Recognising Symptoms Of Influenza

There are numerous symptoms of this illness that people can suffer from. Some are listed below:

1.Aching muscles
2.Fever above 100 degrees F or 38 degrees C (not always present during flu)
3.Chills
4.Sore throat
5.Cough
6.Fatigue
7.Headaches
8.Stuffy or a runny nose
9. Diarrhea
10.Vomiting

People suffering from Influenza do not always have all the symptoms listed above at the same time. They may only exhibit some of the symptoms and still have the flu.

Is Influenza a Serious Illness?

The flu mutates from year to year. It never is quite the same as it was the year before. This means that the severity of it also changes. It all depends on which flu viruses are present during the season, how widespread vaccination efforts are, and if the vaccine has been created to fit the given present flu viruses. As to how serious the Influenza can become in a particular flu season, that is dependent on the health of those who have contracted the disease. People with certain health conditions could be more at risk than other one do for contracting flu and having complications from it. Also, the elderly and young children are at risk.

How is Influenza Spread?

ENT Surrey experts believe that this illness is spread through the wind. This means that when flu sufferers talk, sneeze or cough that the flu particles are transferred to others in the vicinity through their nasal passages or mouths. Most of the time you cannot catch the flu just by touching a surface that a sick person has touched. These times are rare. The flu sufferers are contagious a day before symptoms appearing and up to a week after.

Why is Vaccinations Recommended to Lessen the Effects of Influenza?

While it is true that your body builds up some immunity to the flu because of making antibodies, the body will only have that immunity towards that same strain of flu. Next year’s flu could be entirely different which is problematic and where yearly vaccinations come into play. The World Health Organisation decides which strains of influenza are most likely to hit that year and develop that year’s vaccines to fight those strains. These vaccines help your body build antibodies against those strains that the vaccines are made to fight.

When Should You Get an Influenza Vaccine?

You should be vaccinated as soon as the yearly vaccine is available. This is typically in September each year, for the northern hemisphere, but could become available sooner in some cases. Each flu season varies a bit from the year before, but it usually runs from October through May. (Again this is for the northern hemisphere)

Preventative Measures

It is recommended that anyone over six months old receive the flu vaccine each year. While this will not eliminate influenza all together, it can lessen the severity of the symptoms. Other preventative measures that you can take include:

Cover your mouth or nose when coughing and sneezing. This will prevent spreading the disease when you have it. The recommendation today is to cough or sneeze into your arm instead of your hands. It keeps your hands from spreading the virus.

Hand washing is always important, but even more so during flu season. This eliminates germs and viruses from your hands. It takes about 15 to 20 seconds to wash hands and remember under the nails thoroughly and in between the fingers.

Stay home when you are ill and avoid large groups of people during flu season if at all possible.

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