Recognizing the Flu

Every year people contract the flu quite commonly. Be it a seasonal flu or the swine flu, over 30,000 people die annually from this infection. For individuals at high risk due to other medical conditions, it's very important to recognize the symptoms as early as possible so treatment can start. Nonetheless, how does someone know if they have a cold, the seasonal flu, swine flu or something else?

Flu Symptom Basics

Beginning in the fall and continuing to Spring, both the swine flu and seasonal flu attack the respiratory system. The two types of infection have very similar signs and symptoms. The main thing that sets either flu apart from a cold is the fact that colds usually come on slowly.
Meanwhile the flu hits quickly, usually starting with weariness, fever, and aches and pains.

Cold or Flu?

If you have a high fever, severe headache, weakness, exhaustion, cough, and intense achiness, you probably have the flu. Other flu symptoms include weakness, headache, flushed skin, chills, runny nose, and dry coughing. If a person gets treatment immediately (within 48 hours of the infection's onset) they can shorten the illness' duration by at least a day.

The main factor that seems to set the swine flu apart is the fact that many people also experience diarrhea and vomiting. Unfortunately these last two symptoms aren't appearing in everyone, and the only way to know for sure that you have the swine flu is by a lab test.

The A, B, Cs of the Flu

Flu viruses are categorized by the letters A, B, and C. Annual influenza comes under the category of type A and B, and usually affects about 20 percent Americans annually. The symptoms for both type A and B can become severe enough to require hospitalization in over 100,000 people each year.

The type A virus can effect animals as well as people, and is often carried by birds. This particular bug constantly mutates and, as a result, causes flu epidemics.

The type B virus can only effect humans. It's usually not as severe as type A, and does not develop into a pandemic.

Finally Type C flu is found in humans too but it's milder still than type A or B, and doesn't linger as long.

Bird Flu
As the name implies, birds carry the avian flu, and they can become infected by it too (i.e. Type A virus). The bird flu has already mutated into several variations, of which H5 and H7 are the worse. More than half the people to contract the H5N1 variant of the bird flu have died.
The main way of contracting this virus is by direct contact with farm birds. There is no vaccine for bird flu, and the seasonal flu vaccine does not safeguard against it.

Swine Flu
Like the bird flu, pigs can contract influenza. This particular version of the virus is unique in that normally a Type A virus would require direct contact with an ill animal for initial transmission. That's not the case here because the swine flu is being transferred human to human.

Treating the Flu
If you begin experiencing flu symptoms you should call your physician right away. They may offer you a medication that can halt the virus in its track if you catch the sickness early enough. While a swine flu vaccine is in development, your seasonal flu shot won't help protect you from this particular infection.

Once you have the flu there are a variety of over the counter treatments you can take to help ease the symptoms. Generally, consult with your pharmacist for sound suggestions (especially if you're on any prescription medications or have other medical conditions that could impact the severity of the flu).

For some tips on how to avoid the flu, including the swine flu (H1N1), check out the EnvyMyHealth.com Swine Flu Channel!

Do you have a good idea about how to avoid the swine flu? Tell us about it in the comments!

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