What are the symptoms of flu?

What are the symptoms of flu?

It is common to confuse flu with a bad cold. Flu and cold symptoms may include a runny/blocked nose, sore throat, and cough. Here are some symptoms which a person with flu will have. These are not common heavy cold symptoms:

• high temperature
• cold sweats, shivers
• headache
• aching joints, aching limbs
• fatigue, feeling utterly exhausted
• gastro-intestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, are much more common among children than adults

These symptoms may linger for about a week. The feeling of tiredness and gloom can continue for several weeks.

How serious is flu?

In the majority of cases flu is not serious - it is just unpleasant. For some people, however, there can be severe complications. This is more likely if you are elderly or have some other longstanding illness that can undermine your immune system. Your risk of experiencing severe flu complications is higher if:

• you are over 65
• you are a baby or a very young child
• you are pregnant
• you have some kind of heart or cardiovascular disease
• you have a chest problem, such as asthma or bronchitis
• you have a kidney disease
• you suffer from diabetes
• you are taking steroids
• you are undergoing treatment for cancer
• you have any longstanding disease that can significantly lower your immune system