the cold and the flu are caused by different viruses. so a cold can’t turn into the flu. but there’s nothing stopping you from getting a cold and the flu at the same time or a few days later. you catch a cold and the flu in very similar ways – being around someone who is sick or touching something like a phone or door knob that someone touched and contaminated with a virus. the cold is generally a mild infection that lasts for four to five days and gets better on its own. sometimes you may feel sicker after a few days if the cold leads to a sinus infection or bronchitis. the flu is worse and hits you like a ton of bricks. one minute you feel fine and a few hours later it hurts to get out of bed. the flu usually resolves on its own after a week or so but can also lead to a sinus infection or bronchitis and unusually even pneumonia. neither the cold not the flu typically has nausea or other stomach problems. if you have those symptoms there is a good chance you have another type of infection or something else. the best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine. but you also need to wash your hands often to help prevent spreading the cold or flu to yourself.
can a cold develop into the flu?