Influenza

Influenza or The Flu is a serious disease. Each year in the United States, on average: 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; About 36,000 people die from flu. So what should be done to fight this terrible disease? What are the symptoms? How should we protect ourselves? What should be known about this disease? The following information gives an in-depth analysis about the flu, where it comes from, who is at risk, and how it can be prevented.

Influenza is a moderately sever, highly contagious respiratory infection that affects many people at once. Healthy people can contract the disease and pass it along to others, days before they themselves develop symptoms and up to five days after becoming sick. The virus enters the body and the person may not even know they have the flu until about one to four days after getting it when the symptoms start. This means that someone who is believed to be healthy can pass on the flu to someone else before knowing that they are sick as well. Transmission of the flu is usually through direct contact from person to person, such as by shaking hands. Also when an infected person coughs or sneezes, small droplets are formed and sent into the air, infecting anyone that maybe in its path.

There are two main types of the Influenza virus: types and B. Each of which includes several subtypes or strains. This basically means that there are different versions of the virus. Although these strains are different from the original virus, they still contain the main characteristics of the original. Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: the hemagglutinin (H) and the neuraminidase (N). There are 16 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 9 different neuraminidase subtypes. The type A Influenza virus is usually responsible for the annual outbreaks that occur in the late fall and early winter seasons.

While everyone is at risk of getting infected with influenza, there are certain groups of people that are at a higher risk and need to be extremely cautious as to not contracting the flu. These people include children under the age of four, and adults over the age of fifty. About 90% of the deaths caused by flu occur in adults age 50 and older. Women who will be in their second or third trimester of pregnancy during the flu season also need to be extremely careful. Having other diseases or illnesses can also put people at risk of getting the flu, such as, people with AIDS or who are using medication that impairs the immune system, or people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, other lung diseases, or heart failure.

With many situations that occur in life, if the outcome is preventable why not work to prevent it. The same concept can be said about preventing the flu or any illness for that matter. The best way to prevent the flu is to practice good health habits. Keeping your body healthy and your immune system strong is a sure fire way to preventing the flu. Good health habits include: avoiding close contact with someone who you know is sick, staying home when you are sick, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, washing your hands, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth. In order to stay healthy you should always get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. No one likes to be sick, so if you can avoid it, why not? Prevention is the key to being happy and healthy.

The symptoms of influenza usually start suddenly, depending on the situation. The worst of the symptoms usually last 3 to 4 days. The symptoms include fever (usually high, can be very high in children), headache, tiredness (can be extreme), coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting (more common in children than adults). It is important to know the symptoms of the flu but it is also important not to confuse the flu symptoms with those of the common cold. Although both are very similar, the appearance of flu like symptoms does mean that you necessarily have the flu. Nevertheless, if you have any of the above symptoms be sure to treat them accordingly and immediately.

So say you happen to get sick with the flu. What should you do? How do you get

better? In most healthy people, influenza will usually go away in about 5 to 7 days. Home

treatment to ease symptoms and prevent complications is usually all that is needed.This

invloves staying home, getting lots of bed rest, drinking plenty of liquids, and avoidind the

use of alcoholic and tobacco products.For the relief of head and muscle aches,