We are now in the midst of flu season, and it’s a good time to spruce up your hand-washing routine and consider ways to stay well. The influenza virus has been around for millennia; even Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, described an illness in the early fifth century B.C. that sounds a lot like the flu, according to the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Here are a few surprising facts about the flu.
1. The Flu Is a Respiratory Illness
Although you may hear people refer to a “stomach flu,” the influenza virus is not a gastrointestinal disease. Some people, usually children, can get diarrhea or vomiting with the flu. However, most adults get a cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue and chills — not an upset stomach — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
2. It’s Not Fatal for Most People
While some healthy people may feel like they’re dying from the flu, they aren’t in real danger. People over 65 (in particular, those with chronic health conditions) and young children are at higher risk of complications. Secondary bacterial infections are more likely to cause death than the flu itself, according to the CDC.
3. Pneumonia Is the Riskiest Complication
The flu can turn into upper-respiratory infections, sinus infections or, in more serious cases, pneumonia. The largest flu pandemic (the Spanish flu) occurred from 1918 to 1919 and led to millions of deaths. This outbreak was so deadly because the strain of the virus made people more susceptible to bacterial pneumonia, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
4. You Can Spread the Virus for More Than a Week
The flu is highly contagious. Because it’s a virus, antibiotics won’t help you recover. Some antiviral medications are available that may help shorten your misery if taken early enough. The virus travels on your spit when you cough, sneeze or talk. Once in the air, the droplets land on people nearby. The flu can also spread when someone touches a surface contaminated with the virus and then touches their nose, mouth or eyes. You may be contagious starting a day before you develop symptoms and as long as seven days after you get sick, according to the CDC.
5. Taking Aspirin During the Flu Can Be Dangerous
Reye’s syndrome is a rare complication that can occur if you take aspirin when you have the flu, according to the Mayo Clinic. It typically only occurs in children and teens, but many cold medications contain aspirin, so study labels carefully.
6. The Virus Mutates Every Year
The CDC describes how your body makes antibodies to fight against viruses. The flu changes annually, which is why there’s a new vaccine every year. If it’s a mild change, the antibodies you built up the year before may help lessen your symptoms. When a major change happens, the outbreaks are more severe, leading to pandemics, such as the most recent swine flu pandemic.
7. The Flu Vaccine Not Only Protects You, but Also People Around You
It’s called “herd immunity.” If you get the flu vaccine and protect yourself against the illness, you’re one fewer person to spread the disease to others, says the CDC. It’s a quick shot you can get at your pharmacy or doctor’s office, and it may be covered by your health insurance as a preventive care service.
Up to 20 percent of Americans get the flu each year, according to Harvard Health Publications. A flu vaccine is your best protection, and knowing the facts about the flu can help you — and those around you — stay healthy.
