Cold or Flu: Learn the differences between the two.
Both a cold and the flu are viral infections that cause similar symptoms, such as coughing and sore throat. Here's the difference. A cold is only a minor viral infection of the nose and throat, while the flu, on the other hand, is usually more severe, with symptoms that include the sudden onset of high fever and the addition of aches and pains. It's important to learn the difference between the two, so that you can talk to your doctor within 2 days of the start of your symptoms if you suspect you have flu.
Learning the facts about flu is the first step toward protecting yourself. The flu, or influenza, is a respiratory infection and it is highly contagious. It is most common in the fall and winter, and is caused mainly by viruses called type A and type B influenza viruses. These enter the body through the mouth, nose and eyes.
When a person with the flu coughs or sneezes, the virus becomes airborne and can be inhaled by anyone nearby. School-age children are often the first to get the flu, which they carry home and to other places in the community.
Type of Flu Season Percent of Population Infected
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More Severe 20% or more
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How can I tell if someone in my family has the flu?
The flu generally strikes 1 to 3 days after exposure to the virus. Fever is one indicator of the flu in all age groups. However, fever alone is not sufficient for a flu diagnosis.
Common flu symptoms have been identified for three different age groups: 1) adults and children 5 years of age and older; 2) children younger than age 5; 3) elderly individuals. These are provided in detail below.
Recognizing flu in adults and children 5 years of age and older.
Review these common flu symptoms. Are you or someone you care about experiencing some or all of them?
If you answered yes, you should call your doctor immediately. Get a diagnosis within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms and, if appropriate, your doctor can prescribe an antiviral medication such as Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza. Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza attacks the influenza virus (the flu) and stops it from spreading inside the body.
Recognizing flu in children younger than age 5.
Call your pediatrician if your child complains of or if you observe:
Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza attacks the influenza virus (the flu) and stops it from spreading inside the body.
Recognizing flu in the 50+ population.
Older family members are also susceptible to the flu virus. Common flu symptoms for individuals aged 50 and older are:
If a family member is experiencing some or all of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately and ask about antiviral medication such as Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza.
Knowing the dangers of flu.
A bad case of the flu will probably send a healthy adult or child to bed for 3 to 5 days. Afterward, the person will recover fully, but cough and tiredness may persist for days or weeks.
Nonetheless, the flu can be a serious illness. Each year, up to 60 million Americans develop the flu, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized.
People with chronic illnesses and those aged 50 and older are more likely than others to become seriously ill with the flu, and to develop other serious infections such as pneumonia. If you are elderly or have a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or HIV, call your doctor at the first sign of flu symptoms.
Safety Information
There is no evidence for the efficacy of Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza in any illness other than influenza types A and B. Treatment efficacy in high-risk patients (chronic cardiac disease and/or respiratory disease) has not been established, and there were no differences in the incidence of complications between treatment and placebo groups in this population. The safety and efficacy of repeated treatment or prophylaxis courses have not been established.
In treatment studies in adult patients, adverse events occurring more frequently in patients taking Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza compared with placebo (incidence >1%) were nausea, vomiting, bronchitis, insomnia and vertigo.
In treatment studies in pediatric patients, the most frequently reported adverse event occurring in >1% of patients receiving Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza was vomiting. Other events reported more frequently by pediatric patients treated with Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza included abdominal pain, epistaxis, ear disorder and conjunctivitis. These events generally occurred once and resolved despite continued dosing.
In prophylaxis studies in adult patients and adolescents aged 13 years and older, adverse events were qualitatively very similar to those seen in the treatment studies, despite a longer duration of dosing. Events reported more frequently in subjects receiving Tamiflu Prescription Treatment For Influenza compared to subjects receiving placebo in prophylaxis studies included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, insomnia, vertigo and fatigue.
Vaccination is considered the first line of defense against influenza