2018-01-29 17:00:00
Nobody likes to be sick. To limit the risks, some take vitamins in the winter, others get vaccinated once morest the flu. But it happens that, despite these precautions, a flu virus manages to reach us. It is then necessary take his troubles patiently and implement some lifestyle and dietary measures to optimize healing time. We take stock with Dr Jean-Louis Bensoussan, general practitioner.
What are the symptoms of a flu?
The flu is a highly contagious viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract. Its symptoms, at least at the very beginning, may be confused with those of other viral diseases. But their intensity and their duration generally make it possible to distinguish them from a cold for example. Influenza is characterized by an abrupt and sudden onsetexplains Dr. Jean-Louis Bensoussan, general practitioner.
Cough, fever, body aches… The main symptoms of seasonal flu
- The fever : it is one of the first symptoms to develop. High (over 38.5°C), it can reach 40°C. It is usually accompanied by chills and sweating, and persists for several days.
- Of the aches : even if the muscular pains are generalized, they are particularly marked at the level of the back.
- The headache : it is intense and persistent.
- The fatigue : the feeling of fatigue, which is very important, can go as far as exhaustion.
- Of the sneezing frequent: they are associated with a runny or stuffy nose, and a sore throat.
- A dry cough.
- Pains in the chest.
How long does the contagion last on average? What is the incubation period?
Incubation time (the time between contamination and the appearance of the first symptoms of a disease) can vary between patients. In children, it is regarding 7 days. In adults, it is more like 2 or 4 days.
The duration of contagion of a flu varies according to the age of the person with the flu. A child remains contagious for around six days, an adult for five days and an elderly person for two to three days following the onset of symptoms.
The flu can be linked to a virus influenza de type A : virus A(H1N1) pdm09 ou A(H3N2) or type B (B Yamagata et B Victoria).
How can you be sure it is not the Covid-19 virus?
Covid-19 and seasonal flu are sometimes clinically difficult to distinguish. They are both characterized by transmission by the respiratory route (postilions, droplets of saliva) and by indirect contact with an infected surface. The main factor to differentiate them is the intensity of the symptoms: in the case of the flu, symptoms come on suddenlywhile the symptoms of Covid-19 appear gradually.
Dr Jean-Louis Bensoussan: Flu and Covid are different. In 2021, Covid-19 started quite similar to the flu, but today there is less fever, less body aches at the start of the illness.
To rule out a diagnosis of Covid-19, it is possible to carry out a virological test (RT-PCR preferablyor an antigenic test or self-test) which can detect the RNA of the coronavirus (its genetic heritage).
How long are you immune following the vaccine or if you have been sick?
L’natural immunity following an infection varies from 6 months to a year, depending on the virus (or viruses) with which you have been in contact. That is why the flu vaccine contains all 4 valences of virus (A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), B-Victoria et B-Yamagata).
L’immunity conferred by the vaccine is regarding six months. Since influenza viruses mutate a lot and several of them can circulate at the same time, it is therefore advisable to renew the vaccine every year. Moreover, its effectiveness is stronger in young adults, but it decreases with age.
In video: “Getting vaccinated once morest the flu in pharmacies, how does it work?”
How long do flu symptoms last? How does a flu evolve?
The diversity of flu symptoms also manifests itself in their duration. Each symptom has a specific duration:
- digestive disorders: one to three days
- headaches: one to three days
- pain: three to five days
- fever: three days to a week
- fatigue: one to two weeks
- cough: one to two weeks
In the absence of complications, it is usually necessary to count a week to “cure” the flu seasonal and see most of the symptoms disappear. There fatigue and the cough however, continue to be felt for longer.
The evolution of symptoms also depends a lot on the state of health of the person affected by the flu. If they will gradually disappear following a week in a healthy person, a risk of complications is greater in certain people such as children, people over 65, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses.
How do you know if the flu is getting worse? When should you worry?
THE flu complications can be serious, especially if they affect a person at risk (people over the age of 65 and patients with chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver disease or respiratory disease). This is why vaccination once morest influenza is particularly recommended for these fragile populations.
What are the most common complications of the flu?
The most common complications are secondary bacterial infections of the respiratory tract (bronchitis) and lungs (pneumonia). In children, it is l’Plague which is the most common complication. THE neurological complications (convulsions, encephalitis) are rare. If the person suffers from a chronic disease, it can also worsen.
Warning signs that should encourage immediate medical attention:
- a forte fever that lasts more than two days,
- and shortness of breath at rest and/or difficulty in breathing,
- in the child, seizures, ear pain.
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