How can I avoid the flu? I think I have the flu — should I see a doctor? When to seek medical attention How can I avoid giving the flu to other people? What medications should I take for the flu?
Tips for buying over-the-counter medications Looking after yourself when you have the flu Other useful tips for flu recovery Where to get help. It is estimated that flu contributes to more than 3, deaths in Australia each year.
Other symptoms can be: chills aching behind the eyes loss of appetite sore throat runny or stuffy nose. Having the flu is even more likely if you have been in contact with someone who already has it.
Diagnosing flu Flu, and other kinds of viruses, can only be confirmed by a doctor after a nose or throat swab has returned positive results. What to expect with the flu Symptoms of the flu hit very quickly and may last several weeks.
A bout of the flu typically follows this pattern: Days 1—3: Sudden appearance of fever, headache, muscle pain and weakness, dry cough, sore throat and sometimes a stuffy nose. Day 4: Fever and muscle aches decrease. Hoarse, dry or sore throat, cough and possible mild chest discomfort become more noticeable. You may feel tired or flat. Day 8: Symptoms decrease. Cough and tiredness may last one to two weeks or more. What about flu complications?
The flu can also make some existing medical conditions worse. People at higher risk of severe complications associated with the flu include: pregnant women people aged over 65 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people children under 5 years people with chronic medical conditions. When to seek medical attention See your doctor if you have any concerns. This article discusses why coughs develop, how long coughs tend to last in different circumstances, and when someone should contact a doctor.
Stomach flu often develops due to the norovirus. Find out how long it is contagious for, how long the symptoms last, and more in this article.
How long does the flu last? Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. How long does flu last? Timeline and symptoms Treatment Recovery tips Seeing a doctor Summary Many sources discuss the common cold and flu as though they are interchangeable, but the flu is usually worse than the common cold. Timeline and symptoms.
How to aid recovery. When to see a doctor. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. What to know about the swine flu vaccine. What complications can the flu lead to? Medically reviewed by Michael Virata, MD.
Is stomach flu contagious? Getting sick with influenza also puts you at risk of other infections. These include viral or bacterial pneumonia which affect the lungs. The risk of complications can be life-threatening. Seniors 65 years and older, very young children, people who have lung or heart diseases, certain chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems are at greater risk.
Healthy pregnant women in the second half of their pregnancy are at greater risk of hospitalization following infection with influenza virus. In Canada, thousands of people are hospitalized and may die from influenza and its complications during years with widespread or epidemic influenza activity. Getting an influenza vaccine can help prevent you from getting sick with influenza and from spreading it to others. Influenza spreads easily from person to person through coughing, sneezing or face-to-face contact.
The virus can also spread when a person touches tiny droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person or object and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.
An infected person can spread the influenza virus even before feeling sick. You can also help stop the spread of flu by avoiding unnecessary contact with other people while you're infectious. You should stay off work or school until you're feeling better. In some people at risk of more serious flu, an annual flu vaccine or antiviral medication may be recommended to help reduce the risk of becoming infected. Read more about how to stop the spread of flu.
The symptoms of flu usually develop within 1 to 3 days of becoming infected. Most people will feel better within a week. It can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have flu or just a cold , as the symptoms can be quite similar. The main differences are:. If you are otherwise fit and healthy, there's usually no need to visit your GP if you have flu-like symptoms. You should just rest at home until you feel better, while keeping warm, drinking plenty of water and taking painkillers if necessary.
Read more about how to treat flu. In these situations, you may need extra treatment to prevent or treat complications of flu. Usually, you can manage flu symptoms yourself at home and there's no need to see a GP. Most people feel better within a week. You should consider seeing your GP if you're at a higher risk of becoming more seriously ill.
This includes people who:. If you're otherwise healthy, you can look after yourself at home by resting, keeping warm and drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration. If you feel unwell and have a fever, you can take paracetamol or anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen to lower your temperature and relieve aches. Children under 16 shouldn't be given aspirin. See your GP if your symptoms get worse or last longer than a week. Read the page on preventing flu for more information about stopping the infection spreading to others.
In , the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NICE recommended that doctors should consider treating people in the at-risk groups mentioned above with the antiviral medications oseltamivir Tamiflu or zanamivir Relenza to reduce the risk of complications of flu.
Antivirals work by stopping the flu virus from multiplying in the body. They won't cure flu, but they may help slightly reduce the length of the illness and relieve some of the symptoms. Recent research has suggested that Tamiflu and Relenza may not be effective at reducing the risk of flu complications and could cause side effects, so not all doctors agree they should be used.
But there is evidence that antivirals can reduce the risk of death in patients hospitalised with flu. In the light of this evidence, Public Health England says it is important that doctors treating severely unwell patients continue to prescribe these drugs where appropriate.
For more information read the NICE guidelines on antivirals to treat influenza.
0コメント