Symptoms
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Flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these signs and symptoms:
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fever* or feeling feverish/chills
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cough
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sore throat
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runny or stuffy nose
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muscle or body aches
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headaches
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fatigue (tiredness)
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some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
*It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
Flu complications
Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.
Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu, while pneumonia is a serious flu complication that can result from either flu virus infection alone or from co-infection of flu virus and bacteria. Other possible serious complications triggered by flu can include inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle tissues (myositis, rhabdomyolysis), and multi-organ failure (for example, respiratory and kidney failure). Flu virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body and can lead to sepsis, the body's life-threatening response to infection. Flu also can make chronic medical problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have flu, and people with chronic heart disease may experience a worsening of this condition triggered by flu.
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People at higher risk from flu
Anyone can get sick with flu, even healthy people, and serious problems related to flu can happen to anyone at any age, but some people are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick. This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women and children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years old.
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Emergency Warning Signs of Flu Complications
People experiencing these warning signs should obtain medical care right away.
In children:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish lips or face
Ribs pulling in with each breath
Chest pain
Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
Not alert or interacting when awake
Seizures
Fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit that is not controlled by fever-reducing medicine
In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
Worsening of chronic medical conditions
In adults:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
Seizures
Not urinating
Severe muscle pain
Severe weakness or unsteadiness
Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
Worsening of chronic medical conditions
These lists are not all inclusive.
Please consult your medical provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning.
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Call Dr. Palazzolo to schedule a Wellness appointment today
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Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/signs-symptoms/index.html
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Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
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Symptoms & Care
People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days after getting infected. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include
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Runny nose
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Decrease in appetite
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Coughing
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Sneezing
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Fever
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Wheezing
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These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.
Antiviral medication is not routinely recommended to fight infection. Most RSV infections go away on their own in a week or two. However, RSV can cause severe illness in some people.
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Take steps to relieve symptoms
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Manage fever and pain with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. (Never give aspirin to children.)
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Drink enough fluids. It is important for people with RSV infection to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration (loss of body fluids).
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Talk to your healthcare provider before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines. Some medicines contain ingredients that are not good for children.
RSV can cause more serious health problems
Infants, young children and older adults are at increased risk of severe RSV. Learn about preventive options.
RSV can also cause more severe infections such as bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than 1 year of age.
Healthy adults and infants infected with RSV do not usually need to be hospitalized. But some people with RSV infection, especially older adults and infants younger than 6 months of age, may need to be hospitalized if they are having trouble breathing or are dehydrated. In the most severe cases, a person may require additional oxygen, or IV fluids (if they can’t eat or drink enough), or intubation (have a breathing tube inserted through the mouth and down to the airway) with mechanical ventilation (a machine to help a person breathe). In most of these cases, hospitalization only lasts a few days.
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For more info see: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html
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