It is winter!.. 

Dina suffers from symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, headache, body aches, and sore throat. The teacher asked her to miss school until the symptoms disappeared!

What do you think is the diagnosis of Dina's illness? Do you know why the teacher asked Dina to miss school? Do you remember the last time you had these symptoms? 

It is, without a doubt, the flu! It is an infectious disease that is widespread in the winter. The flu can cause serious complications to your health if you are pregnant or have a health condition. 

If you do not know what influenza is, read this excellent article about it, and learn with us about its symptoms, its cause, methods of treatment, why it may be dangerous for pregnant women, when is the best time to take the influenza vaccine, and how to prevent it.

What is Influenza 

Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease common in the winter, caused by a virus called the influenza virus, which can cause an epidemic, meaning many people become infected at once. 

Influenza is considered one of the most common infectious diseases in the winter, with 20 to 40 million people infected with influenza in the United States alone. Influenza symptoms usually include head and body aches, fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and other symptoms that can be severe, and affect the respiratory system. 

Getting the influenza vaccine regularly every year is a way to avoid getting sick with influenza. 

You, my butterfly! You may be at risk if you contract influenza and are pregnant, and we will find out why in the following paragraphs, so continue reading with us.

How Does Influenza Spread?

You must have ever wondered how this infectious disease spreads so quickly from one person to another, causing an epidemic! 

The influenza virus can spread through direct and indirect contact with an infected person. Here we list the most important ways through which the influenza virus is transmitted to you from another infected person:

• If you touch your face, nose, or eyes after touching the face or hands of someone with the flu.
• If you touch your face, eyes, or mouth after touching a surface contaminated with the virus that causes influenza, such as door handles, computers, phones, and other contaminated surfaces.
• If you are close to someone who has the flu and they talk, cough, and sneeze in your face, the droplets reach through the air to your hands, mouth, and nose and then to your lungs.

Influenza Diagnosis

When you go to your doctor or caregiver, they will diagnose influenza based on the symptoms you tell them, and they will confirm the diagnosis by taking a mucus sample from your nose.

Are you wondering how a mucus sample is taken from your nose?

A swab is taken, which means the doctor or caregiver puts a long, soft stick in your nose to extract a sample and perform a flu test. The results can take a few minutes to appear, or take one to two days if the sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis.

How Do You Differentiate Between a Regular Cold and The Flu?

You may often think that you have a common cold, but you have the flu. How do you differentiate between the flu and a common cold, my dear?

The symptoms of the common cold can be similar to the symptoms of the flu, such as suffering from a cough and runny nose, but in most cases, the symptoms of the flu are severe and accompanied by many serious complications, and the symptoms of the common cold are mild, knowing that the viruses that cause the flu and the common cold are different.

How Do You Differentiate Between COVID-19 and The Flu?

Just as the symptoms of the common cold are similar to the symptoms of influenza, COVID-19 disease is similar to them in symptoms, and you will not be able to differentiate between them by symptoms alone. So the only way to differentiate between infection with COVID-19 and influenza is to conduct a test, knowing that the two diseases cause serious complications, but there are viruses. Each disease causes different diseases and is treated by doctors and caregivers in different ways and with medications.

People at Greater Risk of Developing Influenza Complications

As we talked about previously, some health conditions can expose you to serious illnesses resulting from your infection with the flu, including serious complications that may require hospitalization.

You, ma'am, may be more susceptible to serious complications that accompany influenza if you:

• Have asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease, or any other type of chronic lung disease.
• You suffer from obesity 
• Have a blood disorder, such as sickle cell anemia
• Have diabetes
• You suffer from a health condition that makes coughing, swallowing, breathing, and removing fluids from the respiratory tract difficult, and also causes muscle problems.
• You suffer from heart, blood vessel, nerve, kidney, or liver disease, or have ever had a stroke
• Naturally weak immunity 
• Have cancer or AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus) 
• You are taking immunosuppressive medications
• You are under 19 years old and take aspirin regularly
• You are over 65 or under 5 years old 
• When you are pregnant, contracting the flu can cause a miscarriage or premature birth! (We'll talk about why later)

In general, infection rates for non-Native American Indians, non-Hispanic blacks, Alaska Natives, and people of Latino or Hispanic origin are higher than other populations and have more severe symptoms.

Influenza Symptoms

Flu symptoms often appear quickly (1 to 4 days after exposure to the virus), vary from person to person, and symptoms can include: 

• Fatigue and general weakness
• Diarrhea usually occurs in children 
• Vomiting in children 
• Runny or stuffy nose (nasal congestion)
• Sore throat
• Severe or mild headache
• Cough 
• Body and head pain
• Feeling goosebumps
• Fever 

You may develop some or all of these symptoms. As we talked about previously, the appearance and severity of symptoms vary depending on the immunity of the infected person.

When Influenza is Contagious?

Influenza may be contagious even a day before an infected person shows symptoms, and the contagious period can extend up to a week after infection.

Infection periods can be prolonged, and the chances of infection are greater in infants and people with weak immune systems.

Returning to Life after Influenza

You have been alone and isolated from others for a long time. We understand your feelings and longing to return to your daily routine, but my butterfly, you should not return to work or school before several days have passed since you were infected with the flu, to avoid spreading it to others, and to ensure that serious complications do not occur to you.

Influenza Complications 

The influenza virus itself may cause complications or lower your immunity, allowing bacteria to grow and attack your body's cells, leading to a secondary infection. The infection may include the following complications and secondary infections: 

• Fetal loss and miscarriage if you are pregnant
• The occurrence of deformities and defects in the developing neural tube in pregnant women
• A serious lung infection that can be life-threatening
• Inflammation of the sinuses and respiratory tract
• Ear infection.

Influenza Treatment

Under certain circumstances, the doctor will often prescribe antiviral medications when you are diagnosed with influenza, as antivirals reduce the appearance and worsening of severe symptoms and reduce the severity and duration of the illness.

Many people also resort to treating influenza without going to the doctor and obtaining a prescription.

Conditions under which influenza is treated with antivirals

Your doctor or caregiver prescribes antiviral medications for certain conditions. Let's learn about them together:

• When symptoms of the disease appear on you and their appearance does not exceed 48 hours, that is, two days because antiviral medications will not work if you take them 48 hours after your symptoms appear, the virus will have already cloned itself, and your body has begun to fight it by forming antibodies. 
• If you have a chronic disease or underlying condition and are at high risk of serious illness resulting from flu complications, your doctor will prescribe antiviral medications even if symptoms have been present for more than two days.
• If you have severe symptoms due to your weak immunity, taking antivirals can contribute to alleviating the severity of the disease and the severity of symptoms and complications resulting from it. 
• If you live with people who have influenza and have direct contact with them you provide medical care to them.

Influenza medications

There are many types of antiviral medications used to treat influenza, including:

• Oseltamivir phosphate, which is taken in liquid form or oral tablets, is taken for several days. 
• Zanamivir, Zanamivir is inhaled orally using an inhaler and is taken for several days. It is not given to people who suffer from lung and breathing problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. 
• Baloxavir Marboxil: Baloxavir Marboxil is taken in the form of liquid or tablets orally in a single dose. Baloxavir is not given to pregnant or breastfeeding women, or to people who suffer from chronic and underlying medical conditions. 
• Peramivir, which is given by the doctor into your veins and runs directly into your veins. Usually, the patient is given only one dose of Peramivir.

Consult your doctor and tell him about any health condition you have, and about the influenza and symptoms that you have appeared before you take any type of antiviral medication.

Influenza medications' side effects

The side effects of antiviral medications vary from one drug to another, as inhaled medications can cause narrowing of the bronchi and respiratory tracts, and they can also be similar to common symptoms, the most important of which are: diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

Managing influenza complications at home

As we mentioned previously, some people resort to treating the flu at home, without the hassle of going to the doctor or hospital. You too can alleviate the symptoms of the flu at home, using over the counter medications (OTC), as well as by applying other treatments that we will mention: 

• Make sure you get plenty of rest 
• Drink fluids and broth, and plenty of water, to avoid dehydration and to replace fluids lost during the illness
• Relieve muscle pain by using heat packs or hot water bottles
• Relieve fever and headache by taking acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).  
• Use oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, and sprays to treat your stuffy and runny nose.
• Soothe your annoying cough and take antitussives such as dextromethorphan 
• Take expectorants such as guaifenesin to make it easier to loosen and remove mucus from your lungs. 

Do not be reckless, my dear, and consult your caregiver before taking medications, as some medications interact with each other and are not suitable for use with nutritional supplements. There are medications without a prescription, but not everyone can take them, such as NSAIDs, which should not be taken by patients with high blood pressure, and likewise, aspirin should not be prescribed to children under 16 years of age except with a doctor’s prescription and in extreme cases.

Approximate Statistics for Influenza Annually

Every year during the flu season, approximately 20,000 to 50,000 people die, while up to 500,000 are hospitalized due to serious diseases and complications.

Influenza Prevention

How can you prevent influenza?

The answer to this question is simple. Influenza is prevented by taking the influenza vaccine regularly once a year, as the vaccine contributes to training your immune system so that it recognizes the virus and fights it before you become infected with the disease.

The influenza virus can change its shape slightly from time to time, which is why we need to renew the vaccine and take it annually. 

However, even if you become infected with another form of the influenza virus contained in the vaccine, your taking the vaccine was not in vain, as the vaccine, regardless of its form, contributes to reducing your chances of contracting influenza, strengthening your immunity, and alleviating your symptoms.

Your doctor or caregiver gives you the vaccine as an injection or spray into your nose.

Influenza Vaccine Information

The influenza vaccine is made from killed and inactivated virus particles so that injecting it will not make you sick, but you may have some mild and lasting symptoms, which is evidence that your body has begun to make antibodies in preparation for generating an immune response if you are exposed to the virus, and this is a good thing! 

The influenza vaccine reduces your chances of getting it, or it may relieve your symptoms and reduce your risk of developing life-threatening diseases by 60%, and it may reach 75% in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The vaccine is not effective until several days after taking it, so exposure to the virus before or shortly after taking the vaccine does not protect you from infection with the virus, and the vaccine has no connection to the disease and its complications.

The vaccine has transient side effects, which differ from one person to another, and usually last for a maximum of two days after taking the vaccine. If you are afraid of the vaccine injection, you can take it in the form of a spray or nasal spray such as (Flumist) after consulting a doctor and knowing your age and health conditions. 

In some cases, a person may suffer from some undesirable side effects, and as we said, they differ from one person to another. We will mention some of them:

• Shoulder pain
• Redness and swelling
• Body aches
• Allergic reactions
• Dizziness and fainting
• Fever
• Nausea
• Headache 
• Guillain-Barre Syndrome: It is an immune disorder that may result from vaccines and viral infections, and causes damage to the nervous system. Its symptoms are numbness, muscle weakness, and difficulty walking, and it can lead to paralysis. It may take from 6 months to 3 years to recover from this. The syndrome and the recovery period vary from one person to another.
• Fatigue and general weakness

When is the best time for the influenza vaccine? 

You must be wondering when is the best time to take the influenza vaccine to provide yourself with maximum protection. 

You should take the vaccine before the winter season, for example in October, and the belief that taking the vaccine early will nullify its effectiveness is a misconception! 

There is no need to postpone the vaccine, take it as soon as you have the opportunity.

Tips for prevention

There are many instructions and advice that help you prevent influenza, and to ensure this you must follow them completely, we mention the: 

• Do not share your food or eating utensils, such as your fork, knife, or cup, with others
• Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, and mouth without washing your hands
• Wear a mask if you are sick, to avoid spreading the infection to others around you
• Stay away as much as possible from people with influenza, or isolate yourself if you are infected 
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing, and try to sneeze into a tissue or your elbow if you do not have a tissue. 
• Wash your hands well with soap and water before touching anything. If soap and water are not available, you can use a hand sanitizer that contains a certain percentage of alcohol.

Foods for prevention

Based on the fact that food is a weapon that strengthens the body and its immunity to fight diseases, we will learn about the most important foods that contribute to preventing influenza:

• Almonds and nuts 
• Turmeric
• Soup
• Cranberries 
• Oatmeal
• Broccoli
• Ginger
• Yogurt
• Spinach
• Guava 
• Kefir is a milk derivative
• Garlic 
• Green tea
• Fish and seafood. 

Do not be afraid, my butterfly. Although influenza is a common disease in the winter and may lead to serious complications that threaten your life, you can prevent it by taking the influenza vaccine, which protects you and protects your family and neighbors as well.

If you have a chronic or underlying health condition or are pregnant, contact your doctor or caregiver and explain your condition and symptoms to help relieve your symptoms and speed up your recovery from the flu. 

The flu is not a beautiful or pleasant thing, but at the same time, you can take advantage of being at home by taking a break and watching your favorite movies!!

FAQ's about Influenza Vaccine 

Is influenza a contagious disease?

Yes, influenza is a contagious disease, my dear, and it is transmitted from one person to another. Each infected person can transmit the infection to one or two people, and it can become an epidemic.

What causes influenza?

Influenza A and B viruses cause influenza disease, which is widespread among humans and the symptoms are severe. Influenza C is seasonal, humans are infected in the winter and are more severe than A and B.

Approximately when do flu symptoms appear after exposure to the virus?

If infection occurs, it takes one to four days for flu symptoms to appear.

How long does the flu last?

The flu lasts from days to two weeks. Symptoms of fever and body aches may suddenly appear, but they quickly disappear faster than other symptoms, and runny nose and cough persist for longer periods.

How many people die from influenza every year?

Every year during the flu season, approximately 20,000 to 50,000 people die, while up to 500,000 are hospitalized due to serious diseases and complications.

Is gastritis the flu?

No, although stomach flu is called gastroenteritis, it is not caused by the influenza virus itself, nor is it related to it.

Written by: Haidy Soliman 

Translated by: Ph. Marah Mohamad

Sources:

NSW Health

Womens Health

Womens Health

Womens Health

Cleveland clinic