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Your flu facts for
this winter- Have you got the sniffles or Flu?
Yes, it's that time of year again. We've all had days when
we wake up and feel so sick, we just can't drag ourselves
out of bed. We know we have something but we're just not sure
if it's a little cold or something more. How do you tell the
difference?
Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory infection caused
by a variety of flu viruses. It is estimated tens of 1000's
of Britain's come down with the flu during each flu season,
which typically lasts from November to March.
Children are two to three times more likely than adults to
get sick with the flu, and children frequently spread the
virus to others. Although most people recover from the illness,
a few people are hospitalised and some unfortunately die from
the flu and its complications every year. |
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When and Where Do
People Usually Get the Flu?
Flu outbreaks usually begin suddenly and occur mainly in the
late fall and winter. The disease spreads through communities
creating an epidemic. During the epidemic, the number of cases
peaks in about three weeks and subsides after another three
or four weeks. Half of the population of a community may be
affected. Because schools are an excellent place for flu viruses
to attack and spread, families with school-age children have
more infections than other families, with an average of one-third
of the family members infected each year.
How is the Flu Transmitted?
You can get the flu if someone around you who has the flu
coughs or sneezes. You can get the flu simply by touching
a surface like a telephone or door knob that has been contaminated
by a touch from someone who has the flu. The viruses can pass
through the air and can enter your body through your nose
or mouth. If you've touched a contaminated surface, they can
pass from your hand to your nose or mouth. You are at the
greatest risk of getting infected in highly populated areas,
such as in crowded living conditions and in schools.
Are There Different Types of Flu
Viruses?
The first flu virus was identified in the 1930's. Since then,
scientists have classified flu viruses into types A, B, and
C. Type A is the most common and usually causes the most serious
epidemics. Type B outbreaks also can cause epidemics, but
the disease it produces generally is milder than that caused
by type A. Type C viruses, on the other hand, never have been
connected with a large epidemic.
What are Possible Complications
from the Flu?
You can have flu complications if you get a bacterial infection,
which causes pneumonia in your weakened lungs. Pneumonia also
can be caused by the flu virus itself.
Symptoms of complications will usually appear after you
start feeling better. After a brief period of improvement,
you may suddenly get:
- High fever
- Shaking chills
- Chest pain with each breath
- Coughing that produces thick, yellow-greenish-colored
mucus
Pneumonia can be a very serious and sometimes life-threatening
condition. If you have any of these symptoms, you should contact
your doctor immediately so that you can get the appropriate
treatment.
Are There Other Flu Complications
that Only Affect Children?
Reye's syndrome, a condition that affects the nerves, sometimes
develops in children and adolescents who are recovering from
the flu. Reye's syndrome begins with nausea and vomiting,
but the progressive mental changes (such as confusion or delirium)
cause the greatest concern.
The syndrome often begins in young people after they take
aspirin to get rid of fever or pain. Although very few children
develop Reye's syndrome, you should consult a doctor before
giving aspirin or products that contain aspirin to children.
Acetaminophen does not seem to be associated with Reye's syndrome.
Other complications of the flu that affect children are:
- Convulsions caused by fever
- Croup
- Ear infections, such as otitis media
Newborn babies recently out of intensive care units are particularly
vulnerable to suffering from flu complications. |
Do It Yourself:
Before you go to your local
pharmacy and buy everything on the shelf known to man to aid
in a cold or the flu, you need to know that time is really the only
proven cure. However, there are some things you can do and medications
you can take to help give you some relief.
The good news for flu sufferers is that antiviral medications are
now available for specifically treating the flu. You need to get
to the doctor
within 48-hours of flu symptoms, for these medications to be effective.
Antiviral medications will limit your symptoms and shorten the
course of the illness It's not like turning off a switch but instead
of having two weeks of misery, you'll only have five to seven days
of more manageable symptoms.
Presently, there are many antiviral drugs available in your local
chemist, that have been approved for treatment of the flu and make
you less contagious to others. Then again, there are the old standards
your mother always told you to do: be sure to get ample rest and
drink lots of liquids.
Drinking hot liquids, such as tea or chicken broth, can help clear
your congestion and soothe a sore throat. Avoid using alcohol and
tobacco, which suppresses the immune system.
Antibiotics are not recommended to treat your cold or the flu because
they don't kill viruses and should be used only for bacterial complications
such as a sinus or ear infection. Children and teens with flu-like
symptoms should never be given products with aspirin without first
consulting your doctor.
Use of aspirin products in young flu sufferers has been associated
with Reye's syndrome, a rare condition that can be fatal.
There are some over-the-counter medications that have been approved
to be safe and effective for relieving some cold and flu symptoms.
Nasal decongestants are useful in opening up the nasal passages
and can be taken orally or applied topically, in the form of sprays
or drops. Use of these sprays for longer than three days can worsen
nasal congestion.
Coughs can be quieted with anti-tussives, also known as cough suppressants.
They include drugs taken orally as well as topical medications like
throat lozenges and ointments rubbed on the chest or used in a vaporiser.
Expectorants can also be useful. They are taken orally and help
loosen mucus, making coughs more productive.
An Ounce of Prevention ...
Although there is no sure-fire way to prevent the common cold,
the single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated. There
are basically two types of vaccines. The most common is the flu
injection, an inactivated vaccine, given with a needle. Flu vaccines
are extremely effective, it is a killed virus. It tells your body
what to look for and your body creates an immune response. The flu
injection is approved for use in individuals older than six months,
including healthy people, and people with chronic medical conditions.
The flu jab is the best protection against the virus. You can get
a free flu jab if you are:
- 65 or over,
- living in an old people’s home or nursing
home,
- are over 6 months old and have a long-term
(chronic) condition such as a heart or chest problem including
asthma, kidney disease or diabetes,
- have a lowered immune system due to disease
or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment.
Consult your doctor for further advise and see whether you are
eligible for a vaccination. The doctor may also advise you to have
the flu jab if you have serious liver disease.
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