Skip to main content. Influenza Flu Series. Last Updated:. August Download PDF:. What is influenza? How can you prevent influenza? You can reduce the risk of getting influenza or spreading it to others by: Washing your hands regularly Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces that people touch Promptly disposing of used tissues in the waste basket or garbage Coughing and sneezing into your shirt sleeve rather than your hands Staying home when you are ill Getting an influenza vaccine Getting an influenza vaccine can help prevent you from getting sick with influenza and from spreading it to others.
How does influenza spread? What are the symptoms? These tips may empower the body as it works through post-viral syndrome, and they may help reduce the recovery time. The recovery time for people with post-viral syndrome can vary widely. A study noted that recovery time appears to be better the more quickly a person receives their diagnosis. Post-viral syndrome is temporary. Although the effects may linger, many people can expect their symptoms to resolve within a few weeks.
In some cases, symptoms may last for longer, even up to several months. The average duration of this symptom among these individuals was 5 years. After a time, doctors may diagnose a person with a separate disorder, such as CFS. They will then order any necessary treatments and possibly give the individual some additional tips on how to manage their symptoms. Recovering from a viral infection can drain the body.
Yet, even after the body clears out the virus, the symptoms, including fatigue, may linger. The medical community is not sure exactly what causes post-viral syndrome. Some people believe that it is a condition in its own right, whereas others believe that the virus may have triggered another condition, such as CFS or depression.
Some people with post-viral syndrome — often those who get an early diagnosis — may get better in a few weeks. However, some cases may last a few months, and doctors may offer other treatment options for people who experience bothersome symptoms for a longer period. Anyone experiencing symptoms for more than a few weeks after recovering from the virus should see their doctor for a diagnosis.
There are many potential causes of muscle aches. The muscles may ache due to overexertion or exercise, or they may have more severe causes, such as…. Many people feel persistently tired or fatigued, and it can negatively affect all facets of life.
The cause of fatigue may be psychological or…. Take pain relievers to lower your fever and relieve the aches, such as:. If you are at high risk of complications, and if it is early in the infection, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug for treating flu, such as oseltamivir Tamiflu, generic versions.
To better predict how long the flu will last, take steps to reduce your risk of contracting the virus and experiencing severe symptoms.
These steps won't guarantee that you'll escape the flu this year, but they may help prevent it. And they may help reduce the amount of time the flu lasts if you do become infected with the virus. Dispel misinformation about the flu vaccine, sickness, treatment, and recovery by finding out these 10 Flu Myths.
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But just what causes all the havoc? What is going on in your body as you fight the flu? I am a researcher who specializes in immunology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and my laboratory focuses on how influenza infection affects the body and how our bodies combat the virus. Influenza virus causes an infection in the respiratory tract , or nose, throat and lungs. The virus is inhaled or transmitted, usually via your fingers, to the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose or eyes.
It then travels down the respiratory tract and binds to epithelial cells lining the lung airways via specific molecules on the cell surface. Once inside the cells, the virus hijacks the protein manufacturing machinery of the cell to generate its own viral proteins and create more viral particles. Once mature viral particles are produced, they are released from the cell and can then go on to invade adjacent cells.
While this process causes some lung injury, most of the symptoms of the flu are actually caused by the immune response to the virus. These cells express receptors that are able to sense the presence of the virus. They then sound the alarm by producing small hormone-like molecules called cytokines and chemokines. These alert the body that an infection has been established.
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