Cold vs Flu: which is which?

[Gary]

For the past week or so, I've been fighting a classic cold. Yes, a cold. Not the flu, not bronchitis, not the plague (all guesses/accusations from co-workers).

How do I know the difference?

Simple: no fever.

But for those that want a more definitive answer, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases provides this table as guidance: garypoole.blogspot.com/2012/12/cold-vs-flu-which-is-which.html

[Justin Thyme]

With the flu you have fever and chest congestion. With the cold you have a stuffy head and runny nose. Both produce a cough. The cold causes the coughing due to sinus drainage inflamming the throat and also causing a sore throat. The flu causes coughing due to the lungs trying to expectorate phlegm.