Symptoms, risk factors and diagnosis of Influenza or Flu
Posted By Suborna Fermi
Posted on Aug 31, 2022
Influenza is widely known as flu, which is a viral infection and mainly affects your respiratory system. Generally, influenza is highly contagious, and it spreads person to person through respiratory droplets. There are mainly three types of influenza type a, b, and c type.
Most people who are affected with influenza or flu receivers on their own within 2 to 3 weeks. However, flu can cause severe complications to some because this can contribute to severe lung infection which will worsen any underlying health disease.
Risk factors of influenza:
Who are at a high risk of getting infected with influenza includes:
- Children who are 5 years old
- Newborn babies
- Pregnant women, and women up to two week after delivery
- People over the age of 65
- People with weak immune systems
- People who have critical diseases such as heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, asthma and diabetes
- People who have obesity
- People with a BMI 40 and higher
If you and your kids come under these risk factors, then do test yourself and your children with the influenza a and b test.
Symptoms of influenza:
Influenza symptoms are very much similar to the normal flu symptoms, but the intensity and discomfort of the symptoms are more severe. The symptoms include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweating
- Muscle aches
- Weakness
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Congestion
- Eye pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Shortness of breath
- Dry cough
If you are having any of these symptoms, or noticed your children are having influenza symptoms then you can opt for the influenza test or influenza panel test. The influenza test price is very nominal, and you can easily find an influenza diagnostic test online as well.
Diagnosis of influenza:
As already mentioned above, most people recover easily without much clinical attention. But some flu cases need to get medical attention. The alerting symptoms are:
- Chest pain
- Faintness
- Difficulties in breathing
- Seizures
- Severe muscle pain
- Blue lips
- Worsening of an existing health condition
If you or a child is having a few of these symptoms then seek medical help as soon as possible.