- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
- Pain or pressure in the chest or belly.
- Sudden dizziness.
- Confusion.
- Severe or repeated vomiting.
- Flu-like symptoms that get better but then return with fever and worse cough.
- Severe dehydration.
When should you seek medical help for the flu?
1. You have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Being sick with flu shouldn't affect your breathing. It could be a sign of a something more serious, such as pneumonia, an infection of the lungs.
How do you know when the flu is severe?
Common Flu SymptomsFever above 100 F.Severe aches in your muscles and joints.Weakness or severe fatigue.Warm, flushed skin and red, watery eyes.Chills.A headache.A dry cough.A sore throat and runny nose.
What are the stages of the flu virus?
A bout of the flu typically follows this pattern: Days 1–3: Sudden appearance of fever, headache, muscle pain and weakness, dry cough, sore throat and sometimes a stuffy nose. Day 4: Fever and muscle aches decrease. Hoarse, dry or sore throat, cough and possible mild chest discomfort become more noticeable.
Why does flu get worse at night?
At night, there is less cortisol in your blood. As a result, your white blood cells readily detect and fight infections in your body at this time, provoking the symptoms of the infection to surface, such as fever, congestion, chills, or sweating. Therefore, you feel sicker during the night.
High-Risk Groups
Flu Complications
- People with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may find that a bout of the flu triggers an exacerbation of their condition, making their usual symptoms worse. For anyone, but particularly people with respiratory illnesses, the most common complication from flu is a bacterial chest infection, which can develop on top of the flu virus itself. In some cases, a secon…
Covid-19 and Flu
- This year, it's more important than ever that you have the flu vaccination if you're susceptible to complications, because of the added danger of COVID-19. The viruses present with similar symptoms, making it difficult in some cases to distinguish between them. A new, continuous cough, a high temperature, and a change to your sense of taste or smell indicate COVID-19. If yo…
Should I Seek Advice?
- The chances are that if you catch flu, the virus will be self-limiting and you'll be able to treat your symptomsat home. However, it's crucial that you get medical advice if you're clinically vulnerable and you think you have flu. Essentially, you are classed as clinically vulnerable if you are normallyentitled to the free NHS flu jab. Carers and t...
Prevention and Cure
- The best way of keeping yourself and others safe from flu and its potential complications is to have the annual flu vaccination if you're eligible. This year,even more people can get a free flu jab. And those who aren't eligible for a free vaccine can pay for a vaccination from their pharmacy, which normally costs less than £15. It's also a good idea to keep viruses (including flu and COVI…