What is the Flu?

The flu is a contagious infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. The influenza virus causes the flu.

Symptoms can vary form one person to the next and include a dry cough, fever that may go high at times, a headache, muscular aches and pains, muscle stiffness, a stuffy and congested nose, fatigue, chills, dizziness, loss of appetite, malaise, nasal discharge, shortness of breath, sweating, vomiting, and also wheezing.

Individuals who are at high risk for complications from the flu are those who are age 50 or older, children between 6 months and 2 years of age, women who are more than 3 months pregnant during flu season, and anyone living in a long-term care facility or who has chronic heart, lung, or kidney conditions, diabetes, or who have a weakened immune system.

The flu is often confused with the cold virus because they share the same symptoms. The flu and cold also occur at the same time of year. The two diseases are very different though. Most people get a cold several times a year. The flu is something that most people only get once every couple of years. Flu infections are primarily respiratory infections.

What is the best treatment for the flu?

If you have mild symptoms of the flu you should rest in bed, take medicines designed to relieve the symptoms that you are having, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Never give aspirin to children or teens. Avoid taking alcohol or using any tobacco products while you have the flu. Antibiotics are not necessary for the flu. Antiviral medications can help shorten the length of time you have flu symptoms if they are taken within the first 48 hours of developing flu symptoms. Antiviral medications will only help if what you have is indeed the flu and not a cold.

If the individual is otherwise healthy, the flu normally goes away within 7 to 10 days of onset of symptoms.

Complications that are possible from the flu are pneumonia, encephalitis, bronchitis, sinus infection, and an ear infection. If you are in any of the high risk categories (over age 50, have a chronic illness, or diabetes you should contact your doctor immediately upon noticing the first symptoms of the flu. If you think that you are having any of the above complications see your doctor for diagnosis.

Flu prevention:

Some doctors recommend a yearly flu vaccination for all high-risk people including those who work in patient-care areas. The flu vaccine is available as a shot or as a nasal spray-type flu vaccine.

Approximately 25 to 50 million cases of the flu are reported each year in the U.S. Approximately 150,000 hospitalizations are flu-related and between 30,000 and 40,000 deaths each year are attributed to the flu. Most of the flu-related deaths occur due to pneumonia or because the flu exacerbated cardiopulmonary conditions or other chronic diseases. 90% of death from flu-related illnesses is of older adults. 

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