Can flu symptoms return after initial recovery. How long does flu typically last. What are the signs of a flu relapse. How can you prevent getting the flu again. When should you see a doctor for recurring flu symptoms.

The Nature of Influenza and Its Impact on the Body

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a highly contagious viral infection that affects millions of people worldwide each year. Dr. Will Sorey, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, emphasizes the severity of this illness: “It affects just about every part of your body except your hair, your brain and your toenails. It’s a systemic illness, and it’s probably one of the more dangerous infections over a period of history than any of the Biblical plagues.”

The flu virus primarily targets the respiratory system, but its effects can be felt throughout the body. Common symptoms include:

• Fever and chills
• Body aches and fatigue
• Cough and sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal issues (in some cases)

The Possibility of Flu Recurrence: Myth or Reality?

One of the most common questions people ask after recovering from the flu is whether it can come back. While it’s not technically a “relapse” in the traditional sense, it is possible to experience flu-like symptoms again shortly after recovery. This can happen for several reasons:

1. Secondary Infections

Dr. Sorey warns, “You can get secondary infections after the flu, and pneumonia is a big one. If you get better, then get worse, that needs to be addressed immediately by a doctor.” These secondary infections can mimic flu symptoms, leading people to believe they’re experiencing a relapse.

2. Different Strains of the Virus

It’s possible to contract a different strain of the flu virus shortly after recovering from one. While your body may have developed immunity to the first strain, it might not be protected against others circulating in the community.

3. Incomplete Recovery

Returning to normal activities too quickly can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to reinfection or prolonging your recovery period.

The Importance of Proper Recovery from Influenza

Recovering from the flu is not a process that should be rushed. Many people make the mistake of returning to their normal routines too quickly, which can have detrimental effects on their health and potentially lead to what feels like a recurrence of symptoms.

Dr. Joyce Olutade, medical director of the Student/Employee Health Center, stresses the importance of rest: “The worst thing is that we come to work when we have the flu. Then, we spread it among ourselves. Stay home. Someone else will take care of your job.”

Here are some key steps for a proper flu recovery:

1. Get plenty of rest
2. Stay hydrated
3. Manage your symptoms with over-the-counter medications
4. Avoid strenuous activities until you’re fully recovered
5. Practice good hygiene to prevent spreading the virus

Recognizing the Signs of Potential Complications

While most people recover from the flu without serious issues, it’s crucial to be aware of potential complications. Gerry Gray-Lewis, nurse manager of family medicine, advises, “At the first sign of any complications, get yourself back to the doctor. There’s a certain percentage of people who will also get pneumonia, and you may be in that small percentage where the flu will knock you on your socks.”

Signs that warrant immediate medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness, confusion, or inability to arouse
• Seizures
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

The Role of Antiviral Medications in Flu Treatment

Antiviral medications like Tamiflu can play a role in flu treatment, but it’s important to understand their limitations. Dr. Olutade explains, “Taking the prescription drug Tamiflu at the first sign of the virus might lessen its duration by a day or so, but won’t deflect it.”

These medications are most effective when started within 48 hours of symptom onset. They can:

• Reduce the duration of flu symptoms
• Decrease the severity of symptoms
• Reduce the risk of flu-related complications

However, antivirals are not a substitute for the flu vaccine and should be used in conjunction with other treatment measures.

Common Misconceptions About Flu Treatment

There are several misconceptions about flu treatment that can hinder recovery or lead to unnecessary medication use. Dr. Olutade addresses some of these:

Antibiotics for Flu

“People say they want a Z-Pak,” she said, referring to the antibiotic Zithromax prescribed for bacterial infections. “Flu is a virus. An antibiotic won’t make any difference.”

Steroid Injections

“And, they want a Decadron shot. That will not help with the symptoms of the flu.”

It’s important to understand that the flu is a viral infection, and treatments should focus on managing symptoms and supporting the body’s natural healing processes rather than trying to “cure” the virus with inappropriate medications.

Preventing Flu Recurrence and Future Infections

While it’s not always possible to prevent the flu, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of infection or reinfection:

1. Get Vaccinated

Dr. Sorey emphasizes the importance of vaccination: “Don’t be foolish enough not to get a flu vaccine. That vaccine could be the difference between you living, and you dying.” While the vaccine’s effectiveness can vary from year to year, it remains the best defense against the flu.

2. Practice Good Hygiene

Regular handwashing, avoiding touching your face, and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing can help prevent the spread of the virus.

3. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

A balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep can help boost your immune system, making you less susceptible to infections.

4. Avoid Close Contact with Sick Individuals

When possible, keep your distance from people who are ill to reduce your risk of exposure.

5. Complete Your Recovery

Ensure you’re fully recovered before returning to your normal routine to avoid weakening your immune system and potentially becoming reinfected.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Flu-Like Symptoms

While most cases of the flu can be managed at home, there are situations where medical attention is necessary. Here are some guidelines for when to seek help:

• If symptoms persist beyond 10 days
• If you experience a high fever (over 103°F or 39.4°C) that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter fever reducers
• If you have difficulty breathing or chest pain
• If you’re in a high-risk group (pregnant women, young children, elderly adults, or those with chronic medical conditions)
• If you develop signs of dehydration

Remember, it’s always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to your health. If you’re unsure whether your symptoms warrant medical attention, consult with a healthcare professional.

In conclusion, while the flu can be a severe illness with the potential for complications and recurring symptoms, proper care and prevention strategies can significantly reduce its impact. By understanding the nature of the virus, recognizing the signs of potential complications, and taking appropriate steps for recovery and prevention, you can better protect yourself and those around you from the flu’s harmful effects. Remember, vaccination remains the most effective tool in our arsenal against influenza, so make sure to get your annual flu shot as recommended by health professionals.

Recovering from flu: Slow down, watch for danger signs

Tuesday is the deadline for all UMMC students and employees to receive the mandatory flu vaccine. The immunization is free at the Office of Student/Employee Health, and hours have been extended today and Tuesday to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 

All employees and students are required to have received the flu vaccine by the end of the workday Tuesday. For more information, call the office at 4-1192. To review UMMC’s flu policy, go to http://bit.ly/1r4KpMK.

Catching the season’s flu is as easy as walking by someone already sickened as they cough or sneeze, experts warn.

But recovering from a virus that can knock you to your knees for days on end? That can be a tough one, especially if you try to hurry the process or cut corners on taking care of yourself.

Here’s why a good recovery from the flu is important, says Dr. Will Sorey, University of Mississippi Medical Center professor of pediatrics. “It affects just about every part of your body except your hair, your brain and your toenails. It’s a systemic illness, and it’s probably one of the more dangerous infections over a period of history than any of the Biblical plagues.”

As the nation observes the Centers for Disease Control’s Dec. 7-13 National Influenza Vaccination Week, experts urge residents to roll up their sleeves before they find themselves down for the count. 

CDC officials also say this year’s vaccine might not be as effective as in previous years because the current strain of the virus has mutated. That could mean more hospitalizations and deaths.

 “Don’t be foolish enough not to get a flu vaccine,” Sorey said. “That vaccine could be the difference between you living, and you dying.

Sorey asks patient Kiara Ward of Jackson to open wide so he can look at her throat during a recent office visit

Sorey and other UMMC health-care professionals encourage flu victims to take critical steps for a smart and safe recovery. And along the way, they say, take precautions not to pass on the nasty virus to friends, family, fellow students and coworkers, and especially those whose immune systems are already compromised.

“The worst thing is that we come to work when we have the flu,” said Dr. Joyce Olutade, medical director of the Student/Employee Health Center. “Then, we spread it among ourselves. Stay home. Someone else will take care of your job.”

They advise those stricken with the flu to remember they must take care of themselves, even if they feel so rotten they only want to curl up in bed or on their sofa. Taking the prescription drug Tamiflu at the first sign of the virus might lessen its duration by a day or so, but won’t deflect it, they say. 

“Some people have the flu, and they are hurting or have fever, but they don’t take anything for it,” said Olutade, whose clinic sees a dozen or more students a day during peak flu season. “At least take ibuprofen or Tylenol to relieve the fever, the aches and the pains. You will feel more comfortable for it.

“Not drinking enough fluids and not taking anything for fever are the two things I see people neglect to do,” she said. “If you don’t feel like eating, you can drink soup, tea or sports drinks. Even if you don’t have an appetite, you need to drink fluids to keep yourself hydrated.”

Flu patients need to be aware that their endurance “is going to be very poor,” Sorey said. “Flu makes your muscles weak. If you start trying to run a marathon the day after your fever goes away, you will wear yourself out, and you may damage tissue if you push hard.”

And Sorey cautions that for both children and adults, feeling worse as the flu progresses is a huge red flag. “You can get secondary infections after the flu, and pneumonia is a big one,” Sorey said. “If you get better, then get worse, that needs to be addressed immediately by a doctor.”

Said Gerry Gray-Lewis, nurse manager of family medicine: “At the first sign of any complications, get yourself back to the doctor. There’s a certain percentage of people who will also get pneumonia, and you may be in that small percentage where the flu will knock you on your socks.”

University of Mississippi Medical Center first-year School of Medicine student Kate Garner prepares for the flu shot stick delivered by Olutade

Often, Olutade said, flu victims will ask their health-care provider to give them antibiotics, or a shot to pep them up. “People say they want a Z-Pak,” she said, referring to the antibiotic Zithromax prescribed for bacterial infections. “Flu is a virus. An antibiotic won’t make any difference. And, they want a Decadron shot. That will not help with the symptoms of the flu.”

Instead, Gray-Lewis suggests, “Go home. Just go to bed and rest. You need to have good hand washing, and good Kleenex and a good trash can nearby. You will feel miserable, and being horizontal in bed in your most comfortable PJs and a quilt brings comfort.

“Try eating your comfort food from childhood. Anything like that – things we associate with being taken care of – is a great thing,” she said. “My grandmother always made hot tea, and she put milk and sugar in it. That’s something I like when I’m sick.”

If you think you can kick the flu in a couple of days, you’re wrong, the experts say. “The cough can last up to two weeks,” Olutade said, adding that over-the-counter cough syrups will ease symptoms.

“The biggest thing we tell patients at our clinic is that flu can last a good week. Don’t expect to go back to school for a full week,” said Dr. Tami Brooks, assistant professor of pediatrics.

“I see a lot of cases where kids and parents want to get back to sports. You don’t need to play competitive sports the day after you’re fever free,” she said. “You need to give your body the rest and fluids to recover well.”

Parents of very young children often worry about fluid intake when little ones are too nauseated to hold down food or liquids, Brooks said. “Give popsicles to kids older than 2, and children younger than 2 can have Pedialyte popsicles that can be crushed up,” Brooks said. “They don’t need a regular diet. They just need to stay hydrated, and they need to urinate every four to six hours.”

“In recovery, easy does it,” Sorey advises. “If you work too hard, you can cause a cascade of problems. Use common sense in nutrition. Don’t try to gain all of your weight back in one sitting.”

Just get your flu shot now if you haven’t already, Sorey advises.

“I hope people aren’t being lulled into a false sense of security,” he said. “The (flu) hammer comes down about every four years. I don’t know if this will be the year or not, but this disease needs to be treated with more respect than it gets.”

Flu Do’s and Don’ts

DO stay home from work or school so that you don’t infect others and hinder your own recovery.

DO take your recovery slowly and seriously. Just because you’re fever free doesn’t mean you are well.

DON’T forget to drink and stay hydrated, even though you don’t feel like eating.

DON’T ignore worsening symptoms, or getting better, then worse. Call your health-care provider immediately.

Caring For Someone With The Flu

The Centers for Disease Control recommends giving a sick person his own room. If more than one person has flu, they can share a room.

Have sick people use the same bathroom and well people use a different bathroom, if possible. Give each sick person his own drinking glass, washcloth and towel. Caregivers should wash their own hands frequently.

When You Suspect You Have the Flu

Most people with flu should stay home and avoid contact with others except to get medical care. Consult your health-care provider about whether you should go to a health-care provider for a diagnosis.

Go to the ER if you or a child have emergency warning signs such as fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish skin color, not waking up or interacting, infants or small children not wanting to be held, flu symptoms that improve but then return with a worse cough or fever, fever with a rash, pain or pressure in chest or abdomen, dizziness or confusion, severe vomiting, and worse cough.

Get medical help immediately for an infant who is unable to eat, has trouble breathing, no tears when crying, and significantly fewer wet diapers than normal.

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What to do to keep from getting the flu again?

Author:


Shandra Day, MD

Topics:

• Health and Wellness
• Infectious Diseases

August 20, 2018

Anyone who has had the flu knows it’s not a pleasant experience. Fever, fatigue, runny nose, cough and muscle aches can make you feel pretty miserable. And once you get over the flu, you certainly won’t want to get sick again.

Well there’s good news and bad news on that front. I’ll start with the bad news. It is possible to get the flu twice during the same flu season. Since there are two types of flu strains – influenza A and influenza B – if you get influenza A, you can also get influenza B.

But there is some good news. If you get influenza A, your body will develop antibodies for influenza A that provide protection against it. Also, while the influenza A antibodies won’t protect you from getting influenza B, having influenza A doesn’t increase your risk of getting influenza B. Plus influenza B typically doesn’t cause as serious of an infection.

So if you’ve had the flu once, what can you do to keep from getting the flu again? The tried and true advice still applies.

1. Get an annual flu shot.

The best way to protect yourself and others is by getting the flu vaccine every year. It decreases the risk of acquiring the infection and it can decrease the severity if you do acquire it. 

Flu viruses aren’t like other viruses where you get them once and you’re protected for life. Flu viruses changes from year to year. A lot of research goes into predicting the changes but it’s a prediction, so it’s not always 100 percent accurate. That’s what accounts for some of the variability and effectiveness of the vaccine.

2. Stay home when you’re sick and encourage others to do the same.

When you’re sick or a family member is sick, it’s really important to stay home until you’re better. For most people, it takes about a week to get over the flu. Staying home that long may be a hard pill to swallow in a culture of presentism, but it’s something you really should do. 

People infected with the flu can shred the virus for five to seven days after developing it. The flu is typically spread through coughing. Cover your cough by coughing into your elbow and not into your hand.

To reduce the risk of infecting others, sleep in another room from other family members, don’t get really close and avoid high-risk populations such as infants, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

If you or a coworker returns to work or school early, you risk getting others sick.

3. Wash your hands.

All the time but especially during flu season, good hand hygiene is important. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your hands to your eyes and mouth. 

4. Drink plenty of fluids and see if you’re a candidate for an antiviral medication.

One of the important things for treatment and overall wellness is hydration. When hydration is recommended, water is always ideal. There can be a lot of fluid loss with the fever caused by the flu. Medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can provide symptom relief. 

If you can start the antiviral Tamiflu in the first 24 to 48 hours of symptom onset, it can decrease the symptom duration and viral shedding by about a day. It’s also likely can decrease the risk of severe complications. 

Why is the flu so serious?

The flu is well known to predispose people to secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis and ear infections, among others. It’s really important for people to know when they develop flu if they are getting better and then get worse again, they need to be evaluated for a secondary bacterial infection.

A significant number of deaths related to flu are attributed to the secondary infections people develop. These infections can happen at the same time patients have the flu, in that period right after they develop it or as they are recovering. 

Shandra Day is an infectious disease physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Visit Ohio State Health & Discovery for more stories on health, wellness, innovation, research and science news from the experts at Ohio State.

Check out health.osu.edu

Influenza may return.

Doctors warn about the threat of mixed infections

Last year, WHO called for mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination due to serious fears of mixed infections. However, preventive measures and quarantine, strengthened during the pandemic, significantly reduced the incidence of influenza, and the threshold values ​​were not exceeded in the spring. But with the onset of the new autumn-winter season, epidemiologists expect an increase in cases of influenza infection and a worsening of the epidemiological situation.

For example, the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh has estimated that there will be 0.5 million more flu hospitalizations in the United States this year due to COVID-19 prevention measures, including masks, social distancing, and school closures. , are attenuated in many countries, we are seeing a dramatic resurgence of other respiratory viruses, which does not bode well for the upcoming influenza season,” the scientists said in a statement. One should take into account such a factor as the weakening of herd immunity, as well as the fact that young children may be at epidemiological risk.

For example, in February-March 2021, not a single case of influenza was recorded in the entire European part of Russia. Since there was no direct contact with the virus, the population did not form an “immune layer”, and this makes people more vulnerable to this infection. By December, when the incidence traditionally rises, experts expect a serious increase in the number of infected people. According to the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, “the types of influenza caused by A (h4N2) are mainly registered today – and this is not the best prognostic sign.”

Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) reminds that even if mass vaccinations are stopped for a short time, the number of people susceptible to infections that are being controlled by vaccination will immediately increase. In the end, this can lead to an increase in mortality, as well as an increased burden on the health care system. The same is said by experts from the CDC – the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Institute of Health and Social Welfare of Finland notes the danger of infection with two viruses at once – influenza and SARS-CoV-2.

Experts warn that co-infection with coronavirus and influenza (the so-called mixed infection) will make the course of each disease more difficult, create a serious burden on the body and increase the risk of complications and deaths.

The only way to avoid serious consequences and prevent a large-scale epidemic of influenza and co-infection is through vaccination. Experts recommend vaccinating against both infections, not vaccinated against COVID-19it is better to get vaccinated against its pathogen first, and then against the flu, but vice versa is also possible. The main thing is to be sure to withstand the interval between vaccinations from two weeks to a month. At the same time, one should not forget that the optimal time for immunization against influenza is September-November, before the start of the seasonal circulation of the virus.

CDC experts allow flu shots to be combined with one of the two components of the COVID-19 vaccine or a booster. The risk group includes people with chronic diseases (cardiovascular, pulmonary, diabetes and obesity), pregnant women, people over 60 years old. These risk groups are the same for influenza and COVID-19they account for the bulk of hospital admissions.

The composition of the influenza A vaccine recommended by WHO has changed two strains of the influenza A virus that were not previously circulating in the population. For this season, for the countries of the Northern Hemisphere, WHO recommended the use of the following combination of strains in the influenza vaccine: in the trivalent vaccine, two variants of strain A (Victoria/2570/2019 (h2N1)pdm09 and Cambodia/e0826360/2020 (h4N2)) and strain B (Washington/ 02/2019) plus another B strain (Phuket/3073/2013) in a quadrivalent vaccine.

Notably, for the first time, two major vaccine campaigns will run in parallel. To form stable herd immunity, it is necessary to vaccinate at least 60% of adults and children and at least 75% of individuals from risk groups.

What the Science Says

There are studies showing that people who are protected from the flu can better tolerate COVID-19. Italian scientists were the first to report this back in September 2020, when they found that the incidence of coronavirus among vaccinated elderly Italians is lower than among people who have not received the vaccine.

Also, a study conducted among the staff of the Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands showed that people who were vaccinated against influenza were infected with SARS-CoV-2 by 39% less than unvaccinated people (the data of 10.6 thousand people were studied). Then American scientists found evidence that the flu shot could potentially protect children, including against COVID-19. It turned out that children vaccinated against influenza were more likely to carry the infection asymptomatically compared to their peers who did not receive the vaccine. Moreover, they were less likely to show symptoms of other respiratory diseases.

In July, the results of a US-British study (conducted on a group of 75,000 patients) were published, confirming the hypothesis that influenza vaccination significantly reduces the number of severe cases of coronavirus. It turned out that those who received the flu shot had significantly fewer severe consequences of COVID-19, such as strokes and heart attacks. But people who did not receive a flu vaccine were more likely to end up in intensive care units.

British scientists discovered the “long flu”. How is it similar to “long covid”?

September 29, 2021

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Some people who recover from the flu continue to experience increased fatigue, frequent headaches, shortness of breath and unhealthy arousal for a long time. All these conditions are sometimes observed even six months after recovery, follows from the data collected by a group of experts at Oxford University.

Interest in the topic arose in connection with the phenomenon of “long covid”. It turned out that other viruses can cause similar symptoms.

Statistical analysis covered two groups of 100 thousand people, mainly in the USA. Participants in one of them had been ill with Covid-19, and the other with the common flu.

In the first group, 42% of patients consulted doctors about protracted complications, in the second – 30%.

According to Oxford analysts, this difference is largely due to the fact that people who have had Covid-19are more concerned about their health.

“Many of us know from our own experience that after the flu, normal health does not return longer than we wanted and hoped,” says one of the leaders of the study, Professor Paul Harrison.

• Very long covid. Four versions of the origin of PCS and its most dangerous consequences
• Russian roulette for the young and healthy. “Long” covid spares no one, and death is not the only bad outcome

The material published in the journal PLOS Medicine does not contain data on the severity of the identified symptoms and whether they occurred constantly or from time to time.

“Influenza complications have so far received little attention,” said Dr. Max Take, another participant in the study.

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“Long covid” is a rather poorly researched disease that still has neither a single definition nor any well-established list of symptoms. In Britain, for example, any case of Covid-19 is called so if, four weeks or more after the patient’s recovery (that is, when the tests stop detecting the virus in his body), he still has at least one of the symptoms of the infection.

At the same time, in some, a protracted illness manifests itself weakly and almost does not cause inconvenience, while in others it proceeds so debilitatingly that it deprives a person of the opportunity to return to work, and sometimes even take care of himself. Among the most common complaints are shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, loss of smell or taste; in the most severe cases, the patient may experience serious, sometimes irreversible damage to internal organs. It is also known about cases when the recovered patients lost sensitivity in the limbs and even vision.

A study last week by the UK’s National Bureau of Statistics shows that the danger of a “long covid” has long been overestimated: on average, only one in 40 people who have been ill suffer from it. This is four times less than previously thought. The authors of another study, published in early September in the Lancet, concluded that vaccination against the virus can reduce the likelihood of a long course of the disease by half.

More often complications occur in women, people over 50 years of age, as well as in those suffering from concomitant chronic ailments and people with an increased concentration of the virus in the blood during the period of illness.

In Russia, Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko spoke recently about the “long covid”. On August 31, he called on the regional authorities to work on the early identification of such patients through in-depth medical examinations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on the last “Direct Line” at the end of June said that the Russian authorities had launched an in-depth rehabilitation program for those who had recovered from the coronavirus in a severe form. Russians who have been ill with covid can undergo an in-depth medical examination under a compulsory medical insurance policy until the end of 2023.