What You Should Know About Flu
by Linda P. Kurian, MD, Pennsburg Family Practice
Hallmarks of Influenza
Stuffy noses. Sneezing, wracking coughs and a flaming sore throat are all hallmarks of influenza.
Seasonal flu, or influenza, is a viral illness infecting the general population during the winter and early spring months and it's an annual staple illness across the globe.
Flu season typically runs from October through the end of April but this year, a new strain of influenza - H1N1 or swine flu - has attracted global attention because of its potential morbidity (ability to cause someone to be sick).
During the regular flu season, we see patients with upper respiratory symptoms including sore throat, nasal congestion, coughing, fevers and often chills, along with aching muscles. The flu can last up to ten days, and is most easily passed through coughing and sneezing, or any respiratory droplets making contact with a patient.
We don't have hard evidence yet about how dangerous the current H1N1 virus could be, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based in Atlanta Georgia, is currently hard at work on a new vaccine against it, which will hopefully be available this Fall.
Ways to Help Yourself
Ways to help yourself stay well include keeping your distance – (of up to six feet away if possible) - from those who are obviously sick and regular, vigorous hand washing, especially after public contact with a sick person.
If you become ill:
- Continue regular hand washing to minimize the spread of infection
- Cover your mouth and nose during coughing and sneezing
- Stay home until you feel better
These are the best ways to protect those around you if you become sick.
While any new flu strain recalls the devastating Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 where as many as 40 million died worldwide (virus.stanford.edu/uda/), we are better prepared today than ever before for a new or dangerous strain of flu.
Call Your Doctor...
These warning signs warrant a call to the doctor, or an office appointment:
- You've been sick for a few days with symptoms of cough, sore throat or other problems with breathing
- Your symptoms are getting worse
- You have a fever greater than 100 degrees F which lasts more than a few days
Go to the Emergency Room...
These warning signs warrant a trip to the emergency room:
- Fevers are extremely high coupled with dehydration
- Breathing becomes increasingly more difficult, or you become dizzy or disoriented
Those with compromised immune systems, the very young, and the elderly, along with asthmatics and diabetics, are at increased risk for complications from the flu, including bronchitis and pneumonia, and should seek medical attention right away.
About Linda P. Kurian, MD
Linda P. Kurian, MD is board-certified in family medicine and is a member of Pennsburg Family Practice. To make an appointment with Dr. Kurian, please call 215-679-4421.
