Flu or Influenza Treatment
and Prevention
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Should you get a flu shot?
Influenza, or "the flu" as it is commonly called, is
something that affects almost all of us at one point or
another. Some people are so used to it that they think it’s a
normal part of life. The truth is that you don’t have to suffer
from influenza every flu season and there are things you can do
to prevent it. The most important thing you can do to prevent
contracting the flu is to get a flu shot.
The flu shot is especially important for young children, the
elderly and anyone with a weakened immune system or that may be
pregnant during the flu season. The flu has a higher death rate
and more severe symptoms that other viral infections and upper
respiratory infections such as the common cold.
Flu symptoms
Some common symptoms of the flu are fever (usually 100-103F
in adults), cough, sore throat,
runny or stuff nose, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and
generally feeling bad. Body aches are common and so are nausea
and vomiting and possibly diarrhea, especially in children with
the flu. The "stomach flu" is caused by a different bacteria
and is not actually the flu at all.
When you have the flu, you will usually get over it on your
own in about one to two weeks but since the virus can be so
debilitating to your normal life and routine, most people seek
medical treatment to help them get over it more quickly.
Getting treatment within the first two days of noticing
symptoms will greatly reduce the period of time that your flu
symptoms last. However, there are also some cases of influenza
that lead to more serious conditions such as pneumonia or even
death.
Recent statistics show that nearly 20,000 deaths per year
can be associated with the flu and many more serious
complications that require hospitalization. If you suspect that
you have the flu or if you have already been diagnosed with the
flu and it is not getting better with time and treatment,
contact your doctor immediately. Young children, the elderly
and people who already have lung problems or a breathing
condition such as asthma are at greater risk of complications
from the influenza virus.
Take the flu seriously and get treatment as early as
possible. Don’t just wait for it to go away on its own or you
could develop more serious lung or breathing disorders.
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