Flu hallucinations. Causes, symptoms and treatment of influenza What are the symptoms of re-infection with influenza?

Influenza is an infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by the influenza virus and can take on the size of epidemics (from 5% of sick residents) and pandemics (spread to neighboring countries).

The influenza virus is persistent in the cold season; about 15% of the world's inhabitants are sick with it every year. Children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases are especially vulnerable.

History of the study

People have been sick with the influenza virus since ancient times. Back in 412 BC. e. Hippocrates recorded a case of a disease whose symptoms were very similar to the influenza virus. In the Middle Ages, people often suffered from the flu, and the situation often took on the character of an epidemic. Since the beginning of the 12th century, sources have recorded more than a hundred cases of the spread of the disease. The real disaster was the pandemic in 1580, which killed many people in Europe. Of course, in those days people had no idea what a virus was, and people attributed the mass incidence to the punishment of the gods or a passing comet.

IN In the 20th century, the most famous pandemic - the Spanish flu (Spanish flu) - raged in 1918, 30% of the world's population was infected, and about 100 million people died. Interestingly, the origin of this virus was China. Then what does Spain have to do with it? The fact is that in those years (and these were the years of the First World War), the country of Spain did not participate in hostilities, censorship in the media was minimal, and reporters freely covered events, including cases of influenza. The newspapers constantly flashed reports of mass infection and high mortality, so there was a general impression that Spain had become the place where the virus spread.

The viral nature of influenza was discovered only in the 30s of the twentieth century. In 1931, the American scientist R. Shope suggested that the disease in the pigs he studied was very similar to the symptoms of influenza and was of viral origin. In 1933, this assumption was confirmed: indeed, it was possible to isolate a microorganism called Orthomixovirus influenzae - influenza A virus. In the 40s, viruses of types B and C were identified.

Currently, all these types are well studied, as well as their symptoms. Type A flu is the most dangerous. It constantly mutates and affects people and animals. Viruses B and C reproduce only in the human body.

What does the virus look like?

In everyday life, the flu is often referred to as any type of acute respiratory disease. But the influenza virus should not be confused with other ARVI viruses, of which more than 200 species have been identified.

What does the influenza virus look like? Influenza is caused by microorganisms containing RNA or DNA. They cannot exist and reproduce in the environment, so they are introduced into the organisms of living beings. Once in the upper respiratory tract, the virus adheres to the cells of the mucous membranes, comes to life and begins to actively divide.

At this moment, the sick person is very contagious, since the virus spreads when coughing and sneezing many meters around and enters the respiratory tract of other people or animals. It has been proven that the virus spreads at a speed of 120 km/h.

The equator is considered the probable homeland of the virus, where outbreaks of the disease are recorded regularly. It is believed that the virus lives in the bodies of birds and animals; during the migration of migratory birds, influenza viruses move to other parts of the world.

Infection

All people are susceptible to the influenza virus. The disease is spread by airborne droplets, the source of infection is a sick person with obvious or just beginning signs of influenza. Tiny droplets of saliva and mucus when coughing and sneezing spread many meters around and are inhaled by others.

In the case of an uncomplicated course of the disease, the release of the virus stops approximately on the 6th day; in case of complications in the form of pneumonia, the person remains infectious for up to 3 weeks.

The virus survives well at sub-zero temperatures, so outbreaks of the disease occur during the cold season. Every 2-3 years an epidemic occurs, when up to 50% of the population can get sick. Typically, an epidemic is caused by a type A virus, since it is this type that is most susceptible to mutations. The symptoms of type A influenza are familiar to almost everyone. Below we will clarify this information again.

Type B virus spreads much more slowly and affects approximately 25% of people every 4-6 years. The type C virus mainly affects children and severely weakened people.

The most favorable temperature for the spread of the influenza virus is the range from -5º to +5º. At these temperatures, air humidity decreases, the human respiratory tract becomes drier, and the virus easily enters the body.

Main symptoms

Symptoms of the disease usually appear suddenly. There are several degrees of the disease, but we will talk about this later.

The incubation period (the period from the virus entering the body until the first symptoms appear) is approximately 2 days.

The flu can begin as follows:

A sharp increase in temperature - up to 38º and above.
Severe chills.
General weakness and malaise.
Aching bones and muscle pain are signs of intoxication in the body.
Aching headache. Distributes to the entire forehead, temples, brow ridges and eye sockets. In older people, pain may affect the entire head, neck and shoulders.
Pain and pain in the eyes, especially when rotating the eyes.
Lacrimation, conjunctivitis.
Sensitivity to light, sharp sounds.
Increased sweating.
The face is red, but the skin of the body is pale.
In severe forms, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (stomach flu) may begin.
Young children may have seizures.
Sleep disturbance, anxiety, hallucinations.
Nasal congestion, sore throat and dry throat. However, these catarrhal symptoms quickly pass, and a strong dry cough begins. It can last 7–10 days.
Redness in the throat gradually acquires a bluish tint, and swelling develops. After a week, the mucous membrane is restored.
Congestion and dryness in the nasal passages give way to a severe runny nose. Mucus may constantly flow from the nose, and the bridge of the nose hurts. Nosebleeds may occur due to excessive nose blowing.
When listening to the lungs, short-term wheezing is heard. When coughing, the sternum begins to hurt, the cough is painful and annoying. Complications such as bronchitis and tracheitis are possible.

In children, croup is possible - damage to the larynx and other organs of the respiratory system. There is swelling of the larynx and trachea, rapid and difficult breathing, and a persistent persistent cough.

The influenza virus can infect the heart muscle. In this case, when listening to the heart, the doctor will hear a muffled sound, a stuttering rhythm.
At the beginning of the disease, the pulse is frequent. After three days, the pulse slows down and general weakness appears.
Lethargy, loss of appetite, refusal to eat. As a result, intestinal motility worsens, constipation and bloating are possible. There is a white coating on the tongue.
If there is a complication on the kidneys, a change in the current indicators in the composition of urine is observed. Protein and red blood cells appear in it.
The number of leukocytes in the blood increases, and the ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) increases.
Fever lasts from two to 10 days. The sick person feels tired and tired all the time. He suffers from a runny nose, cough, body aches and high fever. After illness, many experience irritability, drowsiness, low blood pressure, and asthenia. In this case, a recovery period is needed.

Degrees of the disease

The flu itself, its symptoms and treatment are very similar to ARVI, so it is difficult to externally determine the presence of the flu. However, with a mass disease, we can talk about an epidemic, and this indicates the influenza virus.

The severity of the disease may vary:

The mild form of influenza is very mild, the temperature rises slightly, and there are practically no symptoms.
The average severity of the disease is characterized by an increase in temperature to 38º–39º; Typical flu symptoms are observed: aches, weakness, headache, dryness and sore throat, and a cough begins.
A severe form involves an increase in temperature to 40º, convulsions, hallucinations, vomiting, and nosebleeds begin.
Severe hypertoxic form. With this form, the patient’s temperature is above 40º, and there are serious disturbances in the functioning of the brain and nervous system. Bleeding, swelling of the brain and lungs are possible. High probability of death.

How dangerous is the flu?

First of all, the flu is dangerous due to various complications. Complications develop especially often in children, the elderly and weakened people.

Severe forms of influenza can cause maximum harm to health. There are 2 main types of complications:

Pulmonary complications. These can be various pneumonias, lung abscess, acute respiratory syndromes.
Extrapulmonary complications. These are rhinitis, sinusitis, otitis, tracheitis, meningitis, encephalitis, radiculoneuritis, myocarditis, liver and kidney damage.

Particular attention should be paid to the course of the disease in children under 3 years of age and in people over 65 years of age. This is the most dangerous age, in which the body’s protective functions are weakened, so the risk of complications is high.

Treatment and prevention

The flu is a serious and insidious disease; doctors do not recommend treating it yourself. At the first signs of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor and establish a diagnosis. The influenza virus can be detected using nasal and throat swabs. For a more accurate diagnosis, the doctor may order the patient to take a general blood test and take an x-ray of the lungs.

A sick person should be moved to a separate room, put to bed and provided with linen, a towel, dishes, and hygiene items (including soap). Remember that the virus lives in the environment for up to 72 hours, and the patient is contagious for 7-10 days.
Wear a gauze bandage and try not to interact with people who are coughing or sneezing. During the epidemic, do not attend mass events and have less contact with other people.
At the first signs of illness, you should stay home and avoid contact with relatives and other people. Call a doctor at home.
Regularly ventilate all rooms, do wet cleaning twice a day.
Wash your hands, clear your nose, and gargle frequently. Do not touch your nose, eyes, or mouth with dirty hands.
Drink enough water (2–2.5 liters of water per day).
Boost your immunity in simple and affordable ways. To do this, it is useful to drink echinacea infusion, rosehip decoction, eat sour berries (cranberries, lingonberries) and more citrus fruits. It has been proven that vitamin C prevents the risk of infection several times, and at the very beginning of the disease it significantly alleviates the symptoms and course of the disease.
Eat properly and nutritiously. Give preference to healthy plant-based foods that are rich in vitamins and microelements.
Do morning exercises, engage in active sports. Regular walking at a fast pace is very useful. Try to spend at least 30 minutes a day actively.
Follow a daily routine. Alternate work and rest, allow yourself to get enough sleep. Scientists have proven that regular lack of sleep (sleeping less than 6 hours) suppresses the immune system. Adequate sleep, on the contrary, can significantly increase the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria.
Avoid stress, it significantly weakens the body.
What you absolutely should not do is smoke. It has been proven that smoking weakens the body and suppresses natural immunity. During the flu, smoking is generally contraindicated, since the virus affects the trachea, bronchi and lungs; these organs simply cannot withstand the nicotine attack.

Many people are familiar with the symptoms of influenza. The symptoms are very similar to a cold. However, influenza is not a simple disease and is fraught with serious complications. Therefore, carry out preventive measures, follow the rules of communication with sick people and be sure to consult a doctor.

Content

Statistics indicate a million annual deaths from influenza and its complications worldwide. To avoid them, when the first symptoms of a viral disease appear, call a doctor and start treatment. If possible, limit physical activity, eat right, take medications, or use folk remedies to treat an infectious disease.

What is the flu

A viral disease that affects the upper and lower respiratory tract is called influenza. The infection is accompanied by fever and causes significant damage to health. There are more than 2,000 varieties of the virus, and its mutations continue - scientists find new strains of the disease every year. The disease refers to respiratory viral infections, but unlike others, it affects almost all life support systems of the body.

Causes

The causative agent of the infectious disease is the influenza virus, which affects the respiratory tract. The source of a viral disease is a sick person or, when infected with a group A virus, animals or birds. The influenza virus is released in the first week of an infectious disease, and the more catarrhal symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sneezing, the higher the risk of contracting the disease. Another factor in the development of the disease is the cold season (autumn and winter), when people spend most of their time indoors. Routes of transmission of the virus:

Aerosol. The influenza virus is released in saliva and sputum from a cough or sneeze. In addition, during a normal conversation with a patient with an infectious disease, you can also become infected. The entry points for the influenza virus in a healthy person are the mouth, nose and eyes.
Contact and household route of transmission of the disease. The same sputum or drool can get on cutlery and dishes, hygiene products, and bedding. If you use these items after a sick person, you can become infected with the influenza virus.

Kinds

The medical classification identifies 3 main types of infectious disease virus, which are presented below:

Group A virus. The most common and dangerous type of infectious disease. The symptoms of influenza A are difficult to tolerate, and the likelihood of complications of the disease is high. In this case, animals or birds can be infected with the virus, which is why the risk of contracting a viral disease is increased. There are many varieties of the virus - 16 types of hemagglutinin and 9 types of neuraminidase.
Group B virus. Influenza of this group is found only in humans. The infectious disease is more easily tolerated by patients, and the likelihood of complications is reduced. This moderate type of disease rarely causes epidemics, but the B virus can change its own structure, adapting to medications.
Group C virus. A rare virus that does not cause epidemics among people. There is a mild or asymptomatic form of the infectious disease. The disease causes complications extremely rarely. Like virus B, it infects only humans.

Flu symptoms in adults

A mild degree of severity of an infectious disease is characterized by mild flu symptoms, which include:

temperature below 38 °C;
moderate headache;
intoxication;
general weakness;
body aches;
cough;
runny nose.

A moderate degree of viral illness can result in complications on the body. To diagnose the disease, look for the following symptoms:

body temperature 38–39 °C;
chills;
a sore throat;
weakness;
body aches;
runny nose;
dizziness;
nausea;
headache.

A severe degree of infectious disease is characterized by more pronounced signs of intoxication and high fever. With severe flu, these symptoms are present:

severe muscle pain and headaches;
temperature 40 °C;
loss of consciousness, delirium;
dyspnea;
nausea and repeated vomiting;
earthy skin tone;
severe weakness;
drowsiness or insomnia;
convulsions;
dizziness.

First signs

If you notice the first signs of the flu from the list below, visit your doctor to diagnose and treat the viral illness:

high temperature from 38°C;
headache;
increased sweating;
chills;
Pain in the eyes;
lacrimation;
exhausting cough;
muscle and joint pain;
skin hyperemia;
weakness;
unpleasant taste in the mouth;
irritability.

Detailed clinical picture

There are two main typical syndromes in the clinical picture of influenza. Intoxication is considered the leading one. It manifests itself from the first hours of influenza, in all cases in an acute form. Signs of influenza in adults with intoxication syndrome:

chills;
chilliness;
pain when moving the eyeballs;
severe weakness;
headache localized in the temples, frontal part;
muscle and joint pain;
lacrimation;
fever with temperature 39–40 °C;
repeated vomiting;
insomnia;
delirium;
increased sweating;
dizziness;
fainting;
lethargy.

The second syndrome associated with influenza is called catarrhal syndrome. Appears on the 3rd–4th day of an infectious disease. Symptoms of the syndrome include:

dryness, sore throat;
nasal congestion;
chest pain with a tickling sensation;
prolonged dry cough;
redness of the soft palate with possible subsequent minor hemorrhage, swelling and cyanosis;
red, shiny granular back of the throat;
redness and dryness of the nasopharynx and oropharynx;
nosebleeds;
hoarseness, sore throat;
vomit;
lacrimation;
pale skin with a cyanotic tint;
slight enlargement of cervical lymph nodes;
serous nasal discharge.

In addition to catarrhal and intoxicating, typical influenza has forms in which the main symptoms of a viral disease are:

in bronchopulmonary– raw cough, shortness of breath, severe chest pain;
in hemorrhagic– hemorrhages in the skin, internal organs, mucous membranes, hemorrhagic pulmonary edema, increased bleeding;
in dyspeptic– abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea.

At the same time, there is influenza without catarrhal symptoms or with their weak expression - this form of the disease is called atypical fulminant. It is more dangerous than others because the temperature does not rise - the body does not fight the infectious disease. Symptoms of a viral disease:

weakness;
chest pain;
cough;
joint, muscle, headaches.

Dangerous manifestations

If you notice the following signs of influenza, call your doctor, otherwise the risk of developing complications of an infectious disease and death increases:

temperature from 40 °C;
severe headache that does not respond to analgesics;
high temperature (lasts more than 5 days);
small rash;
vomit;
nausea;
delirium;
convulsions;
dyspnea;
chest pain.

Complications

If you do not pay attention to the treatment of an infectious disease, health-threatening complications may arise. Categories of people whose immunity is weak are at risk of developing complications of a viral disease:

aged people;
newborns;
pregnant women;
children without a developed immune system (up to 4 years);
patients with chronic diseases;
patients with weakened immunity and immunodeficiency.

There are many complications of a viral disease, because it affects the entire body. Without proper treatment of an infectious disease, the following may occur:

hemorrhagic pulmonary edema;
pneumonia;
meningitis;
encephalitis;
otitis;
sinusitis;
septic condition;
sinusitis;
bronchitis;
myocarditis;
heart failure;
Reye's syndrome;
acute transverse myelitis;
exacerbation of chronic diseases;
lung abscess;
neuritis;
pleurisy;
pyelonephritis.

Diagnostics

If flu symptoms appear that sharply worsen your body’s condition, call a doctor at home. Diagnosis of a viral disease is based on the clinical picture. If necessary, the patient is placed in the infectious diseases department. If there is a risk of developing complications of a viral disease, the patient is monitored by ENT specialists, pulmonologists and other doctors. When the temperature rises on days 4–5, additional diagnostics are also carried out:

general blood analysis;
chest x-ray;
examination by a doctor, taking an anamnesis;
complement fixation reaction;
PCR diagnostics;
ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay);
virological diagnostics.

Treatment of influenza in adults

Mild and moderate types of influenza can be treated at home, observing bed rest, and in severe forms of the viral disease they are sent to the hospital. To treat the disease, medications and folk remedies are used. Doctors recommend drinking plenty of fluids (orange juice, warm milk, viburnum juice, weak tea, water, decoctions of linden flowers, rose hips) and good nutrition:

chicken and vegetable soups;
foods with vitamin C - citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, papaya;
vegetables and fruits with folic acid, beta-carotene, magnesium - beets, apricots, carrots, peaches, cauliflower;
products with zinc - meat, nuts, eggs;
foods with vitamin E - fish oil, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds.

Drug therapy

Treatment with medications is aimed at destroying influenza viruses and increasing immunity. For the treatment of infectious diseases the following are used:

Antipyretic drugs at a temperature of 38.5 °C - aspirin, paracetamol.
Antiviral drugs - Arbidol, Amiksin, Ingavirin. The dosage is prescribed by a doctor, the average duration of use is 5 days.
Gargling solutions– Lugol, Miramistin. Gargle with solutions containing diluted medicine 3-4 times a day.
Sprays and lozenges to relieve throat pain - Orasept, Faringosept, Strepsils. Use 4-5 times a day.
Vasoconstrictor drops for cleansing the nose: Naphthyzin, Rinonorm. Use a maximum of 2 times a day for no more than 7 days.
Antihistamines to reduce inflammation - Suprastin, Citrine.
Antispasmodics and analgesics– Spazmalgon, Analgin, Pentalgin. Used in case of muscle pain or headache.
Expectorants and mucolytics- ACC, Mukaltin.

Folk remedies

Even with the availability of medications to treat influenza, many people use folk remedies. To cure an infectious disease, and not harm yourself, take a closer look at proven recipes. Black currant is considered an effective remedy for viral diseases. A decoction to destroy the virus from its branches is prepared as follows:

Brew a handful with 4 cups of water.
Boil for 5 minutes, and then steam for another 4 hours.
Drink 2 cups of the decoction warm before bed. You can add honey or sugar for taste.

For a quick recovery, use a ginger drink with the addition of lemon and honey. The antioxidants, vitamins and other beneficial microelements contained in these ingredients strengthen the immune system and fight the virus:

Grind lemon and 300 g ginger root in a blender.
Add 150 g of honey to this mixture, move carefully and place in the refrigerator, tightly closing the container with a lid.
To treat the disease, dissolve a teaspoon of the product in warm water.

Known enemies of the virus are garlic and onions. There are a large number of recipes with them, but for comfortable treatment of the disease it is recommended to breathe in their fumes:

Chop or grate 1 onion and a few cloves of garlic.
Bend over and breathe them in, alternately inhaling through your mouth and nose, clearing the airways affected by the infectious disease virus.

In addition to treating an infectious disease from the inside, you can gargle with decoctions to relieve pain and cough. Chamomile is suitable for this purpose:

Brew a tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers in a glass of hot boiled water.
Cool and filter.
Add a teaspoon of honey.
Gargle every 3-4 hours throughout the day.

Prevention and vaccination

wash your hands with soap when coming from the street;
Rinse your nose regularly with a warm saline solution or a special spray;
avoid contact with sick people, and if necessary, use a mask even during the incubation period - when there are no symptoms of an infectious disease yet, the sick person can already infect others;
Regularly ventilate the room and do wet cleaning;
do not touch your face with dirty hands;
avoid hypothermia;
drink plenty of fluids;
avoid large crowds of people.

To generally strengthen the immune system, doctors recommend lifestyle changes. To prevent viral illness:

get enough sleep;
eat right;
quit smoking;
play sports outdoors;
avoid stress;
take more vitamins.

Seasonal vaccination will be an effective method of preventing the disease. It is approved for the elderly, infants over 6 months, pregnant women and other categories of people at risk of influenza. Regular vaccination will increase protection and production of antibodies to the virus. In 80% of cases, patients do not get sick with influenza after vaccination, and if the disease appears, they tolerate it easily, without complications. The effect of vaccination against the virus lasts from 6 months to a year.

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Influenza is one of the most common acute respiratory viral infections. It is almost impossible to know everything about the flu - the pathogen often mutates, and different types appear every year. Symptoms of influenza in adults are quite specific.

Doctors can easily identify the signs of influenza - intoxication, fever, muscle pain, photophobia, pronounced weakness. The causes of influenza are damage to the body by a viral infection of the myxovirus influenza genus.

Treatment of the disease is mostly symptomatic, since the body can cope with the virus on its own.

Causes of the disease

The direct etiology of the disease is the penetration of the influenza virus into the body of a healthy person. The pathogen has been known to doctors for a long time, and due to its rapid prevalence it began to be called influenza. Scientists first isolated and studied the virus in detail in the early 1930s - the pathogen was classified as a member of the orthomyxovirus family and three types of influenza were identified - influenza A virus, influenza B virus and influenza C.

The causative agent of influenza has RNA fragments protected by a lipoprotein shell with so-called spikes - protruding proteins hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. It is to them that the human body produces antibodies, from the totality of which immunity to this type of pathogen is formed. The peculiarities of the course of the virus and pathogenesis are that hemagglutinin and neuraminidase can change, so the virus quickly mutates, and immunity to a given strain of the pathogen becomes irrelevant after some time.

At this stage, the known new mutating viruses are Asian influenza, African influenza, and atypical influenza.

Routes of infection

The routes of transmission of the virus are few, the main one being airborne droplets. You can become infected from a person who is a carrier of the virus in the active stage. Outwardly, such a person may have obvious or subtle forms of pathology, but he is equally dangerous to others. The maximum threat to others is observed in the first days of the pathology, when the virus is released in large quantities into the external environment from the human respiratory system and infection of others occurs. If a sick person suffers from an uncomplicated type of pathology, then by about 5-6 days he ceases to be infectious. If complications of the disease appear, for example, the virus can shed for about two more weeks and infect others.

Forms of the disease

There are several forms of the disease depending on the severity of the disease:

mild form of pathology - with this disease, the body temperature does not reach high levels, the so-called fever-free flu develops, intoxication is mild, or the disease occurs without symptoms at all;
moderate disease - body temperature does not exceed 38-39.5 degrees, almost all the classic signs of the disease are present;
severe form of the disease - intoxication is clearly expressed, body temperature can remain around 40 degrees, symptoms are complicated by signs of encephalopathy;
hypertoxic form of pathology - temperature rise above 40 degrees, symptoms are most pronounced. Toxic damage to the nervous system develops, resulting in swelling of the brain and toxic shock. In weakened patients, hypertoxic pathology develops rapidly and can be fatal. Classification in some cases can distinguish separately the fulminant form of the disease.

Symptoms of the disease

An infectious disease has an incubation period - approximately 1-2 days pass from the moment the virus enters the body until signs of pathology appear. With strong immunity, the incubation period of influenza can be up to five days.

Then follow the first signs of influenza, which directly depend on the severity of the pathology. The flu usually begins acutely. Patients develop a fever that reaches its maximum within a couple of hours. As the temperature rises, chills and fever begin. Patients suffer from headaches, photophobia, and body aches. The most annoying thing for patients is various types of headaches - they can be aching in nature, spreading throughout the head. Sometimes the pain is concentrated in the temples, above the eyebrows, and patients feel an excruciating pulsation. The severe course of the disease in an adult is complicated by nausea, vomiting, insomnia with hallucinations, and flu symptoms in children are accompanied by convulsions.

Patients complain of weakness, severe weakness, increased sweating, high or low blood pressure. Harsh lights and sounds cause irritation. Some patients become confused and may become delirious at times.

A painful sign of the pathology is joint and muscle pain. Patients complain of aches in the body, joints, painful pulling sensations in the limbs. The patient's appearance is painful - the face is puffy, reddened, the eyes are watery, and conjunctivitis often occurs. If there are breathing and circulatory problems, the patient’s face takes on a bluish tint.

When the oral cavity is diseased, the skin of the face turns red, the mucous membranes swell, and a cough appears. It can persist for a long time, even after you have recovered from the virus. On the third day of the disease, the infection affects the vessels of the oral mucosa. The palate is hyperemic, the back wall of the pharynx becomes shiny and swollen. Patients complain of dry throat and a sore throat.

The nasopharynx also suffers from the influenza virus - the mucous membrane swells, turns red, and becomes dry. Normal breathing is difficult. After a few days, the symptoms change to nasal congestion and discharge. As a result of the toxic effect on blood vessels, patients suffer from nosebleeds, but if the disease is mild, then they may not occur.

When the lungs are sick, they breathe hard, and wheezing may appear for a while. Very often, against the background of pathology, tracheobronchitis or laryngitis appears as complications of influenza, and if a pathogenic bacterium enters the body, then pneumonia is provided to weakened patients.

A child with laryngotracheitis sometimes develops croup - a condition in which the larynx and trachea become very swollen, children cough with a barking cough, and breathing is rapid. In children under one year of age, symptoms of croup can be fatal. With a favorable outcome of the development of the disease, croup disappears approximately on the fifth day, and the average duration of the disease in adults and children is about ten days. However, this indicator may vary depending on the strength of the immune system of the sick person.

Diagnosis of influenza is carried out based on the combination of symptoms of the disease and differentiation from other types of acute respiratory viral infections. If necessary, a laboratory diagnostic blood test is performed to clarify the diagnosis.

Treatment of the disease

Treatment of influenza involves bed rest during the acute period of the disease. If the initial signs of the disease correspond to mild or moderate severity, then you can treat the flu at home, carefully monitoring the development of the situation. If the flu clinic is complicated, the pathology can be cured in a hospital under the supervision of doctors.

At home, the patient must be provided with warm drinks in sufficient quantities - this will help relieve signs of intoxication and will facilitate the removal of decay products from the body.

When prescribing medication for the flu, it is important to start taking it in the first forty-eight hours of the development of the pathology, otherwise the influenza virus infects a large number of cells, and the medications simply become ineffective. The treatment regimen for the disease includes the antiviral drugs Groprinosin. Anaferon, Viferon, . Fever is relieved with antipyretic drugs - Nurofen, Paracetamol, mefenamic acid, Analdim, . To relieve unpleasant symptoms in the nasopharynx area, you can use local means to irrigate the nasal mucosa - the drugs Nazol, Vibrocil, Farmazolin.

Disease prevention

It is not so easy to protect yourself from the disease, because the flu epidemic does not spare socially active individuals who often move around the city, hold business meetings, and work in close teams. That is why special attention is paid to disease prevention in kindergartens, schools, universities, large enterprises, and offices with large staff.

Prevention of influenza is as follows:

strengthening immunity in the autumn-winter period;
avoiding crowded places where the viral agent can be released in large quantities;
regular personal hygiene;
systematic ventilation of premises, wet cleaning;
proper sleep and rest;
vaccination, for example the Ultrax vaccine, will help protect against the virus, and if infected, transfer the disease as easily as possible;
When caring for patients, wear a gauze bandage and minimize contact with the patient in every possible way.

To minimize the consequences of the disease, you need to quickly start taking antiviral drugs, even in the pre-flu state, when the disease is just making itself known. This will help you cope with the disease as easily as possible.

Almost everyone has experienced the flu at least once in their life. And this is not surprising, because influenza is one of the most common infectious diseases, which can lead to massive outbreaks and even epidemics almost every year. That’s why it’s so important to know the “enemy in person”: how dangerous it is, how to defend against it, and how it’s easiest to survive.

Why is the flu so common? Why do so many adults and children around the world each year suffer from this ubiquitous disease, which can lead to very serious complications?

The influenza virus is extremely variable. Every year, new subtypes (strains) of the virus appear that our immune system has not yet encountered and, therefore, cannot easily cope with. Bird flu, swine flu - now humans can become infected with them. This is why flu vaccines cannot provide 100% protection - there is always the possibility of a new mutation of the virus.

History of influenza

Influenza was known to mankind many centuries ago. The first documented influenza epidemic occurred in 1580. True, at that time nothing was known about the nature of this disease.

The pandemic of respiratory infection in 1918-1920, which swept the globe and was called the “Spanish flu,” most likely was nothing more than an epidemic of severe influenza. It is known that the Spanish flu had an incredible mortality rate - it quickly led to pneumonia and pulmonary edema, even in young patients.

The reliably viral nature of influenza was established in England only in 1933 by Smith, Andrews and Laidlaw, who isolated a specific virus affecting primarily the respiratory tract from the lungs of hamsters infected with nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with influenza and designated them as influenza A virus. In 1940, Francis and Magill discovered influenza B virus, and in 1947 Taylor isolated another new variant of the influenza virus - C.

Since 1940, it became possible to actively study the influenza virus and its properties - the virus began to be grown in chicken embryos. Since then, a big step forward has been made in the study of influenza - the ability to mutate was discovered, and all parts of the virus capable of variability were identified. An important discovery, of course, was the creation of a vaccine against influenza.

What is the flu

Influenza is a type of acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI), and in terms of the method of infection and the main manifestations, all ARVIs are similar. But the flu causes significantly more intoxication, is often severe and leads to various kinds of complications.

To correctly form ideas about this disease and predict the situation, you need to understand its structure:

RNA virus.
The influenza virus has internal and surface antigens: internal antigens - NP (of which the capsid itself consists) and M (a layer of matrix and membrane proteins) - NP and M are type-specific antigens, so synthesized antibodies do not have a significant protective effect. Outside these structures there is a lipoprotein shell that carries external antigens - 2 complex proteins (glycoproteins) - hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N).
According to the antigenic structure, the influenza virus is divided according to the antigenic principle into types A, B, C, and the disease can be represented by one of the antigenically independent viruses (it happens that during epidemics and pandemics 2 types of viruses are registered at once). Basically, epidemics are caused by A and B types, pandemics - by A type.
The influenza A virus is divided into 13 subtypes H (H1-H13) and 10 subtypes N (N1-10) - the first 3 subtypes H and the first 2 subtypes N are dangerous for humans.
Type A has high variability; there are 2 variants of variability: antigenic drift and antigenic shift. Drift is point mutations in a gene that control the H antigen, and shift is a complete replacement of one or both surface antigens, i.e. an entire RNA segment, as a result of the exchange of genetic material between human and animal influenza and this leads to the emergence of new antigenic variants, to which there is no immunity, which is the cause of epidemics and pandemics. Epidemics can also occur during drift, because the slightest change in the genotype of the pathogen can “confuse the memory cells” of the immune system, and it turns out that the majority of the population is unimmunized.

At the beginning of 2016, viruses similar to the 2009 pandemic swine flu A(H1N1)pdm09 are circulating among the human population, strains of the influenza A(H1N1) virus with genetic changes (according to the Influenza Research Institute), which are transmitted from person to person, so it is purely to call the current flu “pig” is not entirely correct.

Causes of influenza

The source of infection is a sick person. Viruses are released in saliva, sputum, and nasal discharge when coughing and sneezing. Viruses can enter the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes or upper respiratory tract directly from the air, through close contact with a sick person; and can settle on various surfaces and then get onto the mucous membranes through the hands or when using hygiene items shared with the patient.

Then the virus enters the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract (nose, pharynx, larynx or trachea), penetrates the cells and begins to actively multiply. In just a few hours, the virus infects almost the entire mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract. The virus “loves” the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract very much, and is not able to infect other organs. This is why it is incorrect to use the term “intestinal flu” - the flu cannot affect the intestinal mucosa. Most often, what is called intestinal flu - fever, intoxication, accompanied by diarrhea - is a viral gastroenteritis.

It has not been established precisely due to what protective mechanisms the virus stops reproducing and recovery occurs. Usually after 2-5 days the virus stops being released into the environment, i.e. a sick person ceases to be dangerous.

Flu symptoms

The incubation period for influenza is very short - from infection to the first manifestations of the disease it takes on average from several hours to 2 days (A, C), less often up to 4 days (influenza B).

Flu always begins acutely - the patient can accurately indicate the time of onset of symptoms.

Based on severity, influenza is classified into mild, moderate and severe. In all cases, to varying degrees, there are signs of intoxication and catarrhal phenomena. In addition, in 5-10% of cases there is also a hemorrhagic component.

Intoxication has the following manifestations:

first of all, high fever: with a mild course, the temperature does not rise above 38ºС; for moderate flu – 39-40ºС; in severe cases – may rise above 40 ºС,
chills,
headache - especially in the forehead and eyes; severe pain when moving the eyeballs,
muscle pain - especially in the legs and lower back, joints,
weakness,
malaise,
loss of appetite,
There may be nausea and vomiting.

Signs of acute intoxication usually persist for up to 5 days. If the temperature lasts longer, most likely some bacterial complications have arisen.

Catarrhal symptoms persist for an average of 7-10 days:

Runny nose.
A sore throat.
Cough: when uncomplicated, it is usually a dry cough.
Hoarseness of voice.
Stinging in the eyes, lacrimation.

Hemorrhagic phenomena:

Minor hemorrhages or vasodilatation of the sclera
Hemorrhages into the mucous membranes: this can be noticeable on the mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes
Nosebleeds
A very characteristic sign of the flu is redness of the face with general pallor of the skin.
The appearance of hemorrhages on the skin is an extremely unfavorable sign in terms of prognosis.

Influenza AH1N1 may cause diarrhea.

Flu symptoms that require calling an ambulance:

Temperature 40 ºС and above.
Maintaining a high temperature for more than 5 days.
Severe headache that does not go away when taking painkillers, especially when localized in the back of the head.
Shortness of breath, rapid or irregular breathing.
Impaired consciousness – delusions or hallucinations, forgetfulness.
Cramps.
The appearance of a hemorrhagic rash on the skin.

If you experience all of the above symptoms, as well as the appearance of other alarming symptoms that are not part of the picture of uncomplicated influenza, you should immediately seek medical help.

It is precisely because of the possibility of complications that it is so important to identify influenza in time, distinguish it from other acute respiratory viral infections and begin its effective treatment. Today this is not difficult to do, because modern rapid tests allow you to independently determine the influenza virus in a matter of minutes at the first suspicion. They are sold in pharmacies and detect influenza types A and B, including the H1N1 subtype - swine flu.

Who gets the flu more severely?

Persons suffering from chronic cardiovascular diseases: especially congenital and acquired heart defects (especially mitral stenosis).
Persons suffering from chronic lung diseases (including bronchial asthma).
Patients with diabetes mellitus.
Patients with chronic kidney and blood diseases.
Pregnant women.
Elderly people are over 65 years of age, since in most cases they have chronic diseases to one degree or another.
Children under 2 years of age and those who are immunocompromised are also at risk of developing complications from the flu.

Complications of influenza

Viral complications of influenza

Primary viral pneumonia– an extremely severe complication of influenza. Caused by the spread of the virus from the upper respiratory tract further along the bronchial tree and damage to the lungs. The disease is steadily progressing. Intoxication is expressed to an extreme degree, shortness of breath is observed, sometimes with the development of respiratory failure. There is a cough with scanty sputum, sometimes mixed with blood. Heart defects, especially mitral stenosis, predispose to viral pneumonia.

Infectious-toxic shock– extreme degree of intoxication with impaired functioning of vital organs: in particular the cardiovascular system (a pronounced increase in heart rate and a critical drop in blood pressure is observed) and kidneys.

Myocarditis and pericarditis - both complications of influenza were encountered during the Spanish flu pandemic. Currently they are extremely rare.

Bacterial complications of influenza

With the flu, natural resistance to other infections is significantly reduced. The body spends all reserves to fight the virus, so bacterial infections join the clinical picture very often. Especially in the presence of any chronic bacterial diseases - all of them tend to worsen after the flu.

Bacterial pneumonia. Usually, after 2-3 days of the acute course of the disease, after the condition improves, the temperature rises again. A cough with yellow or green sputum appears. It is important not to miss the onset of this complication and begin treatment with correctly selected antibiotics in a timely manner.
Otitis, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis. Bacterial inflammation of the sinuses and ears are perhaps the most common complications of the flu.
Glomerulonephritis is an inflammation of the renal tubules, which is accompanied by a decrease in kidney function.
Meningitis, encephalitis– inflammation of the membranes and/or tissue of the brain. It occurs most often in patients at risk, mainly those suffering from immunodeficiency.
Septic conditions– conditions accompanied by the entry and subsequent proliferation of bacteria in the blood. Extremely serious conditions, often ending in death.

Flu treatment

Non-drug treatment of influenza

Calm, better bed rest for 5 days. During an acute period of illness (no matter how much you would like to) you should not read, watch TV, or work on the computer. This depletes the already weakened body, prolongs the time of illness and the risk of complications.

Drink plenty of warm drinks, at least 2 liters per day. Better rich in vitamin C - tea with lemon, rosehip infusion, fruit juice. By drinking a large amount of liquid daily, a sick person detoxifies – i.e. accelerated removal from the body of toxins that are formed as a result of the activity of viruses.

Antiviral therapy

Intranasal interferon: leukocyte 5 drops in the nose 5 times a day, influenza 2 - 3 drops 3 - 4 times a day for the first 3 - 4 days.

Anti-influenza γ-immunoglobulin administered to patients suffering from immunodeficiency.

Rimantadine– antiviral agent. It is better to start treatment with rimantadine on the first day of illness, and at least no later than 3 days. It is NOT recommended to take the drug for children under 12 years of age, pregnant women, or people suffering from chronic liver and kidney diseases. NOT effective against swine flu. Treatment lasts 3 days.

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Treatment should begin on the first day of the disease. The advantage of oseltamivir is that it can be prescribed to children under 12 years of age and is effective against the AH1N1 virus. The course of treatment is 3-5 days.

Nonspecific drug therapy for influenza

- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac. These drugs have an anti-inflammatory effect, reduce body temperature, and reduce pain. It is possible to take these drugs as part of medicinal powders such as Coldrex, Tera-flu, etc. It should be remembered that it is not worth reducing the temperature below 38ºC, since it is at this body temperature that the body’s defense mechanisms against infection are activated. Exceptions include patients prone to seizures and young children.

Aspirin is contraindicated for children. Aspirin during a viral infection can cause a serious complication - Reye's syndrome - toxic encephalopathy, which manifests itself as epileptic seizures and coma.

- Antihistamines- These are medications that are used to treat allergies. They have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, therefore they reduce all signs of inflammation: nasal congestion, swelling of the mucous membranes. The first generation drugs of this group - diphenhydramine, suprastin, tavegil - have a side effect: they cause drowsiness. Second generation drugs - loratadine (Claritin), fenistil, Semprex, Zyrtec - do not have this effect.

- Nasal drops. Vasoconstrictor nasal drops reduce swelling and relieve congestion. However, this is not as safe a drug as it might seem. On the one hand, during ARVI it is necessary to use drops to reduce swelling and improve the outflow of fluid from the sinuses to prevent the development of sinusitis. However, frequent and long-term use of vasoconstrictor drops is dangerous with regard to the development of chronic rhinitis. Uncontrolled use of drugs causes significant thickening of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages, which leads to dependence on drops, and then to constant nasal congestion. Treatment for this complication is surgical only. Therefore, you need to strictly follow the regimen of using drops: no longer than 5-7 days, no more than 2-3 times a day.

- Treatment of sore throat. The most effective remedy (it is also the least favorite by many) is gargling with disinfectant solutions. You can use infusions of sage, chamomile, as well as ready-made solutions such as furatsilin. Rinsing should be frequent - once every 2 hours. In addition, you can use disinfectant sprays: hexoral, bioparox, etc.

- Cough medications. The goal of cough treatment is to reduce the viscosity of sputum, making it thin and easy to cough up. Drinking regime is important for this - warm drink dilutes phlegm. If you have difficulties with coughing, you can take expectorant drugs, such as ACC, mucaltin, broncholitin, etc. You should not take drugs that suppress the cough reflex on your own (without consulting a doctor) - this can be dangerous.

- Antibiotics– should not be used. Antibiotics are completely powerless against viruses; they are used only in case of bacterial complications. Therefore, you should not use antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, no matter how much you want to. These are drugs that are unsafe for the body. In addition, uncontrolled use of antibiotics leads to the emergence of forms of bacteria resistant to them.

Flu prevention

First of all, it is important to prevent viruses from entering the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes or mouth. To do this, it is necessary to limit contact with sick people. In addition, it must be remembered that viruses can linger for some time on the personal hygiene items of a sick person, as well as on various surfaces in the room where he is located. Therefore, it is important to wash your hands after touching objects that may harbor viruses. You should also not touch your nose, eyes, or mouth with dirty hands.

It should be noted that soap certainly does not kill influenza viruses. Washing your hands with soap and water causes mechanical removal of microorganisms from your hands, which is quite sufficient. As for various hand sanitizing lotions, there is no convincing evidence that the substances they contain have a detrimental effect on viruses. Therefore, the use of such lotions for the prevention of colds is completely unjustified.

In addition, the risk of catching ARVI directly depends on immunity, i.e. the body's resistance to infections.

To maintain normal immunity it is necessary:

Eat properly and nutritiously: food should contain sufficient amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins. In the autumn-spring period, when the amount of vegetables and fruits in the diet decreases, additional intake of a complex of vitamins is possible.

Exercise regularly, preferably outdoors, including brisk walking.
Be sure to follow a rest regime. Adequate rest and good sleep are extremely important aspects for maintaining normal immunity.
Avoid stress.
Quit smoking. Smoking is a powerful factor that reduces immunity, which has a negative impact on both general resistance to infectious diseases and the local protective barrier - in the mucous membrane of the nose, trachea, and bronchi.

Vaccine prevention of influenza

Flu vaccines are updated annually. Vaccination is carried out with vaccines created against viruses that circulated in the previous winter, so its effectiveness depends on how close those viruses are to the present ones. However, it is known that with repeated vaccinations the effectiveness increases. This is due to the fact that the formation of antibodies - protective antiviral proteins - occurs faster in previously vaccinated people.

What vaccines exist?

Currently, 3 types of vaccines have been developed:

Whole-virion vaccines are vaccines that are a whole influenza virus, either live or inactivated. Now these vaccines are practically not used, since they have a number of side effects and often cause disease.
Split vaccines are split vaccines containing only part of the virus. They have significantly fewer side effects and are recommended for vaccination of adults.
Subunit vaccines are highly purified vaccines that cause virtually no side effects. Can be used in children.

When is the best time to get vaccinated?

It is best to vaccinate in advance, before the epidemic develops - from September to December. It is also possible to get vaccinated during an epidemic, but you must keep in mind that immunity is formed within 7-15 days, during which it is best to carry out additional prophylaxis with antiviral agents - for example, rimantadine.

Vaccine safety:

As already mentioned, for greater safety it is better to use the most purified subunit vaccines.

Adverse reactions:
Local reactions in the form of redness, disappear in 1-2 days
General reactions: fever, malaise, chills, muscle pain. They occur quite rarely and also disappear within 1-2 days
Allergy to vaccine components. It is important to remember that the vaccine should not be administered to people with chicken protein intolerance, since the viruses used in vaccines are grown using this protein, and the vaccines contain traces of it. If you are allergic to influenza vaccines, subsequent vaccinations cannot be performed.

Emergency prevention of influenza

In the event of an outbreak of the disease in a closed community or during a flu epidemic, the effectiveness of vaccination is significantly reduced, since it takes at least 1-2 weeks to form full immunity.

Therefore, if vaccination has not been carried out, especially in people at risk, prophylactic use of antiviral drugs is advisable.

Rimantadine is taken daily at the same time at a dose of 50 mg for no more than 30 days (prevention of influenza A only).
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) at a dose of 75 mg 2 times a day for 6 weeks.
For emergency prevention, specific anti-influenza immunoglobulin can also be used, especially in patients with immunodeficiency.

Influenza is an acute viral disease that can affect the upper and lower respiratory tract, is accompanied by severe intoxication and can lead to serious complications and deaths, mainly in elderly patients and children. Epidemics appear almost every year, usually in autumn and winter, and more than 15% of the population is affected.

Influenza is part of the group of acute respiratory viral infections -. A person with influenza poses the greatest infectious danger in the first 5-6 days from the onset of the disease. The route of transmission is aerosol. The duration of the disease, as a rule, does not exceed a week.

We will look in more detail about the causes, first signs and general symptoms in adults, as well as treatment and complications in this material.

What is the flu?

Influenza is an acute respiratory viral infection caused by viruses of groups A, B or C, occurring with severe toxicosis, fever, and damage to the upper and lower respiratory tract.

Many people mistake the flu for a common cold and do not take appropriate measures to stop the effects of the virus and prevent infection of persons in contact with a sick person.

In winter and autumn, the increase in the incidence of this virus is explained by the fact that large groups of people stay indoors for a long period of time. Initially, an outbreak of infection is observed among preschool children and among the adult population, and then the disease is registered more often in older people.

Prevention of influenza epidemic largely depends on the consciousness of an already sick person, who needs to avoid public places with large crowds of people, for whom the sick person, especially coughing and sneezing, poses a potential risk of infection.

Types of influenza virus

Flu is divided into:

type A (subtypes A1, A2). The cause of most epidemics is the influenza virus type A, its varieties are numerous, it is capable of infecting both people and animals (bird flu, swine flu, etc.), and is also capable of rapid genetic changes.
type B. Type B influenza viruses often do not cause epidemics and are much more easily transmitted than type A influenza.
type C. Occurs in isolated cases and occurs in a mild or completely asymptomatic form.

Once inside the cell, the virus begins to actively multiply, provoking an acute viral respiratory infection called influenza. The disease is accompanied by a feverish state, intoxication of the body and other symptoms.

The influenza virus is extremely variable. Every year, new subtypes (strains) of the virus appear that our immune system has not yet encountered and, therefore, cannot easily cope with. This is why flu vaccines cannot provide 100% protection - there is always the possibility of a new mutation of the virus.

Causes

Influenza is caused by a group of viruses belonging to the Orthomyxoviridae family. There are three large genera - A, B and C, which are divided into serotypes H and N, depending on which proteins are found on the surface of the virus, hemagglutinin or neuraminidase. There are 25 such subtypes in total, but 5 of them are found in humans, and one virus can contain both types of proteins of different subtypes.

The main cause of influenza- viral infection of a person with subsequent spread of the microorganism throughout the human body.

The source is an already sick person who releases the virus into the environment by coughing, sneezing, etc. Having an aerosol transmission mechanism (inhalation of droplets of mucus, saliva), the flu spreads quite quickly - the patient poses a danger to others within a week, starting from the first hours of infection.

In each epidemic year, influenza complications claim an average of from 2000 to 5000 people. These are mainly people over 60 years of age and children. In 50% of cases, the cause of death is complications from the cardiovascular system and in 25% of cases complications from the pulmonary system.

How is influenza transmitted?

Like all infectious diseases, influenza spreads from a source to a susceptible organism. The source of influenza is a sick person with obvious or subtle clinical manifestations. The peak of contagiousness occurs in the first six days of the disease.

Mechanism of transmission of influenza– aerosol, the virus spreads by airborne droplets. Excretion occurs with saliva and sputum (when coughing, sneezing, talking), which in the form of a fine aerosol spreads into the air and is inhaled by other people.

In some cases, it is possible to implement a contact route of transmission (mainly through dishes and toys).

Incubation period

The incubation period of influenza is the period of time that the virus needs to multiply in the human body. It begins from the moment of infection and continues until the first symptoms of influenza appear.

As a rule, the incubation period leaves from 3-5 hours to 3 days. Most often it lasts 1-2 days.

The smaller the initial amount of virus that enters the body, the longer the incubation period of the flu will be. This time also depends on the state of the person’s immune defense.

First signs

The first signs of the flu are as follows:

Body aches.
Headache.
Chills or fever.
Runny nose.
Trembling in the body.
Pain in the eyes.
Sweating.
Unpleasant feeling in the mouth.
Lethargy, apathy or irritability.

The main symptom of the disease is a sharp rise in body temperature to 38-40 degrees Celsius.

Flu symptoms in adults

The duration of incubation is approximately 1-2 days (possibly from several hours to 5 days). This is followed by a period of acute clinical manifestations of the disease. The severity of an uncomplicated disease is determined by the duration and severity of intoxication.

In the first days, a person with the flu looks as if he was in tears, there is pronounced redness and puffiness of the face, shiny and reddish eyes with a “sparkle.” The mucous membrane of the palate, arches and walls of the pharynx is bright red.

Flu symptoms are:

increased temperature (usually 38-40o C), chills, fever;
myalgia;
arthralgia;
noise in ears;
headache, dizziness;
feeling tired, weak;
adynamia;
dry cough accompanied by chest pain.

Objective signs are the appearance in the patient:

hyperemia of the face and conjunctiva of the eyes,
scleritis,
dry skin.

High fever and other manifestations of intoxication usually last up to 5 days. If the fever does not subside after 5 days, bacterial complications should be assumed.

Catarrhal symptoms continue a little longer - up to 7-10 days. After their disappearance, the patient is considered recovered, but for another 2-3 weeks the consequences of the disease may be observed: weakness, irritability, headache, possibly.

In the absence of complications, the disease lasts 7-10 days. During this time, its symptoms gradually subside, although general weakness may persist for up to two weeks.

Flu symptoms that require calling an ambulance:

Temperature 40 ºС and above.
Maintaining a high temperature for more than 5 days.
Severe headache that does not go away when taking painkillers, especially when localized in the back of the head.
Shortness of breath, rapid or irregular breathing.
Impaired consciousness – delusions or hallucinations, forgetfulness.
Cramps.
The appearance of a hemorrhagic rash on the skin.

If the flu has an uncomplicated course, the fever can last 2-4 days, and the disease ends in 5-10 days. After the disease for 2-3 weeks, post-infectious asthenia is possible, which is manifested by general weakness, sleep disturbance, increased fatigue, irritability, headache and other symptoms.

Disease severity

There are 3 degrees of severity of influenza.

Easy degree	Accompanied by a slight increase in temperature not exceeding 38°C, moderate headache and catarrhal symptoms. Objective signs of intoxication syndrome in the case of mild influenza are a pulse rate of less than 90 beats per minute with unchanged blood pressure. Respiratory disorders are not typical for mild cases.
Average	Temperature 38–39 °C, there are pronounced symptoms, intoxication.
Severe degree	Temperature above 40 °C, convulsions, delirium, and vomiting may occur. The danger lies in the development of complications, such as cerebral edema, infectious-toxic shock, hemorrhagic syndrome.

Complications of influenza

When the virus attacks the body, the resistance of the immune system decreases, and the risk of complications (a process that develops against the background of the underlying disease) increases. And you can quickly get over the flu, but suffer from its consequences for a long time.

Influenza can be complicated by various pathologies both in the early period (usually caused by an associated bacterial infection) and later. Severe complicated course of influenza usually occurs in young children, elderly and weakened individuals suffering from chronic diseases of various organs.

Complications are:

, (frontal sinusitis, sinusitis);
bronchitis, pneumonia, ;
, encephalitis;
endocarditis, .

Typically, late complications of influenza are associated with the addition of a bacterial infection, which requires antibiotic treatment.

People prone to complications

elderly (over 55 years old);
infants (from 4 months to 4 years);
people with chronic diseases of an infectious nature (having chronic otitis media, etc.);
those suffering from heart and lung diseases;
people with immune system disorders;
pregnant women.

Flu unfortunately affects all vital systems of the human body, which is why it is one of the most unpredictable diseases.

Diagnostics

If flu symptoms appear, it is necessary to call a pediatrician/therapist to your home, and if the patient’s condition is serious, an ambulance, which will take the patient for treatment to an infectious diseases hospital. If complications of the disease develop, consultations are held with a pulmonologist, ENT doctor and other specialists.

Diagnosis of influenza is based on a typical clinical picture. In case of a sharp rise in temperature, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. Observation by a doctor during influenza is very important, because... it will allow timely detection of the onset of possible bacterial complications.

When the temperature rises sharply, the following is required:

medical examination;
taking anamnesis;
general blood analysis.

Flu treatment

In adults, treatment of influenza, in most cases, is carried out at home. Only severe illness or the presence of one of the following dangerous symptoms requires hospitalization:

temperature 40°C or more;
vomit;
convulsions;
dyspnea;
arrhythmia;
decrease in blood pressure.

As a rule, when treating influenza the following are prescribed:

drinking plenty of water;
antipyretics;
immune support products;
drugs that relieve catarrhal symptoms (vasoconstrictors to facilitate nasal breathing, antitussives);
antihistamines if there is a threat of an allergic reaction.

To combat fever, antipyretic drugs are indicated, of which there are a lot today, but it is preferable to take paracetamol or ibuprofen, as well as any drugs that are made on their basis. Antipyretic drugs are indicated if body temperature exceeds 38°C.

For the flu it's important to drink more fluids- it will help to quickly remove toxins from the body and alleviate the patient’s condition.

Treatment regimen for influenza in adults

The treatment regimen for influenza includes sequential procedures to relieve current symptoms of the disease and neutralize viral cells.

Antiviral. Antiviral medications for influenza are indicated to kill viruses. So, you should take: Arbidol, and Anaferon. Taking antiviral drugs for influenza will not only help shorten the duration of the disease, but also prevent the development of complications, so they should be used in people with reduced immunity. Antiviral drugs are also used to treat complications.
Antihistamines. Special antihistamines are prescribed for influenza - these are medications used in the treatment of allergies, since they reduce all signs of inflammation: swelling of the mucous membranes and nasal congestion. Drugs belonging to the first generation of this group - tavegil, suprastin, diphenhydramine - have a side effect such as drowsiness. The next generation of drugs - fenistil, Zyrtec - do not have a similar effect.
Antipyretic. To combat fever, antipyretic drugs are used, of which there are a great variety today, but it is preferable to use paracetamol and ibuprofen, as well as drugs made on the basis of these substances. Antipyretic drugs are used when the temperature rises above 38.5 o C.
Expectorants. In addition, you should take expectorants for the flu (Gerbion, Ambroxol, Mucaltin).
Drops. To relieve symptoms such as a stuffy nose, vasoconstrictors are used: Evkazolin, Naphthyzin, Tizin, Rinazolin. Drops are instilled three times a day, 1 drop into each nasal passage.
Gargling. Periodic gargling with herbal decoctions, soda-salt solutions, regular plenty of warm drinks, rest and bed rest are also recommended.

With influenza, as with other acute respiratory viral infections, there is no need to prescribe antibiotics; they are advisable only if the bacterial nature of the inflammatory process in the respiratory tract is suspected.

To prevent complications from developing, always strictly follow the prescribed treatment, maintain bed rest during the acute period, do not stop taking medications and treatment procedures prematurely.

To cure the flu at home it is worth observe the truisms:

Bed rest is required.
Taking antiviral drugs and other drugs to support immunity.
Ventilate the room daily, wet cleaning of the room if possible is advisable. A patient with flu symptoms is wrapped up and a warmer environment is created. You shouldn’t freeze the room, but you should do regular ventilation.
You need to drink plenty of fluids. About 2-3 liters per day. Compotes, fruit drinks, tea with lemon, with fruit will be the best helper.
To prevent the development of complications on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, maximum rest is necessary; any intellectual stress is contraindicated.
During the period of illness and for several weeks after it, it is necessary to take the utmost care of your health; taking vitamin-mineral complexes and consuming vitamin-containing foods is recommended.

Nutrition and diet

How to treat flu at home? A flu diet is a prerequisite for a quick recovery. However, do not be alarmed when you see this word. You don't have to starve yourself if you have the flu. The list of foods that are best to eat during illness is quite extensive.

Decoctions of medicinal herbs;
Fresh fruit juice;
Warm broth, chicken broth is especially useful;
Baked fish or lean meat;
Light vegetable soups;
Dairy products;
Nuts and seeds;
Legumes;
Eggs;
Citrus.

As you understand, nutrition for the flu consists not only of those foods that you can eat, but also those that are not recommended to eat. The latter include:

fatty and heavy foods;
sausages and smoked meats;
confectionery;
canned foods;
coffee and cocoa.

Sample menu:

Early breakfast: semolina porridge with milk, green tea with lemon.
Second breakfast: one soft-boiled egg, cinnamon rosehip infusion.
Lunch: vegetable puree soup with meat broth, steamed meat balls, rice porridge, pureed compote.
Afternoon snack: baked apple with honey.
Dinner: steamed fish, mashed potatoes, fruit juice diluted with water.
Before bed: kefir or other fermented milk drinks.

Drink

You need to drink, on average, at least 2 liters of fluid per day, periodically, without waiting for thirst to appear. Tea, rosehip decoction, tea with lemon or raspberry, herbal teas (chamomile, linden, oregano), and dried fruit compote are good to drink. It is advisable that the temperature of all drinks be approximately 37-39 °C - this way the liquid will be absorbed faster and help the body.

Folk remedies for flu

Folk remedies in the treatment of influenza are used to restore the patient’s immunity, supply his body with vitamins and medicinal extracts that promote recovery. However, the greatest effect will be achieved if you combine the use of folk remedies with the use of pharmaceutical drugs.

Pour a glass of milk into the pan, add 1/2 tsp. ginger, ground red pepper, turmeric. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Let cool slightly, add 1/2 tsp. butter, 1 tsp. honey Take a glass 3 times a day.
Make viburnum tea with linden petals! Take 1st tbsp. spoon of dried linden flowers and small viburnum fruits, pour ½ liter of boiling water and let the tea brew for one hour, then strain and drink half a glass 2 times a day.
The most active remedy for influenza is black currant in all forms, with hot water and sugar (up to 4 glasses per day). Even in winter you can prepare a decoction from currant branches). You need to break the branches finely and brew a full handful of them with four glasses of water. Boil for a minute and then steam for 4 hours. Drink 2 glasses with sugar in bed very warm at night. Carry out this treatment twice.
Required: 40 g of raspberry fruits, 40 g of coltsfoot leaves, 20 g of oregano herb, 2 cups of boiling water. Grind the collection and mix. Take 2 tbsp. l. the resulting mixture, pour boiling water into a thermos, leave for 1 hour, strain. Drink a warm infusion of 100 ml 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
When you have a runny nose, put fresh aloe juice (agave) into your nose, 3-5 drops into each nostril. After instillation, massage the wings of the nose.

Vaccination

Flu vaccination is a way to prevent infection. It is indicated for everyone, especially risk groups - the elderly, children, pregnant women, people of social professions.

Vaccination is carried out annually, before the start of the epidemic season, from September-October, to form stable immunity by the time of the epidemic. Regular vaccination increases the effectiveness of protection and the production of antibodies to influenza.

Vaccinations are especially recommended for:

small children (up to 7 years old);
elderly people (after 65);
pregnant women;
patients with chronic diseases, weakened immune systems;
medical workers.

Prevention

To avoid getting the flu, try to strengthen your body throughout the year. Let's look at some rules for preventing the flu and strengthening your body:

Prevention should first and foremost consist of preventing the influenza virus from entering your body. To do this, as soon as you come home from the street, be sure to wash your hands with soap, and it is recommended to wash your hands almost up to the elbows.
Nasal rinsing will be very useful for preventing influenza in children and adults. Rinsing can be done with a warm saline solution of water, or with a special spray.
Before eating food that was previously on the counter, be sure to rinse it thoroughly under running water.

To maintain normal immunity you should:

Eat well, and most importantly, eat right: food should contain a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and vitamins. During the cold season, when the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed in the diet is significantly reduced, an additional intake of a complex of vitamins is necessary.
Exercise regularly in the fresh air.
Avoid all kinds of stress.
Quit smoking, because smoking significantly reduces immunity.

To summarize, let us recall that influenza is an infectious, contagious disease that can lead to various complications. The likelihood of infection increases in autumn and winter.

This is all about the flu: what are the main symptoms of the disease in children and adults, features of treatment. Be healthy!