Flu

Also known as influenza, influenza is an infection of the respiratory system whose main complication is pneumonia, responsible for a large number of hospital admissions in the country. The disease begins with high fever, usually above 38 ° C, followed by muscle pain, sore throat, headache and dry cough.

Fever is the most important symptom and lasts around three days. Respiratory symptoms such as coughing, become more evident with disease progression and maintained, usually for three to four days after the disappearance of fever. It is a very common disease worldwide, and a person can acquire influenza several times throughout his life. It is also often confused with other respiratory viruses and, therefore, its definitive diagnosis is made only by specific laboratory tests.

Every year, with winter approaching, we begin to worry about avoiding respiratory diseases that commonly called the flu. Although we use the term generically to refer to symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, headache, flu and colds are caused by different viruses and have some characteristics that allow its differentiation.

While most people are infected during a few times with cold viruses, influenza occurs less frequently manifested, for example, once every few years.

Treatment

There are no medications that have shown good results in combating the virus flu and cold. Therefore, treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms. The main drugs used are symptomatic analgesics and antipyretics, pain relievers and fever.

Warning: even medications that can be purchased without a prescription can cause unwanted reactions. Only your healthcare provider may indicate the drug most appropriate for each case.

Prevention

The vaccine is the best way to prevent influenza and its complications. Every year, it is necessary to receive a new dose, because its composition is changed according to the type of virus most likely to spread. The vaccine prevents approximately 70-90% of cases of influenza but will not protect against other respiratory infections such as the common cold.

The preventive effect of the vaccine is observed about two weeks after administration. Therefore, the application of the vaccine should be done before winter, a time when higher rates of infection. As the virus used in the vaccine was inactivated in the laboratory can not cause influenza vaccination.

Adverse reactions that may occur are usually mild, such as soreness at the injection site, fever and malaise, lasting one or two days. There is evidence that those who receive the vaccine every year develops greater resistance to disease, so all the people who had access to the vaccine should receive it annually. For the cold, there is still no vaccine available.