Faith80
10-22-2002, 04:54 PM
I looked this up since people are asking:
Symptoms
Flu is usually signaled by headache, chills, and dry cough, which are followed rapidly by body aches and fever. Typically, the fever starts declining on the second or third day of the illness. It is then that the upper respiratory symptoms become noticeable -- nasal congestion and sore throat. Flu almost never causes gastrointestinal symptoms; the illness that people often call "stomach flu" is not influenza.
Usually, doctors diagnose flu on the basis of whether flu is epidemic in the community and whether the patient's complaints fit the current pattern of symptoms. Doctors rarely use laboratory testing to identify the virus. Health officials monitor certain U.S. health clinics and do tests to determine which type of flu virus is responsible for
Most people recover from the flu in a few days, and from colds in a couple of weeks. If your symptoms get worse, instead of better, call your doctor. Also, call your doctor right away if you suffer these symptoms:
#1 Difficultly breathing or chest pain
Aside from the stuffy nose and some general muscle aches, a cold or the flu should not make you short of breath or cause pain in your chest. These could be symptoms of a more serious problem such as heart disease, asthma, pneumonia, or others. Contact your doctor or go to the emergency room.
#2 Persistent Fever
This can be a sign of a secondary infection in your body that should be treated.
#3 Vomiting or Inability to Keep Fluids Down
Your body needs fluids to stay hydrated. If you can't keep down fluids, you may need to go to the hospital to receive fluids intravenously.
#4 Painful Swallowing
This is not normal. Although minor discomfort when you swallow can come from a sore throat, severe pain can be a sign of an infection or injury that needs to be treated by a doctor.
#5 Persistent Coughing
A cough that won't go away is usually just postnasal drip that may be treated with antihistamines. However, it could also be related to asthma or GERD, both of which can be treated by your doctor. In recent years, doctors have found an increase in a former childhood infection called pertussis (whooping cough in children). So if you have an unexplained cough for more than 2 to 3 weeks, your doctor may want to try an antibiotic to treat this type of infection.
#6 Persistent Congestion and Headaches
Colds and allergies that cause congestion and blockage of the sinus passages can lead to a sinus infection. If you have symptoms don't go away with usual medication, you may need to be treated with antibiotics. See your doctor if these symptoms persist.
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As long as there is life, there is hope
Symptoms
Flu is usually signaled by headache, chills, and dry cough, which are followed rapidly by body aches and fever. Typically, the fever starts declining on the second or third day of the illness. It is then that the upper respiratory symptoms become noticeable -- nasal congestion and sore throat. Flu almost never causes gastrointestinal symptoms; the illness that people often call "stomach flu" is not influenza.
Usually, doctors diagnose flu on the basis of whether flu is epidemic in the community and whether the patient's complaints fit the current pattern of symptoms. Doctors rarely use laboratory testing to identify the virus. Health officials monitor certain U.S. health clinics and do tests to determine which type of flu virus is responsible for
Most people recover from the flu in a few days, and from colds in a couple of weeks. If your symptoms get worse, instead of better, call your doctor. Also, call your doctor right away if you suffer these symptoms:
#1 Difficultly breathing or chest pain
Aside from the stuffy nose and some general muscle aches, a cold or the flu should not make you short of breath or cause pain in your chest. These could be symptoms of a more serious problem such as heart disease, asthma, pneumonia, or others. Contact your doctor or go to the emergency room.
#2 Persistent Fever
This can be a sign of a secondary infection in your body that should be treated.
#3 Vomiting or Inability to Keep Fluids Down
Your body needs fluids to stay hydrated. If you can't keep down fluids, you may need to go to the hospital to receive fluids intravenously.
#4 Painful Swallowing
This is not normal. Although minor discomfort when you swallow can come from a sore throat, severe pain can be a sign of an infection or injury that needs to be treated by a doctor.
#5 Persistent Coughing
A cough that won't go away is usually just postnasal drip that may be treated with antihistamines. However, it could also be related to asthma or GERD, both of which can be treated by your doctor. In recent years, doctors have found an increase in a former childhood infection called pertussis (whooping cough in children). So if you have an unexplained cough for more than 2 to 3 weeks, your doctor may want to try an antibiotic to treat this type of infection.
#6 Persistent Congestion and Headaches
Colds and allergies that cause congestion and blockage of the sinus passages can lead to a sinus infection. If you have symptoms don't go away with usual medication, you may need to be treated with antibiotics. See your doctor if these symptoms persist.
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As long as there is life, there is hope