Influenza: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Influenza: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Influenza is the most common disease in both children and adults. Some people may have it several times a year, especially young children and those in their first year of school, who may have it on average once a month. This results in a loss of work, study time, and a significant amount of money spent each year.

This is because the virus that causes influenza (the flu virus) comes in almost 200 different types. The majority (75-80%) are caused by rhinoviruses, which are part of the Coryza viruses. Other types of viruses include adenoviruses and the respiratory syncytial virus.

These viruses cause inflammation in the upper respiratory tract (resulting in swollen and red nasal tissues) and produce mucus. Although it is a self-limiting disease that goes away on its own within a week, children will get influenza 6-12 times a year on average.

As the body ages, it becomes more resistant to various types of influenza viruses, making the likelihood of getting influenza less frequent. Adults get influenza 2-4 times a year, and the elderly may get it once a year, with milder symptoms. Women are more likely to get the flu because they are in close proximity to children.

This disease can easily be transmitted from person to person by being in close proximity to each other. Therefore, it is prevalent in schools, factories, and other places where people gather in large groups. It is a disease that occurs throughout the year, but it is most common during the rainy and cold seasons or when the weather is changing. In contrast, it is less common in the hot season.

Cause:

The cause is from the flu virus, which exists in 200 different types. Each time the disease occurs, it is caused by a new type of flu virus circulating continuously. The flu virus is present in the mucus, saliva, and sputum of patients and is transmitted through coughing, sneezing, or breathing.

In addition, the flu virus can also be transmitted through hand contact, that is, the flu virus can attach to the hands of a person, and when they touch their eyes, nose or mouth, the virus can enter their body and cause flu symptoms. The incubation period (the period from when the patient receives the infection until symptoms appear) is 1-3 days.

Symptoms:

Common symptoms include having a fever, body aches, fatigue, mild headaches, dry or phlegmy cough, and sometimes a sore throat when coughing. Adults may not have a fever and only have a runny nose with clear mucus, while children often have a fever and sometimes experience high fever, convulsions, abdominal pain, or diarrhea. If it lasts for more than 4 days, there may be thick or greenish mucus or yellow or green sputum due to repeated bacterial infection, and other complications may occur, requiring antibiotics.

Complications:

Common complications include bacterial infections that cause yellow or green mucus or sputum. If it spreads to nearby sinuses, it can cause sinusitis, otitis media, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.

In young children, high fever may cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and some may experience a ringing sound in their ears due to inflammation in the ear canal. Some may also experience dizziness due to inflammation of the inner ear, a condition known as "ear cold", which typically resolves on its own within 3-5 days. Complications often occur in patients who do not get enough rest or engage in heavy physical work, and in those with weakened immune systems (such as malnourished infants or the elderly).

What was found:

Fever, runny nose, swollen nasal tissue, and slightly red throat in children may be accompanied by swollen lymph nodes but not severe redness and there may be pus.

Transmission:

This disease often spreads during the winter due to low humidity and cold air. We can contract it through the saliva and mucus of infected individuals, and also through contaminated hands that come into contact with the nose and eyes.

Patients can spread the virus before symptoms occur and 1-2 days after symptoms appear. Those at higher risk of getting a cold are children under 2 years old, malnourished children, and children in childcare settings.

Methods of transmission:

The child's hands or the hands of adults who come into contact with the virus from the patient's mucus or the environment and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth. Breathing in the virus that the patient coughs out. Breathing in the virus that is in the air.

Treatment:

As the common cold is caused by a viral infection, there is no specific medication for it. Treatment involves managing symptoms only.

1. Patient care recommendations are as follows:

• Rest a lot and avoid heavy work or excessive exercise.
• Wear warm clothing to keep the body warm and avoid getting wet from rain or cold air. Also, avoid taking cold showers.
• Drink plenty of water to help reduce fever and replace fluids lost due to high fever.
• Consume soft foods, rice water, sweetened water, orange juice, fruit juice, or hot beverages.
• Use a damp cloth (should use warm or tap water, not cold or icy water) to wipe the body when there is a high fever.

*These recommendations can also be used for patients with fever from other causes. Treat according to symptoms as follows:

2.1 For adults and children over 5 years old:

• If there is a fever, take a fever-reducing medication such as aspirin or paracetamol.
• If there are symptoms of a runny or stuffy nose, take an allergy medication such as chlorpheniramine.
• If there is a cough, take a cough medication such as cough syrup or expectorant.

2.2 For young children under 5 years old:

• If there is a fever, use a fever-reducing medication such as paracetamol in syrup form or baby aspirin.
• If there are symptoms of a runny or stuffy nose, take an allergy medication such as chlorpheniramine in syrup form.
• If there is a lot of nasal congestion making it difficult to breathe, use a rubber bulb to suction out the mucus frequently.
• If there is a cough, give a combination medication that contains both an allergy medication and a mucus-removing medication, such as cough expectorants or guaifenesin. There is no need to give separate allergy medication.
• If the child has a history of seizures or high fever that causes restlessness and refusal to sleep, give an anticonvulsant medication such as phenobarbital.

3. Antibiotics are not necessary to be given because they do not have any effect on killing the virus that causes a common cold (which is characterized by clear nasal discharge). However, in cases where there is suspicion of a bacterial infection, such as thick yellow or green nasal discharge, severe sore throat, or ear pain, penicillin or ampicillin can be used, or erythromycin if allergic to penicillin. The duration of treatment should be 7-10 days.

4. If there is sticky phlegm when coughing, avoid taking allergy medicine and cough medicine. Instead, take expectorants like Mucinex and Ammon, and drink plenty of warm water. Do not drink cold water.

5. If there are symptoms of wheezing or high fever lasting more than 7 days, it is recommended to seek medical attention promptly. Further tests such as X-rays or specialized examinations may be necessary.

Prevention:

• Avoiding public places such as movie theaters and restaurants during the influenza epidemic.
• Use a cloth to cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing, or wear a mask.
• Wash your hands frequently (both patients and those close by), and do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with your fingers as it may introduce germs into your body.
• Do not stay close to someone who has had the flu for a long time.
• Take care of your body by keeping warm, especially when the weather changes.
• Avoid overworking, but exercise regularly.
• Avoid bathing or washing your hair with excessively cold water, especially in cold weather.
• It is difficult to prevent the flu and there is still no vaccine to prevent it, therefore taking care of your own health is the most important thing.

Recommendations:

There is no medicine that can cure or prevent the flu, and treatment depends on rest and self-care of the patient. Medications are used only to treat symptoms. Generally, fever symptoms tend to disappear within 4-5 days. Even after the fever subsides, some patients may continue to have a runny nose and cough for a period of time, which can last for 1/2 to 1 month, and the cough may be dry or produce small amounts of white phlegm. If no other abnormal symptoms are present, no medication is necessary, but it is recommended to drink plenty of warm water and avoid cold drinks to gradually reduce the coughing.

It is not necessary to use antibiotics for patients with the flu unless they have suspected complications. Patients with a flu (with fever symptoms) that are chronic or recurring may have other underlying causes, such as heart disease, tuberculosis, leukemia, anemia, malnutrition, etc. Therefore, it is important to check whether these causes are present. If there is suspicion, it is recommended to seek medical attention.

People who frequently sneeze and have a runny nose without fever often have allergic reactions to the environment, such as dust, pollen, or animal dander, rather than a viral infection.

People who have a fever and a runny nose, but the fever is constant and not relieved by medication, may not have ordinary flu, but may have other causes such as measles, pneumonia, or sinusitis. It is recommended to carefully examine the symptoms of these diseases.

In addition, there are several other infectious diseases that may initially show symptoms similar to the common cold; such as dengue fever, pertussis, diphtheria, polio, viral hepatitis, encephalitis, pneumonia, and spinal meningitis. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor any changes in symptoms. If a fever lasts more than 7 days or symptoms deviate from a typical cold, it is recommended that the patient seek medical attention rather than purchasing or taking a cold remedy containing ingredients such as Chloramphenicol, Tetracycline, or Phenylpropanolamine, or giving children powder medicine that contains Chloramphenicol or Tetracycline, as they can be dangerous.