How to Spot Influenza

CDC reports indicate influenza activity is still going strong; Texas ranks the second highest in reported cases.  If you haven’t gotten a flu shot, experts ask you to do so… If you are amongst the many that fear getting the shot will give them the flu – they agree it is not the case.  The flu vaccine is a dead-virus. It may take up to two weeks for the vaccine to kick in.

If you are exposed to the virus, experts say it may take up to a week for the flu virus to really affect our bodies. After that you will see the following signs:

• Fever with body temperature 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more
• Common respiratory problems such as cold and cough
• Clogged and runny nose
• Migraine accompanied by muscle pains
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Chills and Fatigue

The usual first sign is the respiratory problems which can be cough then cold or the opposite. This can then be treated by common flu medications like BioFlu, Tamiflu and Relenza. These are good drugs that will help deal with flu at the early stage.

Here are EMERGENCY warning signs:

In children:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• 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
• Fever with a rash

In adults:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu.