Do You Have A Cold Or The Flu?

Fever And Chills

Fever is generally associated with the flu, and it rarely occurs with a cold. While chills are considered fairly common with flu, they are uncommon in patients who have a cold. When fever and chills are mild, they can be treated safely at home. Patients who have chills and a fever of 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit or less are advised to rest as much as possible and to drink plenty of fluids. The patient should be covered with a light sheet or blanket; bundling up in heavy blankets could cause their temperature to rise. Sponging the body with lukewarm water could help reduce a fever, and it may feel soothing to take a cool shower. However, patients should not use fans or run the air conditioning as doing so could make chills worse. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer like acetaminophen can help reduce body temperature. Adults should see a physician if they have a fever with chills that lasts more than two days. They should also be evaluated if the fever and chills are accompanied by severe coughing, shortness of breath, confusion, or abdominal pain.

Discover additional symptoms of the common cold and flu and how they differ now.