With the flu, you typically go from feeling fine to miserable in a matter of hours.
Antiviral medications taken in the first 48 hours aftersymptom onsetcan reduce the severity and duration of flu symptoms.
This article discusses the symptoms of influenza.
Jessica Olah / Verywell
It explains the common symptoms, rare symptoms, and possible complications of the flu.
Common symptoms include the following.
A fever is the bodys defense against the flu virus.
Whether or not to treat the fever depends on how high the temperature is and the persons age.
It may be best to let a mild fever run its course.
Use these tactics:
When Is a Fever Is Too High?
A fever of 107.6 F is considered dangerously high.
It cancause brain damageand is a medical emergency.
Several factors play a role in headaches with the flu.
First, the immune system releases increasing inflammatory cytokines to fight the infection.
Cytokines are known to trigger headaches and migraines and are the primary suspect behind flu headaches.
Another possible cause of headaches with flu is inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the nasal and sinus cavities.
Dehydration may also play a role in headaches with flu.
Drinking lots of fluids can help to relieve flu headaches triggered by dehydration.
An over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help ease the pain.
This exhaustion is much more pronounced than the tiredness you may feel from a cold.
Your muscles are usually very sore, and moving around too much causes discomfort.
Body aches andpainsare more common with the flu than with many other illnesses.
Coughing
Coughing may be productive (producing mucus) or non-productive.
With the flu, people most often have adry cough.
If you develop aproductive coughwith fever, contact your healthcare provider.
It is typically mild.
Children are more likely to have vomiting and diarrhea with influenza than adults.
Complications
For most people, flu symptoms resolve in one to two weeks.
Complications are typically mild, such as sinus or ear infections.
The flu can, however, be serious and life-threatening.
In fact, there are 12,000 to 61,000 deaths from influenza in the United States each year.
This could indicate a secondary infection, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Do not give aspirin to children or teenagers, as it can lead to a dangerous condition calledReyes syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu symptoms & complications.
U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Fever.
National Headache Foundation.What your flu headache is telling you.
American Lung Association.What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Disease burden of influenza.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How flu spreads.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Highlights of Prescribing Information: Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Tamiflu: Consumer questions and answers.
