Frequently Asked Questions

How can you tell if you have the flu or a common cold?
Fever: Rare with a cold. Characteristically high with the flu (102 - 104 degrees), comes on suddenly and lasts three or four days.
Headache: Rare with a cold. Often quite severe with the flu.
Aches and pains: Rare with a cold. Often quite severe with the flu.
Fatigue and weakness: Slight with a cold. Extreme with the flu and can last two or three weeks.
Runny, stuffy nose: Common with a cold. May occur with the flu.
Sneezing: Usual with a cold. May occur with the flu.
Sore throat: Common with a cold. May occur with the flu.
Chest discomfort and cough: Mild to moderate with a cold. Common with the flu and may become severe.

Warnings: CALL A DOCTOR IF:
-The person with cold symptoms is very young, very old, or is chronically ill.
-Symptoms persist for more than 10 days.
-Fever is 102 degrees or more.
-You are wheezing, having shortness of breath or chest pain.
-You cough up blood or thick, greenish phlegm.
-You have an earache or severe face or head pain. Do not self-medicate for more than a few days without a doctor''s advice. Heed all warnings printed on the medicine bottle. Do not give aspirin or aspirin-containing cold remedies to anyone under 18 years of age.

The "cold" actually could be a form of flu and children who take aspirin while they have the flu (or chickenpox) are believed to be a risk of Reye's syndrome, a sometimes fatal disorder.

For more information, contact the Health Center at  615.966.6304, fax 615.966.7066, or contact  susan.farris@lipscomb.edu or melanie.stewart@lipscomb.edu.