🤒 Influenza (Flu)
PH
PureHealthness Editorial Team · Health writers & reviewers
📝 Last reviewed: August 2026
✔ Transparent sourcing · Some articles are AI-drafted, then reviewed & fact-checked by our team
📝 Last reviewed: August 2026
| In brief | Sudden onset of high fever, aching muscles, sweating, chills, and a dry cough. |
|---|---|
| Category | Respiratory |
🔍 What causes it
Influenza viruses A and B — spread by droplets. Seasonal epidemics each winter. Antigenic drift keeps it returning; the annual vaccine tracks the current strains.
⚠️ Key symptoms
- Sudden high fever (38°C+)
- Aching muscles, sweating and chills
- Dry cough and sore throat
- Headache and severe fatigue — can last 1-2 weeks
💊 Treatment
Rest, fluids, paracetamol/ibuprofen for fever and aches. Antivirals (oseltamivir) work best in the first 48 hours — for high-risk groups. Most recover in a week; see a doctor for breathing difficulty, chest pain or worsening after day 5-7.
🛡️ Prevention
The annual flu vaccine — the single most effective step. Hand hygiene, cover coughs, stay home when sick.
🚨 See a doctor / red flags: See a doctor promptly if symptoms are severe, do not improve, or get worse — especially for children, older adults, pregnant women, or anyone with a chronic condition.
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