Health Topics A-Z

What Are the Symptoms?

• Fever — usually between 101° F and 102° F but occasionally as high as 106° F — sometimes alternating with chills.
• Sore throat.
• Dry, hacking cough.
• Aching muscles.
• General fatigue and weakness.
• Nasal congestion, sneezing.
• Headache.

• You experience any of these symptoms and your immune system is already weakened by cancer, diabetes, AIDS, or other conditions; or if you have a serious illness such as chronic heart or kidney disease, impaired breathing, cystic fibrosis, or chronic anemia. You may be at risk of developing serious secondary complications and need to be carefully monitored as long as symptoms last.
• Your fever lasts more than three or four days, you become short of breath while resting, or you have chest pain. You may have developed pneumonia.
• Your nasal drainage is yellow or green and has lasted for more than 10 days.