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Influenza ‘Flu for short, most people incorrectly think of influenza as any winter virus which causes a cough and runny nose. Influenza is actually a more serious illness caused by viruses Influenza A or Influenza B, or sometimes Parainfluenza virus which causes an almost identical set of symptoms.Influenza has a short incubation period of one to two days, then its onset is fairly sudden with the following symptoms: - Frontal headache(headache located in the forehead area or behind the eyes)
- Sore throat
- Sudden severe fatigue
- Muscle aches and pains
- High temperature
- Racing pulse
- Red, watering eyes
- Shivering
A day or so later the following symptoms occur Possibly - Shortness of breath
- Chest pains
- Diarrhoea
- Severe headache with neck stiffness
In Australia vaccination against influenza is recommended for those over the age of 65years and those with chronic illnesses including asthma, chronic respiratory or heart disease and immune deficiencies. In 2008 immunisation of pre-schoolers is being trialed with a view to introducing it in the population as a whole. Immunisation in Australia is given using strains of influenza which were isolated in the Northern hemisphere in the preceding winter and commences mid-March. At risk persons are advised to have their vaccination before the onset of the influenza season which usually begins mid to late May and continues until September. Immunity takes several weeks to develop after the vaccination is given.Those unfortunate enough to catch influenza are advised to stay away from work, school or public places during the acute phase, rest and drink plenty of fluids.. If one requires a medical certificate for work one should consider calling a locum rather than spending an hour in a surgery waiting room further spreading the illness as it is highly contagious. This is another good reason for people to consider vaccination against influenza if they have any condition for which they need to see the doctor for ongoing treatment as there is the possibility they will be exposed to it in the waiting room or pharmacy, so seek vaccination early. The influenza virus can remain active outside the human body in secretions for more than a week but is easily deactivated by disinfectants. (Doctors’ surgeries and pharmacies are popular hangouts for flu sufferers. Public transport is another high-risk place.) Locums generally do not carry influenza vaccinations with them as they require refrigeration.Treatments for influenza include : - Antipyretics(fever-reducing agents) such as paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen treat both pain and fever. They can help with haedache, muscle and joint pains. Those with asthma should avoid aspirin and ibuprofen as aspirin hypersensitivity is common amongst asthmatics and may extend to other anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen.
- Analgesics containing codeine such as Paracetamol-Codeine combinations or Aspirin or Ibuprofen-Codeine combinations may be used for more severe pain. These medication should be used with caution if there is a cough which produces mucous or shortness of breath as they may reduce the ability of the respiratory tract to eliminate mucous, and reduce warning signs of pneumonia.
- Prescription antiviral medicines available include those taken orally such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®), or with an inhaler such as zanamivir (Relenza®).
- Antibiotics are only useful for secondary infections such as sinusitis, bacterial bronchitis , middle ear infections or bacterial pneumonia. Evaluation by a doctor is mandatory is one of these conditions is suspected.
Complications of influenza can include primary influenza pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, myocarditis, pericarditis, bronchitis,encephalitis,sinusitis,otitis media Warning signs that influenza is developing into a more serious illness requiring medical intervention include: - Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain in the chest when taking a breath
- Wheezing (making musical sounds when one breathes)
- Severe headache with neck stiffness or light hurts the eyes.
- Confusion
- Difficulty sleeping which is not caused by pain or coughing
- Coughing up copious amounts of yellow-green mucous
- Significant earache
- Irregular heartbeat
- Ankle swelling
- Dizziness
- Inability to hold down fluids
- Failure to pass urine for 24 hours
If you are uncertain whether you need to see a doctor or not(and you are in Australia), it is recommended that you call Health Direct which is a free 24 hr service on 1800 022 222. Nutritional supplements that may be helpfulZinc, selenium, ascorbic acid, beta carotene and Vitamin E taken regularly have been demonstrated to reduce the frequency of respiratory infections in instutionalised elderly patients in a large French study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The supplements used in the study include zinc sulfate providing 20mg zinc, selenium sulfide providing 100 micrograms of selenium, ascorbic acid 120mg, beta carotene 6mg and alpha-tocopherols15mg(Vitamin E).
Dockworkers given 100 mg of vitamin C each day for ten months caught influenza 28% less often than did their coworkers not taking vitamin C. Of those who did develop the flu, the average duration of illness was 10% less in those taking vitamin C than in those not taking the vitamin.(Renker K, Wegner S. Vitamin C-Prophylaxe in der Volkswertf Stralsund. Deutsche Gesundheitswesen 1954;9:702–6) Other trials have reported that taking vitamin C in high amounts (2 grams every hour for 12 hours) can lead to rapid improvement of influenza .9 10 Such high amounts, however, should only be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional.(Klenner FR. The treatment of poliomyelitis and other virus diseases with vitamin C. South Med Surg 1949;111:210–4. Pauling L. Vitamin C, the Common Cold and the Flu. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman & Company, 1976 [review].) Herbs that may be helpfulThe effect of a syrup made from the berries of the black elderberry on influenza has been studied in two published double-blind trials. People receiving an elderberry extract (15ml four times per day for adults, two tablespoons per day for children) recovered 4 days sooner than did those receiving a placebo.(Z.Zakay-Rones1, E Thom2, T Wollan3, J Wadstein4 Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections. Journal of International Medical Research 004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40Zakay-Rones Z, Varsano N, Zlotnik M, et al. Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L) during an outbreak of influenza B Panama. J Altern Complement Med 1995;1:361–9)
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