Flu
is contagious and can lead to hospitalization.
Let's see how bad it is and if you need to see a doctor or even go to the emergency room. If you don't have to, a pharmacist will recommend something for you to take over-the-counter.
Before then, how do you know you have the flu anyway? Could it be a cold? What about strep throat, sinusitis and other respiratory illnesses?
While it can be difficult to distinguish between a cold and a flu. We will give it a try.
You should go to the emergency room only if you are very sure you have the flu. Else you will go in there and leave with the flu. This is because, other people with the flu are coming in and you could get infected.
We won't consider this a fever of the flu type. Let's continue to see if we are looking at a flu anyway. Not everyone with flu will have a fever. You may have a flu and not have a fever.
Let's continue to see if you are looking at the flu.
Usually, the first symptom of a flu is a fever between 102 and 106°F. But then again, not everyone with a flu will have a fever. Let's see if we can narrow it down to the flu.
Although a fever is usually the first symptom of a flu, not all people with the flu have fever.
Just a few more questions.
Did this start gradually over a few days or began quickly?
Gradually?
You may be leaning towards a cold here.
A cold usually start gradually as the cold virus invade the nasal area, while the flu hits you all at once.
Well, let's answer a few more questions because it is often difficult to tell a cold from the flu.
Is your nose runny and / or stuffed up?
Yes?
Suspect cold if this is at the beginning of the illness.
Runny and or stuffy nose is among the first symptoms with a cold as the virus invades the nasal area. Whereas with the flu, it is until the later stages.
What about headaches? Do you have any?
Yes?
The flu would involve a headache, but the cold, maybe a slight one if any.
Are you experiencing nausea and/or vomiting?
Hmmm.
Suspecting the flu. A cold doesn't involve nausea or vomiting.
Suspect the flu if you have:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting.
Are you feeling dizzy?
Feeling dizzy?
Suspect the flu. A cold doesn't involve dizziness.
Suspect the flu if:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling dizzy.
Is your face flushed?
Flushed face?
Suspect the flu. A cold doesn't involve flushing of the face.
Suspect the flu if:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling dizzy.
Flushed face
Are you experiencing severebody aches?
Yes?
Suspecting the flu. A cold doesn't involve severe body aches.
Suspect the flu if:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling dizzy
Flushed face
Severe body aches.
Have you been around someone with a flu within the past week?
Yes?
Is a runny or stuffy nose your main problem?
Or severe body ache and Lack of energy?
This assumes you are in the early stages of this illness.
Body ache?
Suspecting the flu.
A cold usually has runny or stuffy nose as the main symptom whereas with the flu, these come later after a severe body ache and so on.
Which of the symptoms we listed below also apply to you?
Flu symptoms usually start suddenly. It takes about 1 to 4 days with an average of 2 days for these symptoms to develop after you come in contact with the flu virus.
The first major flu symptom is usually a fever (between 102 and 106°F). This may hit you quickly.
Then, body aches(especially in the back and legs),chills,headache at first.
After 2 to 3 days of having the flu, you may start getting dry cough, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing and sore throat.
If these apply to you so far, then we say treat this like a flu.
It is going to be harder for you to fend off the flu virus leading to complications.
Flu illness affects the muscles. This can cause wide variations in your blood sugar.
Loss of appetite and thirst would make managing your diet harder.
The ADA recommends checking the blood sugar at least every 3 to 4 hours and reporting any significant changes to your doctor right away. You may need more insulin if your blood sugar is too high, or less if too low.
People with diabetes are about three times more likely to die from flu and pneumonia. Self care is not advised.
Better to see a doctor or go to the nearest urgent care. If it is determined to be a flu, you can be given an antiviral medication like tamiflu. This helps reduce the severity of the flu illness. But it has to be taken within 48 hours.
If you don't think you can make it to the nearest urgent care, let's continue.
You should see a doctor or go to the nearest urgent care. You will want to reduce complications of the flu.
However, if all you have left is a productive cough and chest congestion, then you are at the end of the illness and this will go away. You may not need to see a doctor.
If you are coughing out yellowish, green or bloody mucus, then go to the doctor as soon as possible. One of the main complications of the flu is pneumonia.
A few things to know if you have flu symptoms are listed below.
Summarized from cdc.gov
Go to emergency room if...
You have shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
Feeling dizzy all of a sudden
Feeling confused
Severe or persistently vomiting
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Purple or blue discoloration of the lips.
Your flu improved but then return with fever and very bad cough
Go to the emergency room only if you have these emergency warning signs of flu sickness.
Do not go if you are only mildly sick or else if you don't have the flu, you may get it from people who have it at the emergency room.
While you are sick..
Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making them sick. If you must leave home, wear a face mask if you have one or cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
Wash your hands often to keep from spreading flu to others.
CDC recommends you stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events and public gatherings for at least 24 hours after you fever is gone (without the use of fever reducing medications) except to get medical care or for other things you have to do and no one else can do for you.
Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the
bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean
by wiping them down with a household disinfectant
according to directions on the product label.
Try to stay in a separate room from others in the household if possible.
What to do at home:
Avoid close contact with well people in your house so you won't make them sick
Designate a sick room if possible and let all sick people share that room.
If you have more than one bathroom, have sick people use one bathroom and well people use the other one.
Let each sick person have their own drinking glass, washcloth and towel.
If visitors must enter the sick room, they should stay away at least 6 feet away from the sick person.
Open a window in the sick room or if possible use a fan to keep fresh air flowing.
Take great steps to prevent dehydration. Drink clear fluids such as water, broth or sports drinks.
Check your urine color: Clear or light yellow-colored urine means you are getting enough fluid. Dark yellow may signal dehydration.
How you might get the flu
Flu viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the infection coughs , sneezes or even talks. It can travel up to 6 feet away.
You can inhale the droplets directly or you can pick up the germs by touching objects where the droplets have landed, such as telephone or computer keyboards, or even door handles.
Next time...
(These widgets will take you to CDC site)
Get a flu shot!
The best time to be vaccinated is October and November. This will give your body enough time to develop antibodies to the flu virus before the peak flu season starts. This is typically between December and March. But remember, you can always get one later. It is better than not getting at all and it may still protect you.
Let's see how bad it is and if you need to see a doctor or even go to the emergency room. If you don't have to, a pharmacist will recommend something for you to take over-the-counter.
