such is the diagnosis of Dr. Amy Callaghan, an internist who sees plenty of both in her work at Mercy Medical Center — Sioux City.

“With the flu, you’ll have higher fever. You will have worse aches and pains, headaches, chest pain. You can have some sore throat, you typically don’t have the stuffy nose, the coughs and the sneezing,” she said. “You can, however, develop a cough with flu if that flu is getting worse because flu has the potential of developing into further illnesses like pneumonia. If you’ve got underlying lung disease, it can develop — worse asthma, exacerbation of your emphyse- ma or your chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases where it leads mainly to hospitalization.”

The flu and colds are caused by different viruses, but the similarity of symptoms often makes them tough to tell apart, she noted.

“I would say the most alarming part of cold virus versus flu is the progression of the flu into more serious illnesses,” she said.

Colds usually come on slowly over time, with progressive symptoms. The usual symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and sneezing and hacking coughs. It is unusual to have fever, chills, headaches and body aches; and if present, these symptoms will be mild. “But it gets better gradually over time,” she said.

With the flu, no matter the kind, fever is usually present, along with chills, headaches and moderate-to-severe body aches and tiredness. Symptoms can come on rapidly, typically within three to six hours. Coughs are dry and unproductive, and sore throats are less common.

The degree and grade of the fever most distinguishes the flu.

“With the higher fever, you’re going to have more muscle aches and pains. So you hurt,” she said. “I’m sure we’ve all had this ... where your skin hurts, your head hurts, your chest hurts ... your whole body aches. And that’s very characteristic of flu.”

And typically with the flu, you don’t have the sniffles, the stuffy or sore throat, she added.

So when should you seek medical help?

Callaghan says if you have fever for three or four days, get help.

“In the hospital, I usually use 100.5 degrees,” she said. “If you look at literature and research, they’ll usually say 102. But most people out in the community if you have a fever of 102 for three or four days, you’re going to be really quite nervous. You’re not going to want to sit around and watch that 102 fever for the next few days while you decide whether you’re going to go to a doctor.”

If you do have high fever and a progression of symptoms which don’t improve with analgesics and antihistamines, she said it is time to see your doctor.

With the progression of the H1N1 flu, people are a little quicker to act these days, Callaghan said.

H1N1 flu in particular is also associated with vomiting and diarrhea.

“Today, with the onslaught of media, people are more inclined with onset of fevers, chills, even stuffy, runny noses and cough congestion, that they’re going to see the doctor right away because everyone thinks that they have H1N1. I guess if you’re that concerned about it, you can obviously get seen,” she said.

With severe flu, Callaghan added, there are some anti-virals that can be prescribed, but flu sufferers must get started on these typically within the first 72 hours of onset for them to be effective.

While there are no complications with colds, which typically just get better over time, there are also no cures for something which is caused by one of some 200 viruses.

“What we typically do is just treat the symptoms,” she said.

Then there are folks who have sinus/allergy problems almost every year, in the fall and the spring, the symptoms mimicking those of the average cold sufferer.

“The treatment is the same,” Callaghan said. “You still take the analgesics, the Tylenol or Motrin or Advil. You take the antihistamines to help decongest and dry you up. There are nasal sprays that you can use for cold and sinuses as well. But typically with sinuses, you’re not going to have the muscle aches and pains and high fever that you would expect with flu.”

Avoiding illness is still your best bet. And Callaghan knows how.

“You can wash your hands,” she said.

Health professionals all push frequent hand washing as the best preventive medicine, along with avoiding contact with anyone who has cold or flu symptoms.

“And then, of course, the best thing that you can do during flu season is to get your flu shots,” she said. “That’s the most preventive measure that you can do with flu. You can still get the flu with a flu shot, but typically the flu will be less severe.”