# The symptoms of a common cold include: a runny or blocked nose # sneezing # minor throat irritation # mild fever # a feeling that your ears are blocked # coloured mucus or nasal discharge - this means that your immune system is fighting the infection. Influenza is a much more serious illness. Often people call a severe common cold 'the flu', but they are quite different illnesses. Symptoms of influenza usually start suddenly with a high fever and you may feel sick enough to go to bed. Symptoms include: # irritation in the throat or lungs # a dry cough # high fever # shivering # sweating # severe muscle aches The flu tends to make the whole body ache, whereas the common cold usually affects the nose and throat only.

Flu causing a high temperature, pains and weakness. Cold not serious.

They are totally different families of viruses although both are considered to be upper respiratory tract infections (lungs, throat, sinuses, etc.). Typically influenza symptoms are a lot worse than colds, but that all depends on which specific virus the person gets, and how susceptible they are to it. Colds are also one of the most common infections in the world.

cold = 感冒 influenza = 流感