The flu is a contagious infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus.
Alternative Names
Influenza A; Influenza B
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
In temperate climates, influenza A usually arrives between early winter and early spring. Influenza B can appear at any time of the year.
The most common way to catch the flu is by breathing in droplets from coughs or sneezes. Less often, it is spread when you touch a surface such as a faucet handle or phone that has the virus on it, and then touch your own mouth, nose, or eyes.
Symptoms appear 1 - 7 days later (usually within 2 - 3 days). Because the flu spreads through the air and is very contagious, it often strikes a community all at once, causing an epidemic illness. This creates a cluster of school and work absences. Many students become sick within 2 or 3 weeks of the flu's arrival in a school.
Tens of millions of people in the United States get the flu each year. Most get better within a week or two, but thousands become sick enough to be hospitalized. About 36,000 people die each year from complications of the flu.
Sometimes people confuse colds and flu, which share some of the same symptoms and typically occur at the same time of the year. However, the two diseases are very different. Most people get a cold several times each year, and the flu only once every few years.
People often use the term "stomach flu" to describe a viral illness where vomiting or diarrhea is the main symptom. This is incorrect, as the stomach symptoms are not caused by the flu virus. Flu infections are primarily respiratory infections.
Other common symptoms include:
•Body aches
•Chills
•Dizziness
•Flushed face
•Headache
•Lack of energy
•Nausea
•Vomiting
Somewhere between day 2 and day 4 of the illness, the "whole body" symptoms begin to subside, and respiratory symptoms begin to increase.
The most prominent of the respiratory symptoms is usually a dry, hacking cough. Most people also develop a sore throat and headache. Runny nose (nasal discharge) and sneezing are common.
These symptoms (except the cough) usually disappear within 4 - 7 days. Sometimes, the fever returns. The cough and tiredness usually last for weeks after the rest of the illness is over.
Other symptoms may include:
•Loss of appetite
•Muscle aches and stiffness
•Stuffy, congested nose
•Sweating
•Worsening of underlying illness, such as asthma or heart failure
If you have mild illness and are not at high risk, take these steps:
•Rest
•Take medicines that relieve symptoms and help you rest
•Drink plenty of liquids
•Avoid aspirin (especially teens and children)
•Avoid alcohol and tobacco
•Avoid antibiotics (unless necessary for another illness)
welcome to my life...
I had to lay down and I feel like my inside where at war with me or having one heck of a party in which I wanted no part of. I have a feeling this is going to continue because it's 9pm and I still feel sick, sick, sick, sick - with no doubt it's a flu...
ETSY FEATURE OF THE DAY:
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QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Have you had you flu shot this year?
Would love to know your feelings on the whole flu shot - I am a type 1 diabetic and so I have to get one BUT it doesn't always help as you know - but it could of been worse...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Have you had you flu shot this year?
Would love to know your feelings on the whole flu shot - I am a type 1 diabetic and so I have to get one BUT it doesn't always help as you know - but it could of been worse...
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Actually, I have had my flu shot!! Ha. I'm a fellow May for Me participant and wanted to say hello! That flu is nasty stuff!
ReplyDeleteWe don't get the shot. I know that people really think we should but I try not to put anything in us that we don't have to.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand I have had one friend die of the flu this year and know of 3 others that were family or friends of friends so be careful and get better soon!
Thanks for visiting our blog. We both hope you are feeling better real soon. Nothing worse than feeling sick.
ReplyDeleteKevin and Ruth
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
Oh, dear, oh, dear, I hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteThank you for featuring my etsy shop. I love working with plastic canvas as it is craft that you can work on just about any place (at home, on the road, at the doctor's office). There are so many items that can be made from plastic canvas and those in my shop are just a few of them. I think the biggest item that I've made is the doll house for my granddaughter and her Barbie dolls. Pictures are posted on my flickr account. If you need a special color or item just drop me a note and I'll see what I can do.
ReplyDelete