Flu Season: Interesting Facts

The flu season refers to the period of time every year, most probably the cold season, which is characterized by frequent outbreaks of influenza. It may not be very severe every year but there are flu seasons in which there can be severe loss of lives and wealth. The fact that it repeats almost every year is what actually makes it so an important.

As mentioned above, flu is the commonly used name for influenza, which basically a disease of the respiratory system. You have had flu once does not mean that you will not have it again. In fact, the influenza virus can affect you every year. This is because the virus mutates every year. And even if you are saved from it for some years in a row, you will still have it again because this virus under goes a major mutation after about ten years or so. And the antibodies of your body will most probably not be able to save you from this changed virus form.

There are certain shocking facts about the flu season which will be impossible for you to believe, especially about its high intensity when considered like a season as a whole. Although people of all ages get the flu but it is most popular among teenagers. About 60 million people come down with flu in the season only in the United States and the surrounding countries. It is wrong to believe that flu is just like the common cold. It is a serious disease of the nose, the lungs and the entire respiratory system and people can even die from it.

The common symptoms of the flu are headaches and body aches, pain and itchiness in the throat, varying body temperatures from hot to cold, chills, extreme tiredness etc. These symptoms of the mild flu can be easily identified and diagnosed. The mild symptoms will not take much time before they become severe. It is always advisable to go to the doctor as soon as you notice two or more of these symptoms because it is not necessary that you have all of them right from the start.

There are precautions which you can take to save yourself and your family from the flu every year. One of the most important of among these precautionary steps is the flu vaccine or flu shot. If not everybody, then at least children, old people and those who have undergone medical treatment in the recent past must be immune with the flu vaccine.. If you end up having flu soon after you take flu shots, this means the virus had already entered your body before vaccination. Almost everyone is entitled to get the flu vaccine and it is absolutely wrong to believe that the medicine causes flu.

In addition to vaccination, you can take other precautionary measures such as washing hands and keeping them clean all the time, staying physically away from people who are suffering from flu, covering you nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing etc. too.