THE FLU - SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

Symptoms

Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:

• a sudden fever – a temperature of 38C or above
• aching body
• feeling tired or exhausted
• dry, chesty cough
• sore throat
• headache
• difficulty sleeping
• loss of appetite

Cold and flu symptoms are similar, but flu tends to be more severe.

How to treat flu yourself

To help you get better more quickly:

• rest and sleep
• keep warm
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
• drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)

A pharmacist can help with flu

A pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies.

Be careful not to use them if you're taking paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as it's easy to take more than the recommended dose.

See your GP if:

• your symptoms don't improve after 7 days
• you're worried about your child's symptoms
• you're 65 or over
• you're pregnant
• you have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes or a heart, lung, kidney or neurological disease
• you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or HIV

GPs don't recommend antibiotics for flu because they won't relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.

How to avoid spreading the flu

Flu is very infectious and easily spread to other people. You're more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days.

Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

To reduce the risk of spreading flu:

• wash your hands often with warm water and soap
• use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
• bin used tissues as quickly as possible
• STAY AT HOME !!!!!!!!!!