Frequently Asked Questions About the Flu.

The following are frequently asked questions about the flu are answered by Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group doctors.

What are the symptoms of the flu?
The symptoms for seasonal flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.

How can you tell the difference between the flu and a cold? 
The influenza viruses can be distinguished from other common colds because the symptoms such as cough, fever, body aches, and extreme tiredness are more severe. Also, the flu symptoms tend to occur suddenly. My patients have described it as feeling fine one minute and then over a few hours they feel like they were run over by a truck. Healthy people who develop the flu cannot work, attend school or participate in normal activities for several days.

How is the flu spread from person to person?
Coughing, sneezing and nasal secretions allow the virus to be spread easily from person to person. Those infected can be contagious beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. 

Who is considered high risk?
The very young, those over 65 and people with certain health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, kidney or heart disease are at a higher risk for more severe flu symptoms and complications. Bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions are all considered complications of the flu.

How do I know if I should seek emergency medical treatment?
As recommended by the CDC, if you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Do I have to get the flu vaccine every year?
Yes. The reason is because the vaccine is different each year. The influenza virus has a high rate of mutation. New or different versions of previous year’s viral strains can emerge each season therefore our immune systems and antibodies need to be updated with the new vaccine. It is offered as a shot or nasal spray. Both are highly effective at preventing the flu.  It takes up to two weeks for protection to develop after the vaccination, but protection can last up to a year. The vaccine is made up of killed or weakened virus therefore it absolutely cannot cause the flu.

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