Flu Activity in Ohio Increasing Again After Initial Decline
Everything Y'all Demand to Know About the Flu
"The flu" is a term commonly used to draw seasonal influenza, an illness caused by one of numerous influenza viruses. This highly contagious infection affects your respiratory system, causing symptoms that can range from mild to life-threatening.
The Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that three–11% of the population within the United states becomes infected with the flu each year. Amid infected individuals, hundreds of thousands may require hospitalization and more than 36,000 individuals typically die each year from the flu. Infections are most common in the fall and wintertime, and so this period of each yr is referred to as "flu season." If you're concerned about the flu, learn more than almost the symptoms to look out for, along with some of import tips for stopping the spread of this serious disease.
At that place are several types of influenza viruses that tin can cause infection. Each of these viruses is spread from person to person via droplets that are naturally expelled when we talk, coughing, sing or sneeze. Other people can then inhale the aerosol or transfer them into their bodies by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their eyes, olfactory organ or rima oris. Once the virus enters your body, information technology quickly replicates and causes symptoms of the influenza.
A person who's infected with an influenza virus is typically contagious one solar day earlier their symptoms begin actualization and up to vii days later their symptoms first get-go. During this menstruation, the virus is actively replicating and can hands exist passed on to other people who are in shut contact.
Symptoms of Influenza
Symptoms of the flu commonly begin inside one to four days of exposure to the virus. Many mutual flu symptoms are very similar to cold symptoms, though they typically come on more than of a sudden than they do when yous have a cold. When you've been infected with an influenza virus, you'll probable experience some or all of the following:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Congestion
- Headaches
- Body or muscle aches
- Chills
- Fatigue or weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (these occur more oftentimes in children)
More often than not speaking, flu symptoms are more than severe and more than debilitating than symptoms of the common cold. Flu symptoms typically last for one to two weeks and most often resolve on their own. Even so, in certain cases, influenza infections tin can lead to more serious complications and require intervention from a medical professional.
Certain populations are at a college risk of developing health complications related to the seasonal flu. These individuals include:
- Children nether 5 years old (children under six months have an even greater adventure)
- Adults 65 years of age or older (especially in long-term intendance environments)
- Pregnant people or those who have recently given nascence
People living with the following wellness conditions likewise may exist at a college risk for developing complications from the flu:
- Chronic lung disease or asthma
- Center illness
- Claret, kidney or liver disorders
- Metabolic disorders
- Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions
- Obesity
- Individuals under the age of 19 who are taking long-term aspirin therapy
- Anyone with a compromised allowed system, like people living with cancer, HIV or AIDS
If you experience flu-related complications, yous may demand to exist hospitalized to receive effective care. Flu-related complications include:
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis or severe asthma
- Heart problems
- Ear infections
- Decease
Diagnosing Influenza
Often, when influenza symptoms are mild and occur during flu season, your healthcare provider may make a diagnosis based on your medical history and symptom report lone. Information technology's likewise possible to directly test for the presence of the influenza virus via a respiratory swab. Your doctor may collect a sample of fluid from your nasal passage, and this sample volition be tested to decide whether you have the virus. The physician may order blood tests or X-rays if the severity of the infection indicates yous may experience possible complications.
If yous fit into whatsoever of the above categories that have a higher risk for developing dangerous complications from influenza, it's important to contact a healthcare provider correct away when you develop symptoms. If you feel whatsoever difficulty breathing, dizziness or breast pain, contact emergency services by dialing 911 immediately.
Treatment for Influenza
Unless you're at risk of developing flu-related complications, you can likely care for seasonal influenza at dwelling under your doctor's guidance. Recommendations include:
- Drinking plenty of fluids and maintaining a healthy nutritional intake
- Getting adequate rest
- Using over-the-counter pain and fever relief medications
- Fugitive close contact with others as much equally possible until your fever has been gone for at to the lowest degree 24 hours without medication
If you lot're at a college risk of developing complications or if your symptoms increase in severity, your doc may be able to give you certain antiviral medications to care for the flu. These medications are meant to shorten the elapsing of an infection.
Because of the highly contagious nature of flu, and its annual prevalence, information technology's very of import to accept precautions to help prevent the spread of this disease. Keep the following tips in listen, especially during influenza flavour each year:
- Wash your hands ofttimes, especially later on touching high-contact surfaces
- Avoid touching your optics, olfactory organ and oral cavity
- Proceed surfaces around your dwelling and workspace make clean and disinfected
- Be mindful of crowds and avoid them whenever possible
- Maintain altitude from anyone who'south ill or known to be infected
- Become a flu shot every twelvemonth
Vaccinations, or influenza shots, are available every year and are specifically adult to target the strains of flu that are nearly likely to exist dominant that year. The CDC recommends that every person over the age of half dozen months receive a flu shot each year to effectively protect against flu infection and its possible serious consequences.
Vaccinations can take the form of an intramuscular injection or a nasal spray, and they work by causing your trunk to develop antibodies that tin can then recognize and fight off the influenza virus if you come up into contact with it in the future. Flu vaccinations do not cause illness, and they're an effective tool for preventing the effects of influenza in individuals and communities. Talk with your healthcare provider about the appropriate type and timing of vaccination for y'all.
Resource Links:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/influenza
https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/flu/pages/default.aspx
https://world wide web.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/symptoms-causes/syc-20351719
https://www.cdc.gov/influenza/forestall/keyfacts.htm
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