Flu Season Ramping Up, Doctors Warn

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Christmas carols and jingling bells aren't the only sounds filling the air this time of year. Symphonies of sneezes and choirs of coughs mean the holiday season has brought cold and flu season along with it.

Desmond Watt, a physician assistant with One Medical Group, said while cases of the flu tend to spike between December and March, so does the common cold. He said there's a big difference between the two.

"Colds are miserable, you feel sick," Watt said. "Flu is super miserable. Often people will tell us they feel like they got hit by a brick wall. What we usually see with flu – which is different – is high fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and significant fatigue."

Being sure to wash your hands frequently, getting the flu vaccine, and resting up if you feel symptoms coming on are a few ways you can beat the flu and cold bug this winter, according to Watt.