The Dangers of the Flu

If there is one disease that I am sure most of us have gotten at one point in our lives is the flue. For most people, the flu is nothing but a mere nuisance, with the runny nose and home remedies like chicken soup that has rumored to cure even the most stubborn flu. But for the immune-compromised, people of old age or the chronically ill, the flu can be very deadly. Every year, hundreds and thousands of people around the world die of the flue or its complications and many more were hospitalized. For those of us who are wondering how do we know when we really have it? The flue is caused by a virus and last for about three to four days depending on the severity and typically with symptoms including chills, aches and pains, coupled with a stuffy nose and a dry cough. But if they last for more than a couple of days without any sign of improvement, then you need to see your doctor and ask to throughly exam you and you mus also relay to the doctor your medical history and ask him what can possibly be wrong with you.

When you are telling the doctor your medical history and the symptoms that you are showing, you are directing the doctor to narrow the list of possible diseases, test and treatments that can be done. The details of your history and symptoms should lead the medical investigators to the right answers. Some things you can suggest the doctor when getting your checkup is to get a chest x-ray so you may spot and catch the early signs of pneumonia or lung cancer. a blood test can also determine if you have some other disorders like looking for mononucleosis, otherwise known as glandular fever plus other types of infection. But don't go overboard with the examinations. Most of the time simple bed rest and taking proper vitamins and medicine can treat the flu with not much problem. Seeing the doctor every time you catch a flu is not only expensive if your don't have your HMO but also time consuming and creates unecessary stress on your part.