How Do You Know if You Have the Flu?

Typically, you will have:

  • sudden high fever (38° to 40° C)
  • headache
  • loss of appetite
  • severe muscle aches and pain
  • extreme fatigue and weakness
  • chills
  • dry cough
  • sweating
  • and sometimes: sore throat runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing.

 

If so, what can you do?

Influenza must run its course but you can ease the symptoms. The best treatment includes bed rest, fluids and aspirin or related compounds such as acetaminophen (Tylenol™) to relieve the aches and fever. Go to bed as soon as symptoms begin, and stay there until your temperature returns to normal. Rest as much as possible until you have recovered completely.

Bonus points if you're aware that there are two anti-viral drugs now licensed in Canada to fight the flu. They're known by the trade names Relenza, which is inhaled, and Tamiflu, which is taken orally. That's the good news. The bad news is that they have to be taken in the first 24 to 48 hours of illness – when many people may not realize they have the flu. "The horse is out of the barn after that," according to Dr. Danuta Skowronski, a physician epidemiologist with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

For young teens, some health care practitioners recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol™) rather than Aspirin™ because of the remote possibility of invoking Reye's syndrome.

Take the Aspirin™ or aspirin substitute and drink as much water or other fluids as you comfortably can.

Use humidity, stay warm and avoid irritants such as cigarette smoke.

Try over-the-counter medications to relieve the symptoms of congestion and cough.

You should expect to feel weak, and possibly depressed, for about a week after your temperature drops. There is no specific treatment for influenza, since antibiotics are not effective against virus. your fever lasts for more than three or four days or if you become short of breath while resting, see a health care practitioner (i.e. family doctor or public health nurse). If a complication such as bacterial pneumonia develops, antibiotics will be prescribed.