Your Best Defense Against the Flu
Having the flu can be a miserable experience, but it doesn’t do any lasting harm to most healthy people. However, the flu, which is caused by a virus, can lead to complications that may require hospitalization, and for some people, it is fatal: Between 2010 and 2014, the number of flu-related deaths in the U.S. has ranged from 12,000 to 56,000 per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Diagnosing the Flu
“In general, flu is marked by a high fever and a bad cough. Vomiting and diarrhea are not typical symptoms, but they can occur,” says Elizabeth Jacobson, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Other flu symptoms include a sore throat, chills, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
People who are at high risk of developing pneumonia or other complications from the flu include:
- Children age 5 and younger
- Adults age 65 or older
- People who have a weakened immune system due to a health condition such as leukemia, HIV, or viral hepatitis
- People who are being treated with medication that suppresses the immune system for conditions such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune thyroid diseases
- People who have heart disease, lung disease (COPD or asthma), diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, or liver disease
It can be difficult to distinguish the flu from other viral or bacterial infections of the respiratory system. The only way to confirm you have the flu is to get a nasal swab—but this requires going to the doctor and waiting for test results to come back. That’s why doctors also consider the prevalence of flu in the community; if many other people in your area have the flu, and your symptoms are similar to theirs, you probably have the flu.
If You Have Symptoms
If you think you have the flu, stay home and call your doctor. “Being in public when you have the flu spreads it through the community, so you are better off staying home,” says Dr. Jacobson.
Call as soon as possible after symptoms appear. If your doctor determines you probably have the flu, he or she may prescribe Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that targets the flu virus. A five-day course started within 48 to 72 hours of flu onset can shorten the duration and severity of flu. Over-the-counter medications can help lower fever and control cough, but they won’t affect how long the flu lasts.
Dr. Jacobson also advises drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration caused by fever. “Chicken soup is a great choice, since it provides you with both fluids and nutrition,” she says.
Stop the Spread
Most people with the flu are contagious from one day before symptoms appear until five to seven days after symptoms appear. A person who has the flu, along with everyone in his or her household, should wash their hands often and disinfect objects that are shared, such as doorknobs, telephones, and television remotes. Always cover your mouth or turn your head down and into your arm when you cough. Household members who don’t have the flu may want to take a 10-day preventive course of Tamiflu if their doctor approves it.
Getting Vaccinated
The flu shot provides immunity against several different strains of the influenza virus. Each year, the flu vaccine is formulated to fight off the strains researchers determine are most likely to spread and cause illness.
The ideal time to get a flu shot is late October or early November; any earlier, and you may no longer be immune when flu season peaks. A flu shot reduces your risk of getting the flu, but it doesn’t provide 100 percent protection; according to the CDC, getting vaccinated reduces the risk of getting the flu by 40 to 60 percent.
The regular flu vaccine is less effective in older adults, because their resistance to viral infection is lower, but there is a high-dose flu vaccine available for adults age 65 and older.
It may be more convenient to get your flu shot at a pharmacy rather than at your doctor’s office; if you do, make sure to ask that the record of your vaccincation is sent to your doctor.
Even if you get the flu, you may still get a flu shot after you recover; it might prevent you from being infected with a different strain.
If you do get the flu a second time, call your doctor right away. “You are at increased risk for pneumonia, and you need to be evaluated without delay,” says Dr. Jacobson.
The post Your Best Defense Against the Flu appeared first on University Health News.
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