The General Rule to Follow
It's always a case-by-case basis and how you ultimately feel, but the general rule of thumb is that if it's above the neck, you can workout, but if it's below the neck, then rest. Obviously if you have both, which I had severely, you should definitely be getting to a doctor because chances are you have something more than a common cold.Above the Neck
When I say above the neck, this typically means if you have a mild soar throat, stuffy nose, headache or just that overall weighted-down feeling in your head. To clarify further, by mild sore throat I mean that you can still swallow without pain. If you have some discomfort, that's not really a big deal, but if it's painful, you might want to get yourself checked out.Below the Neck
Below the neck is a pretty broad area, but typically refers to chest pain, respiratory fatigue, body aches, general body fatigue, or fever. Respiratory fatigue typically refers to having trouble breathing or some sort of pain in your chest from normal breathing activity. Doing a workout with this would be an extremely bad idea and could cause you to get worse a lot quicker.General body fatigue isn't the typical "I had a hard day yesterday, and my body is super tired", but rather the most common task seems taxing. For example, you get out of bed, walk to the bathroom and brush your teeth, or maybe go downstairs and get a cup of coffee. If you are feeling winded or exhausted from just that, this is what I am referring to. Also, body aches are not typical day-after-workout either, but rather your whole body feels like it's being put between a press and you are still trying to move around.
