You feel sick, and you’re tired.  You have symptoms including fever, dry cough, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, and many people report having these symptoms.  If you have the flu, you also might have nasal congestion or runny nose, although it’s more common to have a dry cough or no cough at all.  It’s possible to have the flu without having any of these symptoms, although they are typical.  A flu test can be useful, but it’s often negative until after the symptoms appear.  One way to figure out if you have the flu is to wait.  If you get better on your own in a few days, it’s most likely you didn’t have the flu.
assistant
This can be tricky!  Here are some clues to look out for:  do you have a fever, is your body achy, or is your nose blocked up?  But sometimes these symptoms come from other, less serious causes.  The best way to tell is to try taking some over-the-counter fever-reducing medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.  Sometimes the drugs will make the symptoms worse, if you’re sick with the flu, but if they help your symptoms, then you know you don’t have the flu!
assistant
How do I know if I have the flu?
user