 [ Symptoms ] natural home remedies for getting rid of lice what works and what do not like vinegar should it be white or apple cider does spearmint in mouthwash keep lice at bay olive oil baby oil which one works spray for the house i can make at home [ Disease ] most helpful answer the flu influenza and the common cold are caused by different viruses the flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses the common cold is often caused by rhinovirus infection although a number of other viruses also can cause cold like symptoms influenza and the common cold have similar symptoms and it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone in general the flu is worse than the common cold and symptoms of flu including fever cough sore throat muscle or body aches and extreme tiredness tend to come on suddenly people with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose although the flu also can cause those symptoms influenza infection can result in hospitalization and sometimes even death while colds are usually milder and generally do not result in serious health problems the best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year also good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands can help stop the spread of many germs that make us sick