If your clothes are getting drenched, you most likely have a fever. Drink more fluids and consider seeing your doctor, especially if your fever is over 102 degrees. That could be a sign that you have the flu. Stay away from work—and friends—until you feel better.

If you have a fever plus white patches on your tonsils, you may have strep throat, which is highly contagious and may require antibiotics. Call your doctor immediately.

If you wake up with a headache, it may be a cold, especially if you have other symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion and body aches. In that case, you may need to stay home a day or two while you're most contagious and feel the worst.

But if you have a headache and can't tolerate noise or light, you may have a migraine and shouldn't be at work. If you have recurring headaches and haven't seen a doctor, make an appointment. A doctor can assess the cause of your headache. There's no point in suffering; there are drugs you can take for migraines and other chronic headaches that start working within the hour and shorten the migraine's duration.

Is that an ear infection?