Once I Have Had the Flu

Each year, millions of people endure from seasonal influenza, which is often called the flu. Flu is a respiratory illness caused past viruses that infect the olfactory organ, throat, and sometimes the lungs.

older woman with the flu blowing her nose Flu can exist a mild illness for some people. For older people, especially those who accept other health bug, the flu tin be very serious and even life-threatening. Getting a flu vaccine every year tin can help forestall the flu. The vaccine is safety, effective, and bachelor for little to no cost to you.

How serious is the influenza?

Most people who become the influenza feel better after a few days to two weeks. However, the flu tin can be serious, and some people will develop other health issues, chosen complications, because of the influenza. Complications can be mild, such as a sinus or ear infection, or more serious, like pneumonia.

Anyone can get sick from the influenza, but some people are more likely to accept complications. You are more at take chances for influenza and its complications if you:

Are historic period 65 or older
Have certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease
Have heart illness or have had a stroke
Live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility

Meaning women and children younger than v years old are as well more than likely to go very sick from the flu. Larn more about people at increased take chances for flu and its complications.

Why is the flu more dangerous for older adults?

The flu is more dangerous for older adults for a few reasons. One reason is that the immune system — which helps your body fight infections — weakens equally you historic period. For example, because your body is busy fighting off the influenza, you lot might pick up a 2d infection such equally pneumonia. A second reason is that older adults are likewise more than likely to have other health weather, similar diabetes, that increase their risk for complications from the flu.

The practiced news is the flu vaccination reduces your take a chance of getting the flu and of getting seriously ill if you practice get sick with the flu. Flu vaccination is especially helpful for people with chronic health weather condition. For instance, it has been linked to lower rates of heart issues (cardiac events) among people with middle illness and fewer hospitalizations among people who have chronic lung disease or diabetes. Learn more than about the benefits of influenza vaccination.

How does the flu spread?

The flu is contagious, which means it spreads from person to person. It mostly spreads through droplets in the air when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk. It can spread from upwards to half dozen feet away. Although it isn't as common, the flu can as well spread from surfaces, for example, if you touch something the virus is on so affect your nose, rima oris, or eyes.

Information technology's possible to spread the flu before y'all feel sick and when you lot have symptoms. Typically, people with the flu can spread information technology a solar day before, and up to a week afterward feeling sick. Young children and people with weakened immune systems may be able to spread the flu for fifty-fifty longer. If you or someone yous know is sick with the influenza, have steps to help prevent spreading the disease.

Is it the flu, a common cold, or COVID-19?

The common cold, flu, and COVID-19 tin can all cause like symptoms. If y'all have symptoms, talk with your health intendance provider. Your provider can help decide the cause of your disease and aid you take steps to feel better.

A cold is frequently milder than the flu. The flu and COVID-19 have like symptoms, only COVID-19 spreads more than hands and symptoms tend to be more than severe. It's likewise more common to accept a change in your sense of smell or sense of taste with COVID-19.

People with the flu can take fever, chills, dry cough, general aches and pains, and a headache. They feel very tired. Sore throat, sneezing, stuffy nose, or stomach problems are less common. What some people call "stomach flu" is non influenza. Acquire more about the differences between the influenza and a cold and flu and COVID-19.

Common symptoms of a cold, the flu, and COVID-nineteen

The chart below shows common symptoms. Non anybody will have these symptoms. Your symptoms may be more or less astringent, or yous may simply have a few. If you lot feel sick, stay home and phone call your medico

Common Symptoms	Common cold	Flu	COVID-xix
Fever and/or chills		✔	✔
Headache		✔	✔
Musculus hurting or body aches		✔	✔
Feeling tired or weak		✔	✔
Sore throat	✔	✔	✔
Runny or stuffy nose	✔	✔	✔
Sneezing	✔
Cough	✔
Shortness of jiff or difficulty breathing		✔
Vomiting and diarrhea		✔
Modify in or loss of taste or smell			✔

How can you lot prevent the flu?

The most effective style to forbid the flu is to get a flu vaccine every year. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine. Getting your flu vaccine reduces your chance of getting the flu. It as well reduces your chances of being hospitalized or dying if you do get sick with the flu.

In addition to getting your influenza vaccine, yous can help stop the spread of flu by:

Washing your hands
Roofing your mouth when y'all cough or sneeze
Staying home when you are ill
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick

Who should you become a influenza vaccine and which one should you choose?

Flu typically spreads in the fall and winter. It usually starts to spread in October and peaks between December and Feb. That's why this time is called the influenza season.

Information technology takes at least two weeks for your flu vaccine to start working, and then attempt to get vaccinated past the stop of October. Nevertheless, getting vaccinated after October tin can still help protect you lot from the flu. Because older adults may lose immunity from a flu vaccine more quickly, try to avoid getting vaccinated too early (before September).

Several flu vaccines are available. At that place are also two types of high-dose vaccinations specifically for people 65 years and older that create a stronger immune response afterwards vaccination. Talk with your health care provider or pharmacist about which vaccine is best for y'all.

Where can yous get a flu vaccine?

You tin can become your influenza vaccine at your doctor's office or from your local health department. Many grocery and drug stores also offer flu vaccines. Visit Vaccines.gov to notice a location nearly y'all.

Why exercise you need a flu vaccine every twelvemonth?

You demand a flu vaccine every twelvemonth for two reasons. Outset, flu viruses change and the flu vaccine is updated each year to target the flu viruses that are anticipated to spread that year. 2nd, the protection you get from a flu vaccine lessens with time, especially in older people. Getting your flu vaccine every fall gives y'all the best protection from that year's flu viruses.

What are the side effects of influenza vaccines?

The influenza vaccine is safe and cannot requite you the flu. Most people take no trouble with a flu vaccine.

The most common side effects are soreness, redness, or swelling where you were vaccinated. Some people besides get a headache, fever, nausea, or musculus aches. These side effects may showtime shortly afterwards getting the vaccine and can last upward to two days. They typically do non go far the manner of daily activities.

Even people with balmy egg allergies can safely become about influenza vaccines. Egg-free flu vaccines are likewise available. You should not become vaccinated if y'all accept had a severe allergic reaction to the influenza vaccine in the past. Talk with your health intendance provider about your options for influenza vaccines and side effects.

How much does getting a flu vaccine price?

Most people can get a flu vaccine for fiddling to no out-of-pocket toll. Medicare and nearly private wellness insurance plans will comprehend the toll of your flu vaccine. However, some insurance plans require that y'all receive your vaccine at a specific location. Bank check with your insurance company. If you exercise not accept wellness insurance, contact your local or land wellness department.

What tin you do if you get the flu?

If you get the flu, there are steps you lot tin can take to feel ameliorate. Act fast! First, talk with your health intendance provider. The flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, so you may demand to get tested for an accurate diagnosis. This will likewise help decide which medications might make y'all feel meliorate.

There are prescription drugs, called antivirals, that are used to treat people with the flu. If you have them within 48 hours after the flu begins, these drugs tin can make you lot experience meliorate more than quickly. Antivirals can also help reduce your take a chance of complications from flu. Antibiotics do not assist you recover from the flu. Still, they are sometimes prescribed to help you recover from a secondary infection if information technology is caused past bacteria. Bacteria are a dissimilar type of germ than viruses.

If you are sick, rest and drink plenty of fluids similar juice and h2o, but not alcohol. Medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can bring down your fever and might help with the aches and pains. It is important not to smoke if you lot are sick with the flu. It is a respiratory illness that can infect your lungs as well as your nasal passages. These aforementioned areas are also afflicted by smoking. Take it piece of cake equally much as yous can until yous are well.

Monitor your symptoms and talk with your doctor if your symptoms worsen or become severe. For example, if you:

Have a fever that goes away and and so comes back. That may be a sign of another infection.
Start having animate or eye problems or your other health problems worsen.
Feel ongoing pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen .
Keep to feel sick and you are non getting improve.
Take a coughing that brings up thick mucus.

For more data virtually the influenza

Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-232-4636
888-232-6348 (TTY)
cdcinfo@cdc.gov
world wide web.cdc.gov

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure information technology is accurate and upward to date.

Content reviewed: December 01, 2021

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Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/flu-and-older-adults