Word story Expand. Hypochondriac comes ultimately from the Greek word hypokhondria, which literally means âunder the cartilage (of the breastbone).â In the late 16th century, when hypochondriac first entered the English language, it referred to the upper abdomen.
Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. Nasal symptoms, runny nose, and congestion follow, along with a cough by the fourth and fifth days. Fever is uncommon in adults, but a slight fever is possible.
A bout of the flu typically lasts one to two weeks, with severe symptoms subsiding in two to three days. Flu symptoms usually start within one to four days after infection, and they may come on suddenly. The first sign of influenza is often a fever or chills, followed by headache, sore throat, dry cough, runny nose, muscle aches, and fatigue. As the illness progresses, a person may have warm, flushed skin, watery or bloodshot eyes, a severe cough that brings up phlegm, nasal congestion, and nausea and vomiting.