"I have a really bad cold and I am afraid that I have the flu. How can I tell the difference?"
Viral respiratory infections come in all different levels of severity but most will stay within a range that your own experience will tell you is normal for a head cold. When you are infected with influenza, most often the severity of the illness is much worse and will drive people to seek treatment who would never otherwise go to a doctor. These people with true influenza are really sick and feel really bad.

"What are the symptoms of influenza?"
Abrupt onset of generalized symptoms affecting the whole body. The person has a fever and chills and usually a cough and sore throat. Diarrhea is not usually part of influenza. There are two items in a person's history that I look for in the office; the first is for that person to be able to give me the time of onset almost to the hour and the second is that the person is usually too ill to sit up on the table when I come in to perform the examination. People with the flu know the moment it hit and are always amazed by how weak and ill they feel.

"What is the treatment for influenza?"
If you are in a college dorm or other group living situation you may want to try for an immunization in the Fall through your student health center. Once a person has this illness they can get to a doctor within 48 hours to receive an antiviral drug such as amantadine or Tamiflu which will limit the duration and severity of the illness.

"Can I get a flu shot?"
Vaccines are usually reserved for elderly persons, very young children, people with respiratory illness or chronic diseases, health care workers and other high risk people. There is a nasal mist vaccine available. Young adults are not generally considered a high risk group if there are no serious chronic illnesses present.

"When is flu season?"
Usually the true outbreaks of influenza are in the winter months of January through March.

"How does a doctor test for the flu?"
The fastest test is a nasal swab and is done in the office and is helpful in directing therapy.

"My room mate has the flu, can I catch it from him?"
Yes. You should consider contacting your doctor to be put on a preventative dose of antiviral medications. Even though intimate contact does not occur, household contacts are at risk for getting this disease.

"How soon after I get exposed to the flu will I come down with symptoms?"
The incubation time for this illness is anywhere from 18-72 hours after exposure.

"How long until you feel better from having the flu?"
Generally, symptoms subside in 2-5 days although a cough may linger.

"I heard you can get pneumonia from the flu."
Bacterial pneumonia is one of the common complications of a viral respiratory illness such as influenza. The disease of bacterial pneumonia is characterized by a productive cough in which the person is producing thick yellow or green mucous and this illness is treated with antibiotics.