How different is cold from influenza?

While both the conditions have similar conditions, the symptoms of cold are mild when compared to that of influenza. They also do not last as long and are self limiting. Influenza on the other hand can make a person very sick and it can also result in complications if not treated on time. For treating influenza, there are specific laboratory tests available.

Risk factors of Cold

The risk of catching a cold infection increases due to these risk factors
   
•    Spending time in confined places, where the ventilation is not good or if there is close contact with an infected person
•    Inhaling the air sneezed out or exhaled by an infected person
•    Touching eyes and nose with infected hands. Since the hands are often infected first with the virus, this increases the chances of the virus entering the body
•    Smoking increases the time that the virus stays in the body
•    Lack of sleep has shown to raise the chances of infection to rhinovirus
•    Individuals with low vitamin D levels are more susceptible to infection
•    If the weather is less humid, the chances of infection are higher.
•    Individuals with stronger immune system have symptoms that are more likely to be worse than those with weaker immune system. This is because the symptoms are due to reaction of the immune system and not the virus itself.