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Reviewed by Dr Janice Main, senior lecturer and honorary consultant physician in
infectious diseases and general medicine
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What is influenza?
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| Influenza is characterised by a runny nose, sore throat,
headache, fever and aching muscles and joints. |
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Influenza is a viral disease that usually
strikes between October and May. It lasts from three to five days and can be
followed by fatigue for two or three weeks. It usually causes aching
muscles and joints,
headaches ,
cough and fever with
a temperature of between 38o and
40oC.
Although it can become a much more severe illness, leading to
pneumonia, nerve and
brain damage and even death, such complications are rare.
Because it is a
viral infection it
cannot be treated with
antibiotics. The best remedy is rest
while drinking plenty of fluids.
It is possible to get vaccinated against influenza, which is
especially advisable for the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases.
In the UK vaccination is offered to:
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everyone over 65 years old
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anyone with conditions such as
asthma, heart or
kidney disease
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anyone who may otherwise be at increased risk.
What are the symptoms?
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Headache.
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Fever (38o to
40oC).
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Aching muscles and joints.
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Chest pains.
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Lack of appetite.
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Fatigue and weakness.
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A runny nose and sore throat.
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Dry cough.
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Restless sleep.
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Chills and shivering.
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Indigestion.
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Vomiting or diarrhoea.
What can I do?
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Drink as much as possible - you lose a lot of liquids during a
fever.
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Rest, preferably by staying in bed.
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Try to get plenty of sleep.
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If you have a cough, an over-the-counter
cough remedy may ease your symptoms.
The pharmacist is the best person to advise on this.
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Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
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Paracetamol (eg Panadol, Calpol)
or
aspirin (eg Aspro clear) will
reduce fever and muscle aches. (Note that aspirin should not be given to
children under 16 years of age, unless on the advice of a doctor.)
Ibuprofen (eg Nurofen) will also relieve these symptoms. These painkillers are also found combined with medicines such as nasal decongestants in various over-the-counter cold and flu remedies. Ask your pharmacist for advice about which are most suitable for relieving your symptoms.
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Consult a doctor if the symptoms do not disappear after a week,
or sooner if you feel worse.
How is influenza spread?
Influenza is a viral disease that is passed from one person to
another through the air. The disease infects the nose, throat or lungs. It
often breaks out as an epidemic which quickly spreads from town to town and
country to country. Typically, an area can have epidemic conditions for a
period of four to six weeks before it eases off.
Are there different types of influenza?
Yes, there are three types of influenza.
Type A
The most serious type with the most acute symptoms. It is also
the most common form, usually breaking out every two or three years.
Type B
Similar symptoms to type A, but not as serious. The outbreaks
happen every four to five years.
Type C
The mildest type, with symptoms similar to a
cold.
How long will the influenza last?
Usually, influenza lasts three to five days. If it goes on for
more than a week or if the symptoms are very severe, you are advised to consult
your doctor.
A bad case of influenza has the potential to develop into a more
serious condition like
pneumonia or sinus
trouble and in rare cases it can be life-threatening.
Who is at risk?
Influenza can be dangerous to the elderly, especially those who
live in residential homes where there is more risk of contracting the virus
through contact with others.
People with lung and heart diseases are also more likely to
develop complications due to an attack of flu. Those at risk are advised to get
a yearly vaccination. Consult your doctor if you have any problems or
questions.
Other important facts
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Both colds and flu are caused by a virus but the symptoms of
influenza are usually more severe.
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Antibiotics have no effect against influenza.
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Damp or cold cannot cause influenza. However, sudden changes in
temperature may cause the symptoms to appear more quickly.
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People are seldom infected by the same type of influenza twice
because resistance develops within two or four weeks. However, the influenza
virus constantly mutates into slightly different versions of itself, which is
one reason why vaccination is sometimes ineffective. The vaccination also needs
to be done yearly to keep up the person's level of immunity. The type of
vaccination given each year changes slightly, as this is the ‘best guess’
vaccination to cover the likely type of influenza virus that will be most
common that year.
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It is possible to pass on the infection the day before you
develop the symptoms yourself. You can also pass on the infection until the day
after your fever has disappeared.
Current evidence does not support a preventative effect of
homeopathy in influenza and influenza-like syndromes.
Amantadine (Symmetrel) seems
to shorten the duration by only one day, making this a dubious treatment option
for a self-limiting disease.
Vaccination should still be the preventive measure for patients
at risk, ie those over 65 years and with heart or lung diseases. One new
medicine (zanamivir (Relenza))
similarly seems to only reduce the duration by one day and lacks proper
validation in the at-risk population.
Despite the bewildering number of over-the-counter remedies for
'flu', all are symptom relievers only, and the number of active
ingredients is quite small. People taking other medicines should check with the
pharmacist before taking a flu remedy in case of interaction between
medicines.
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References
Cates CJ, Jefferson TO, Bara AI, Rowe BH. Vaccines for
preventing influenza in people with asthma (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane
Library, Issue 1, 2000. Oxford: Update Software.
Demicheli V, Rivetti D, Deeks JJ, Jefferson TO. Vaccines
for preventing influenza in healthy adults (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane
Library, Issue 1, 2000. Oxford: Update Software.
Jefferson TO, Demicheli V, Deeks JJ, Rivetti D. Amantadine
and rimantadine for preventing and treating influenza A in adults (Cochrane
Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2000. Oxford: Update Software.
Marrie TJ. Community acquired pneumonia. Clinical Evidence
1999;2:563-70.
Vickers AJ, Smith C. Homoeopathic Oscillococcinum for
preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like syndromes (Cochrane
Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2000. Oxford: Update Software.
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Based on a text by Dr Carl J Brandt
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Last updated 01.06.2005
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