Flu (Influenza): Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Primary Symptoms

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills: Often 100°F (38°C) or higher, though not everyone with flu will have a fever

• Body aches and muscle pain: Usually severe and affecting the entire body, especially the back and legs

• Fatigue and weakness: Extreme tiredness that can last for weeks even after other symptoms improve

• Cough: Often dry and can become severe, sometimes lasting for weeks

• Sore throat: Scratchy, painful throat that makes swallowing difficult

• Runny or stuffy nose: More common in children than adults with the flu

• Headache: Can range from mild to severe and often accompanies other flu symptoms

When to Seek Care

Watch for emergency warning signs that require immediate medical attention. In children, these include difficulty breathing, bluish lips or face, chest pain, severe muscle pain, dehydration, or not waking up or not interacting normally. In adults, emergency signs include difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, sudden confusion, severe weakness, or high fever with rash.

When to Seek Immediate Care

If you have any of the emergency warning signs above, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Get care right away if your symptoms come back worse after improving. Children and adults with chronic conditions should seek care early in their illness.

Conservative Treatments

• Rest and sleep: Your body needs energy to fight the infection, so get plenty of rest and sleep more than usual

• Stay hydrated: Drink lots of fluids like water, warm broths, and herbal teas to prevent dehydration and help loosen congestion

• Over-the-counter medications: Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can reduce fever and body aches, while cough suppressants may help with persistent coughing

• Humidified air: Use a humidifier or breathe steam from a hot shower to ease congestion and soothe irritated airways

Advanced Treatments

• Antiviral medications: The CDC recommends oseltamivir (Tamiflu), baloxavir (Xofluza), zanamivir (Relenza), and peramivir (Rapivab). They work best when started within 48 hours of the first symptoms, and high-risk and hospitalized people should still be treated after 48 hours

• Older antivirals: Amantadine and rimantadine are no longer recommended because current flu A viruses resist them

• IV fluids: May be necessary for severe dehydration in hospitalized patients

• Oxygen therapy: Required for patients with severe respiratory complications or pneumonia

Medical History & Physical Examination

A licensed doctor will ask about your symptoms, when they started, and how severe they are. They'll want to know if you've been exposed to anyone with the flu and whether you received this year's flu vaccine. The exam usually includes checking your temperature, listening to your lungs, and examining your throat and lymph nodes.

During flu season, doctors can often diagnose the flu based on symptoms alone. However, testing may be recommended if you're at high risk for complications or if the diagnosis is uncertain.

Diagnostic Testing

• Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs): Provide results in 15 minutes but are less accurate than other tests

• RT-PCR tests: Most accurate flu tests that can detect flu virus genetic material within 1-2 days

• Viral culture: Takes 3-10 days for results but can provide detailed information about the flu strain

Daily Management Strategies

Focus on supporting your body's recovery while managing symptoms. Stay home from work or school until you've been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication. This helps prevent spreading the virus to others and allows your body to heal.

Create a comfortable environment by keeping your bedroom cool and using extra pillows to elevate your head while sleeping. This can help reduce congestion and make breathing easier. Keep tissues, water, and medications within easy reach.

What you eat during flu recovery doesn't need to be complicated. Eat what you can manage. Bland foods like toast, rice, soup, and bananas are easy on the stomach, and fluids matter more than food in the first few days.

Monitor your symptoms closely and keep track of your temperature. Flu headaches are common and can be particularly troublesome, but they usually improve as other symptoms resolve.

Exercise & Movement

Avoid strenuous exercise while you have the flu. Your body needs energy to fight the infection, and intense physical activity can actually weaken your immune response and prolong recovery time.

Light movement like gentle stretching or short walks around your home may help prevent stiffness, but listen to your body. Return to normal exercise gradually after you've been fever-free for 24 hours and your energy levels have returned to normal.