Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respitory system your nose,throat, and lungs are affected. Influenza is commonly called the flu it is not the same as the stomach flu viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Influenza and its complications can be deadly. People that are at higher risk of developing the flu are younger children, older adults, pregnant women, people with a weakned immune system and people who have chronic illnesses. Your best defense against influenza is an annual vaccination.
Initially, the flu may seem like the common cold with sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and cough, but colds usually develop slowly, but the flu comes suddenly. And although having a cold can be tough you feel far worse with the flu like high fevers, aching muscles, headache, a very dry cough and many other things.
Flu viruses travel through air droplets when someone with the infection coughs sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can pick up the germs from an object such as telephone or computer keyboard and transfer them to your eyes or mouth.
Some risk factors for the flu are age, occupation, living conditions, weakened immune system chronic illnesses and pregnancy are some of the risk of influenza and health care workers are especially at risk because of the constant coming in contact with people with the flu.
Some complications are pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma flare ups, sinus infections, and ear infections but if you are young and healthy seasonal influenza usually isn’t serious. Although you may feel miserable if you have it, the flu usually goes away with no lasting effects.
What you will need as far as treatment is really nothing but bedrest and plenty of fluids to treat the flu