In this blog, You will learn how long does the flu last
What is Flu?
Flu is also known as Influenza. It is the most common illness or infection found in thousands of people. It directly attacks various body parts like lungs, nose, and throat. Any person with a weak immune system is the primary target of flu.
In this post, I cover various points like what are the flu symptoms, the stages, how long does the flu last, preventions tips, and finally home remedies for flu in my post.
Stages Of An Influenza
We can’t answer how long does the flu last satisfactorily until we discuss the various stages of flu. Technically, the stages of influenza span for a maximum of 7 days. Here are the stages in detail.
A. Stage 1
An Influenza patient doesn’t exhibit any symptoms during this stage, although he can transmit the virus to other people. More often than not, one feels ok hence can continue with their daily activities as usual. The victim may have contracted it from someone with influenza after they sneeze or coughed. Remember that influenza is an airborne disease.
B. Stage 2
Stage 2 begins between day 1 to day 3 after contracting the flu virus. One starts to show some influenza symptoms such as:
- Tiredness
- Severe muscle pain
- Fever
- Sore throat
You should visit a physician once you exhibit any of these symptoms. It’s especially advisable if you suffer from asthma. The qualified medic may subject you to an influenza test to determine the best medication for you.
C. Stage 3
Stage 3 is the final and the least painful stage of influenza. Usually, this stage occurs between day 4 to day 7. Your fever begins to reduce so does the muscle pain during this specific flu stage. A person slowly begins to recover.
However, it’s good you stay indoors to avoid spreading your condition. Doctors say that a flu patient is still contagious until they remain influenza-free for a minimum of 24 hours. By day 7 you should feel way better.
In some rare cases, you may fall sick once more. If that happens the best thing to do is to call your doctor for further medical guidance.
How Long Does The Flu Last?
We can’t end this blog without addressing how long does the flu last? On average the flu lasts for between one to 2 weeks.
7 Key Symptoms Of A Flu
Patients suffering from flu may exhibit many signs and symptoms. Below are the most common flu symptoms.
1. Runny Nose
Patients with influenza may have endless mucus discharge from their noses. Factually speaking, a cold or allergy may trigger this symptom. In some cases, you may experience a runny nose if you spend too much time in the cold.
2. Sharp Headache
The surest way to know that you’re suffering from influenza is you have endless sharp migraines. In most cases, this sharp pain stems from cytokines. The human body’s immune system releases these molecules to fight any infection.
However, in some cases, cytokines can cause inflammation. We can attribute this incessant headache to this.
3. Extreme Exhaustion
Undue tiredness is one of the common symptoms of influenza. Unfortunately, this symptom can affect your day-to-day operation. Ordinarily, the flu makes one oversleep hence the endless fatigue.
4. Fever
Perhaps you’re wondering why influenza makes the patient highly feverish. Usually, the body responds to the flu by raising the body temperature to subdue the flu virus. Correspondingly, the patient feels feverish and perched.
5. Dry Cough
Influenza viruses tend to harm the cell lining of the air. Consequently, it forces the patients to experience a sharp dry cough. Here’s some fun fact: constant coughing helps the body get rid of germy mucus that would otherwise cause a lung infection.
6. Sore Throat
Influenza may make your throat scratchy or sore, especially at the initial stages. Largely, a sore throat may last for as long as 14 days, especially if you fail to take medication. In extreme cases, you may feel a sharp pain when you swallow food or a drink.
7. Diarrhea
Unfortunately, influenza viruses earmark the digestive tract of the human body. In extreme cases, the virus may trigger stomach or intestinal inflammations. That might explain why flu patients may experience severe diarrhea.
6 Foolproof Ways To Prevent A Flu
Since we’ve established that flu can affect your productivity at work, it’s paramount to prevent it. We have seen it fit to enlighten on 5 surefire ways to prevent influenza.
A) Wash Your Hands Regularly
The best way to prevent influenza is to maintain a high level of hand hygiene. Perhaps you shook the hands of a person with influenza. Cleaning the hands is especially unavoidable if you’re prone to nose-picking.
B) Maintain A Fair Distance When Talking To People
It’s not entirely possible to tell who’s suffering from influenza or not. As mentioned earlier, one doesn’t exhibit any symptoms, especially during day 0. Therefore, it’s logical to avoid too much contact with anyone.
C) Don’t Touch Your Nose Or Mouth
One may touch contaminated surfaces such as doorknobs and window panes. Therefore, you might contract influenza if you touch your mouth or nose. To avoid this, please avoid touching dirty surfaces and clean your hands as often as practically possible.
D) Get An Influenza Vaccine
Health experts encourage people to go for a flu shot as regularly as they can. We have seasonal influenza that manifests, especially during the cold season. A vaccine will help keep you safe from this contagious disease. You’re ready for this flu shot as long as you’re 6 months old and over.
Probably, you’re asking yourself, how long does the flu shot last? Astoundingly, this vaccine lasts for between 3 to 6 months. Thus it’s good to get a vaccine shot twice every year.
E) Clean Surfaces Often
Whether you’re at home or the workplace, you should wipe dirty surfaces around you. Unfortunately, virologists say that a flu virus can exist on a surface for a maximum of 48 hours. Also, avoid touching surfaces, especially in public as you’re likely to unknowingly touch a flu virus.
F) Avoid Biting Your Fingernails
Oftentimes, germs and viruses hide underneath the fingernails. Thus, you should avoid this habit as it may expose you to an influenza virus. Additionally, it’s a healthy practice to maintain short and clean nails at all times.
How Long Does The Flu Shot Last?
At this point, let’s address the unanswered question: how long does a flu shot last? Well, oftentimes, this vaccine can last for as long as 6 months. That affirms the indescribable importance of getting an influenza shot each year.
Best Home Remedies For Influenza
I. Drink Plenty Of Water
Water plays a vital role in the treatment of flu. Remember that flu patients lose too much water through sneezing and sweating. Therefore, it’s good to take a few glasses of warm water to avoid dehydration.
II. Get Enough Sleep
You probably know by now that the flu makes one oversleep. This is a normal body reaction to manage to fight off flu viruses. Consequently, you overcome this serious health condition within a week or so.
III. Antiviral Drugs
A pharmacist or a professional doctor may prescribe medication especially if your symptoms are severe. Here are some of the most common flu antiviral medications:
- Rapivab
- Relenza
- Tamiflu
Please note that these drugs may cause some side effects like nausea and vomiting. Therefore, we urge you to take the medicine after taking some reasonably heavy food.
IV. Humidify The Air
Interestingly, the state of the air determines how long the cold lasts. We urge flu patients to consider taking a steamy shower to decongest their throat and nasal cavity. A more reliable method would be to utilize a well-cleaned humidifier to inhale moist steam.
Related FAQs
1. How Long Does The Flu Last in Adults?
Well, more often than not, influenza reduces in adults between seven to ten days.
2. How will i know whether i am at risk of contracting the flu?
Generally, anybody can go down with the flu. However, there are specific groups of people that are much more susceptible to it. For example, if you’re 65 years and above, you are at a higher risk of contracting the flu. Similarly, expectant mothers and kids under 2 years are equally prone to the flu.
3. Is excessive chest discomfort a symptom of influenza?
Yes, it can be! Chest pain can be a symptom of multiple conditions such as influenza or a heart attack. Therefore, it’s well-advised that you seek immediate medical attention if you feel this undue discomfort.
4. What is the right age to take a flu vaccine?
An influenza vaccine is suitable for anyone who’s 6 months and older. Again and again, medics recommend varying vaccines for people of different ages. For instance, the nasal spray flu vaccine is meant for persons between 2 – 49 years old.
5. How does the flu spread?
Influenza is one of the most common airborne diseases that affect humanity. This contagious disease is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can be spread if one touches a surface upon which the flu lies and touches their nose or mouth.
6. Will regular exercise help me recover from the flu much faster?
Yes, it will! Scientists say that working out regularly re-energizes the white blood cells to respond swiftly. As a result, it fights off an infection or viruses much more quickly hence you recover within no time. However, it’s best to couple this home remedy with medication and a healthy diet.
7. How long does influenza last?
Normally, the duration may fluctuate depending on factors: such as the infected person’s age and immunity. On average, the period ranges between 3-4 days but may extend longer in rare cases. Your body temperature might shoot to a new high of 40 degrees Celsius; during this duration.
8. Is flu the same as COVID-19?
No, it’s not! Although influenza and COVID-19 spread similarly, they’re different. As the name suggests, coronavirus causes COVID-19, whereas the flu virus causes influenza. More often than not, the flu has an incubation period of 1 to 4 days while COVID-19’s incubation duration is 2 to 14 days.
It’s a good idea to go for a test if you suspect you have either influenza or COVID-19. You’ll get a proper confirmation of which ailment is affecting your body.
9. My flu has persisted for over 14 days despite taking medication. should i be worried?
No, you shouldn’t! How long does the flu last? Usually, influenza persists for between 1 to 14 days at most. However, one’s response to medication varies slightly depending on one’s level of the immune system.
However, you must know that a recuperating flu patient can be re-infected. For this reason, you must safeguard yourself even as you recover.
10. How Long Does The Flu Last in Toddlers?
Unfortunately, this condition may persist for as long as a month. Remember that toddlers have a vulnerable immune system. Sadly, this condition may cause the death of young children in some cases.
My Take
In conclusion, The recovery duration depends on one’s level of immunity. The healthier you are, the quicker you recuperate from influenza. Apart from that, one symptom isn’t enough for you to conclude that you’re suffering from the Influenza.