Overview
Influenza is a viral infection that affects the respiratory system, including the nose, throat, and lungs. The flu is a common nickname for influenza. It is a respiratory illness that can cause mild to severe disease and is contagious. The main methods of transmission for influenza(flu) viruses are coughing and sneezing. They can also be transmitted by touching a contaminated surface, then touching the mouth, eyes, or nose. Even before the onset of their symptoms as well as for up to a week following the onset of symptoms, people can spread the flu to others.
The flu typically goes away on its own for most people. But occasionally, influenza(flu) and its side effects can be fatal. The best way to prevent this is to get flu shots to fight influenza yearly. Continue reading to know more about Influenza(flu), its symptoms and how can we prevent ourselves during this flu season.
What are the Symptoms of Influenza (Flu)?
At first, the flu appears as a typical cold with a runny nose, sneezing, and sore throat. But colds typically come on gradually, whereas the flu typically strikes suddenly. And while a normal cold can be annoying, the flu typically makes you feel much worse.
Flu symptoms and signs frequently include:
⦁ Fever
⦁ Sore muscles
⦁ Sweats and chills
⦁ Headache
⦁ Continual dry cough
⦁ Shortness of breath
⦁ Fatigue and sluggishness
⦁ Runny or congested nose
⦁ Sore throat
⦁ Eye pain
⦁ Vomiting and diarrhea are more common in kids than in adults
The majority of people who get the flu treat themselves at home and rarely visit a doctor. However, seek medical attention right away if you exhibit severe flu symptoms.
Adults may experience the following emergency symptoms:
⦁ Breathing issues or shortness of breath
⦁ Chest pain
⦁ Persistent dizziness
⦁ Seizures
⦁ Existing medical conditions getting worse
⦁ Muscle pain or extreme weakness
Children’s emergency symptoms and signs can include:
⦁ Having trouble breathing
⦁ Colored lips
⦁ Chest pain
⦁ Dehydration
⦁ Pronounced muscle pain
⦁ Seizures
What Causes Influenza (Flu)?
The virus disperses through the air in droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. You can either directly inhale the droplets or pick up the germs from an object, such as cellphones, or a computer keyboard, and then transfer them to your eyes, nose, or mouth.
The following factors may increase your chances of getting the flu:
Age:
Seasonal influenza primarily affects children aged 6 months to 5 years old, as well as adults 65 and older.
Living or Working environment:
People who live or work in facilities with a high density of residents, such as nursing homes or military barracks, are more likely to contract the flu. People who are hospitalized are also more vulnerable.
Weakened Immune system:
Cancer treatments, anti-rejection drugs, long-term steroid use, organ transplant, blood cancer, or HIV/AIDS all have the potential to weaken the immune system. This can make it easier to catch the flu and may also increase the likelihood of complications developing.
Chronic illnesses:
Chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, nervous system diseases, metabolic disorders, an airway abnormality, and kidney, liver, or blood disease, can all increase the risk of influenza complications.
Viruses that cause influenza(flu) are constantly evolving, with new strains emerging regularly. If you’ve previously had influenza, your body has already produced antibodies to combat that strain of the virus. If future influenza viruses are similar to those you’ve encountered previously, whether, through disease or vaccination, those antibodies may prevent or lessen infection. However, antibody levels may decrease over time. Furthermore, antibodies against previous influenza viruses may not protect you from new influenza strains, which may be very different viruses from what you had previously.
How can we Treat Influenza (Flu)?
Your doctor will perform a physical examination to look for influenza symptoms, and perhaps recommend a test to identify influenza(flu) viruses. In many hospitals and laboratories, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is becoming more popular. You might undergo this test while you’re in the hospital or at your doctor’s office. The flu strain may be identified using PCR testing, which is more sensitive than other tests.
Rest and a lot of fluids are typically all you need to recover from the flu. However, if you have a serious infection or are more likely to experience complications, your doctor might advise taking an antiviral medication to treat the flu. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), peramivir (Rapivab), and baloxavir are some examples of these medications (Xofluza). These medications could cut your illness’ duration by a day or two and help you avoid serious complications.
Taking these following steps could lessen your symptoms:
Consume lots of liquids:
To avoid dehydration, choose fluids like water, juice, and warm soups.
Rest:
Increase your sleep to help your body’s defenses against infection. Depending on your symptoms, you might need to alter your level of activity.
Take painkillers:
To relieve the pain brought on by influenza, take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc.).
How can we Prevent the Flu?
The best way to prevent ourselves from the flu is to get vaccinated. Vaccine immunity fades over time, so annual vaccination is recommended to protect against influenza. Inactivated influenza (flu) vaccines that have been injected are the most commonly used around the world.
Even when circulating viruses do not exactly match the vaccine viruses, the influenza vaccine protects healthy adults. However, influenza (flu) vaccination may be less effective in preventing illness among the elderly, but it does reduce disease severity and the incidence of complications and deaths. Vaccination is especially important for people who live with or care for people who are at high risk of influenza complications.
Controlling Viral Transmission
It is also important to take other precautions to limit the spread of infection, such as:
⦁ Wash your hands.
Many common infections can be avoided by washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used if soap and water are not available.
⦁ Try not to touch your face.
Avoid putting your hands near your mouth, nose, or eyes. Coughs and sneezes should be covered. Sneeze or cough into your elbow or a tissue. After that, wash your hands.
⦁ Surfaces should be clean.
To prevent the spread of infection from touching a virus-infected surface and then touching your face, clean frequently touched surfaces regularly.
⦁ Stay away from crowds.
The flu spreads quickly in places where people congregate, such as childcare centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums, and public transportation. Avoiding being in crowds during peak flu season lowers your risk of infection.
Takeaway
The influenza virus, which causes a viral infection, is still a global public health concern, with the potential to cause seasonal epidemics and pandemics. Vaccination is thought to be the most effective anti-infection strategy.
clinical research organizations are investigating the use of mRNA technology to develop vaccines that treat and prevent a variety of diseases, including influenza.
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