Flu symptoms should only last a week, and you should be able to alleviate them through treatment at home. Taking over-the-counter medications for fever, body aches, and congestion should be effective.
Full recovery from flu sometimes requires medical attention, as well as plenty of fluids and rest. If flu is diagnosed early enough, your doctor can also prescribe antiviral medication that shortens the duration of your symptoms. You can take measures to protect yourself against the flu, like thoroughly washing your hands with warm, soapy water. Your best chance at preventing the flu is by getting a flu vaccine every year, at any time during flu season. Every year, up to four strains are included in the vaccine.
Getting the flu vaccine also helps protect the people you love from catching the flu from you. While you might be healthy, you could catch flu and unwittingly pass it on to an immunocompromised person. The CDC recommends flu vaccines for everyone older than 6 months. Currently there are injectable forms of the vaccine as well as an inhaled nasal spray. A fever is a common symptom of the flu virus, but not everyone who gets the flu will have one. Learn more. It's not always easy to determine if you have a cold or the flu, but knowing the differences helps treatment work more quickly.
Rowe recommends adults 65 and older get an annual flu vaccine specially formulated for people in their age group. She says adults should get vaccinated early in the fall if possible, but those who miss that window should still get vaccinated any time during flu season.
During flu outbreaks in long-term care facilities, which can be particularly devastating, antiviral medications may be used for prevention of influenza. In children birth to 5 years old , influenza is more likely to cause severe illness and a bacterial co-infection. Lubna S. Madani, MD , medical director of Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care , says children in this age group are at higher risk of flu complications because:.
People who are pregnant or who have recently given birth experience changes in the immune system, heart and lungs. Therefore, according to the CDC, they are more likely than people who are not pregnant to have severe illness from flu. Deborah S. Clements, MD, family medicine physician at Northwestern Medicine Grayslake Outpatient Center in Grayslake, Illinois, says that those who are pregnant and who get flu may develop dehydration or high fever, which puts their unborn babies at risk.
Unborn babies may be more likely to experience neural tube defects or other adverse conditions if they are exposed to fever in the womb. Getting your flu shot is still the best way to protect yourself against the flu—yes, even if it's late in flu season. Your life, or someone else's, may be at stake. To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter. By Sarah Klein Updated January 24, Save Pin FB More. All rights reserved. Close Sign in. Here's what you need to know about how many people die from the flu each year, on average, what infectious disease experts are expecting for the upcoming — flu season, and how to protect yourself.
According to data collected by the CDC from to , the agency estimates that the flu has caused 12,—52, deaths annually. During that time, the flu also caused 9 million—41 million illnesses, and ,—, hospitalizations. Those numbers can vary so much from year to year, because what we know as "the flu" isn't one specific thing—it's actually made up of different influenza strains that circulate.
Certain influenza strains can also be more severe than others. Robert L. Murphy , MD, a professor of infectious diseases at Northwestern Medicine Feinberg School of Medicine, agrees, saying that the flu virus is always changing.
It's far too soon to say, but experts are still worried about what could happen. This is for a few reasons.
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