Facts About Flu – Everything You Need To Know
Flu season has arrived, and streaming eyes, runny noses, achy joints and fevers are all too common. But is catching the flu always harmless? When should you see a doctor? Are there any treatments available to protect us from catching flu? It’s often difficult to know exactly what to do when you have flu, or even establish f it is flu in the first place. Belle spoke to GP, Dr Lizzie- Kershaw Yates at The Online Clinic to tell us everything we need to know about influenza.
Flu symptoms
Flu can have a number of different symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Dry cough
- Running nose
- Sore throat
- Aching joints and muscles
All of these can also be a symptom of a cold. To know that it’s flu and not a cold, you would also have to have a moderate to high fever (although this isn’t always the case), shaking chills, nausea, vomiting and severe fatigue. Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly and severely, whereas cold symptoms develop slowly over a few days.
Do you need treatment for flu?
Fluids and rest are the best ways to treat the flu, but over-the-counter drugs such as paracetamol or aspirin can help to ease symptoms. Flu is viral, so antibiotics will have no impact – so, do not seek out antibiotics if you have the flu. They would only be required if complications develop such as a chest infection.
If you do visit a GP, they may prescribe you antiviral drugs, which can shorten the duration of the flu and help to prevent complications. However, they need to be taken within the first 48 hours for them to work, and most of the time just rest and fluids are enough to treat it.
When is it time to see the doctor?
People who are at risk of complications should call their doctor when they first develop symptoms. The people who are most at risk are:
- Those with weakened immune systems because of HIV or chemotherapy
- Children under 2
- Pregnant women
- People over 50
- People with asthma
- People with heart or kidney disease
You should also see a GP if your symptoms persist for over a week or become more serious – but contact NHS Direct before taking yourself to a surgery, as you might infect other people. Also, see a doctor if you show any signs of pneumonia which include, trouble breathing, chest pain, green mucus when coughing, high persistent fever or a severe sore throat.
Do you need a flu jab?
Vaccination for the flu is an important annual public health drive. You will be offered a flu jab from your GP if you have a chronic disease such as asthma, diabetes or if you are over 65. Young children will be offered a flu nasal spray by their school nurse or a health visitor.
If you don’t fit the criteria needed for a flu jab, it’s still possible to get one although it won’t be covered by the NHS. High street pharmacies offer the injection for around £7-15, which is something that should be considered if you are regularly in contact with young or elderly people, or if you are caring for a relative who is unwell.
- Advice given by Dr Elizabeth Kershaw-Yates, GP and one of the medical team at The Online Clinic: https://www.theonlineclinic.co.uk/
