Flu

At Persona MD, Dr. Taher Sobhy serves the residents of Libertyville and Gurnee, Illinois, as well as many nearby communities. He can effectively treat common illnesses like colds, flu, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.

What Are Symptoms of the Flu?

The flu virus will result in a variety of symptoms that include high fever, severe body ache, headache, severe fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, cough, and sometimes vomiting. The flu is different from the common cold. Flu is caused by influenza viruses and can cause serious complications such as pneumonia and, sometimes, even death, especially in elderly or younger children. The flu can be treated with antiviral medication within 72 hours of symptoms occurring. Antiviral medication can shorten the course of the disease.

Why Is It Important to Get an Annual Flu Shot?

Getting a flu shot every year can keep you from getting the flu. If you are sick with the flu, your symptoms will be much less severe if you received the flu shot and you are less likely to have serious complications from the flu, such as pneumonia. If you don’t get sick with the flu, then you are not likely to pass the virus to others, so you help people around you, especially those who have weak immunity from getting sick.

How important is it for children to get a flu shot?

Though the influenza vaccine is not required to attend school, like other vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months gets an annual flu shot. It is the best means of preventing the flu. Children under the age of 2 are at an increased risk of developing complications due to the flu. Every year, 20,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized with complications of the flu. Children are at an increased risk because their immune systems are not fully matured. The flu shot is the most effective means of keeping children illness-free during the school months.

When Is the Flu Most Dangerous?

The flu virus can be extremely dangerous for individuals who have weakened immune systems caused by age or chronic illness. An individual who has a weakened immune system may not have the resources to effectively fight off the virus, resulting in the possibility of an extremely severe infection. The more severe the infection, the weaker the body becomes. If the body becomes too weak, it will not be able to fight off other infections. One infection can lead to another. With small children and the elderly, this can lead to a very severe and hard to treat health crisis.