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Influenza - The Basics

You know that dreaded feeling only too well. It starts with a headache – but it doesn’t end there. You feel weak. Your arms, legs and back ache miserably. At first you have the

chills, then you’re feverish. You don’t need your any medical expert to tell you – it’s the flu.

More formally referred to as influenza by the medical community, this illness is not only common, but highly contagious. It’s a viral infection of the respiratory tract.

Because it is so contagious and is spread to readily when any infected person coughs or sneezes, outbreaks of the flu are fairly common. But don’t let it’s near constant appearance fool you. The flu is dead serious.

There are two fundamental reasons to remain ever watchful against the flu. First, the virus causing the flu is constantly changing. This makes it impossible for your system to build a strong immunity against it. The virus’s ever-changing form is the exact reason why flu vaccines aren’t 100 percent successful for every person.

Second, as a viral infection, this illness just can’t be treated with antibiotics. The best your health care practitioner can do is to give you medications to ease your symptoms.

Flu symptoms usually linger for about a week (though if you’re the one suffering with them, it seems like they stick around for a lot longer!). If you develop a bacterial infection along with the flu, though, those symptoms may indeed persist a little longer.

Don’t be surprised if following your bout with the flu, your body remains tired or sluggish for a week or even more. Your system experienced considerable stress in battling the virus; it’ll need some time to recuperate.

The is one illness that really knows no boundaries. It’ll strike just about anyone, regardless of her age. Its incidence, though, seems to be highest in school-age children. This is due, in all probability, to the close contact children undergo while in school for five to six hours a day. Many students, in addition, spend even more time around potentially infected children by attending day care either before or after school – or both.

One recent study suggested that if flu vaccination efforts seriously concentrated on total vaccinations of school-aged children, the vast majority of the cases in this country would never occur. It makes sense. Once a child gets sick with the flu, she’s likely to spread it to other family members. Then these family members take it to work or church or just about anywhere else.

All age groups are certainly susceptible to the flu, but specific groups feel its effects more severely than others. Those who may come down with the worst cases of the flu include the very young, the elderly, as well as those with chronic diseases. These groups also run the highest risks of dying from the virus.

Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.

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