Is the flu serious?

Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
Updated on September 05, 2024
00:00
00:00

Influenza is a contagious disease, mainly caused by the spread of the influenza virus among people. Patients may display symptoms such as sore throat, cough, and fever. The severity of influenza can vary. Typically, for people with normal immunity, influenza goes through a self-limiting process, and generally, patients can recover on their own without treatment in about 7 to 10 days. However, certain special populations, such as the elderly, infants, pregnant women, cancer patients, or those who have been taking immunosuppressive drugs for a long time, often experience prolonged symptoms after contracting influenza. Additionally, influenza can lead to influenza pneumonia, and in severe cases, it may cause myocarditis or meningitis, potentially leading to life-threatening conditions. Therefore, special attention should be paid to these vulnerable groups.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ye Xi Yong
Infectious Diseases
38sec home-news-image

What is type B influenza?

Type B influenza is a type of epidemic influenza characterized by a rapid onset, feeling feverish and chilled. Body temperature usually rises quickly within hours, reaching 39 to 40 degrees Celsius, or even higher. It is accompanied by headache, general body aches, fatigue, and reduced appetite. Its respiratory symptoms are relatively mild, including dry throat, sore throat, dry cough, and possibly diarrhea. Type B influenza is difficult to distinguish from the common cold and typically requires laboratory identification for diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
58sec home-news-image

The incubation period of influenza is how many days?

The incubation period refers to the time from when pathogenic microorganisms invade the human body to when symptoms appear. We call this the incubation period. The duration of the incubation period is related to the patient's resistance and the virulence of the pathogenic microorganisms. Generally speaking, the incubation period for influenza A is usually about 2-4 days, while for other types like influenza B and C, the incubation period can often reach 5-7 days. During the incubation period of influenza, patients often do not exhibit typical flu symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, and fever. The primary manifestations may be general malaise, such as muscle and skeletal pain, loss of appetite, poor digestion, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Therefore, it is very easy to misdiagnose these symptoms as other diseases during the incubation period.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
50sec home-news-image

Do you need to isolate for the flu?

Influenza can be classified into three types based on the surface membrane proteins and nucleocapsids: type A, type B, and type C. Type A influenza usually causes major outbreaks in populations. Due to frequent genotypic changes in type A influenza, the general population often lacks immunity against it. Generally, influenza is a legally designated class B infectious disease in the country, and it can be transmitted to normal or healthy individuals through droplets, sneezing, or aerosols. Therefore, if an outbreak occurs, isolation measures should be taken, people should avoid crowded public places as much as possible, and maintain ventilation by keeping windows open, to prevent transmission from infected patients or certain animals.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
43sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of flu?

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. What are the symptoms after contracting the flu? Typically, the onset of influenza is quite sudden, and symptoms such as chills, high fever, headache, dizziness, body aches, and fatigue can appear quickly. Generally, the symptoms in the nasopharyngeal area are relatively mild and prolonged, and may include sore throat, runny nose, tearing, coughing, etc. After contracting the flu, it is important to actively cooperate with medical treatment and also to ensure isolation to prevent infecting others.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
49sec home-news-image

How many days does it take to recover from the flu?

Influenza is primarily a disease caused by an infection of the upper respiratory tract with the influenza virus. It is a contagious disease that can spread among people, leading to an outbreak. Although influenza is a frightening illness, it is a viral infection characterized by being self-limiting, meaning that whether or not medication is used, the patient's condition can improve on its own. Typically, the course of influenza can improve on its own within about 7 to 10 days. At this time, it is sufficient to use medications that reduce fever, relieve pain, or treat nasal congestion and coughing, since patients generally recover on their own after about 7 days, and medication is only needed to alleviate symptoms. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)