Overview
Flu (influenza) is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs, which are part of the respiratory system. Influenza is commonly called the flu, but it's not the same as stomach "flu" viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Most people with the flu get better on their own. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly. People at higher risk of developing flu complications include:
- Young children under age 2
- Adults older than age 65
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- People who are pregnant or plan to be pregnant during flu season
- People with weakened immune systems
- American Indians or Alaska Natives
- People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
- People with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
Although the annual influenza vaccine isn't 100% effective, it reduces the chances of having severe complications from infection.
Symptoms
At first, the flu may seem like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat. Colds usually develop slowly. But the flu tends to come on suddenly. And while a cold can be miserable, you usually feel much worse with the flu.
Common symptoms of the flu include:
- Fever
- Aching muscles
- Chills and sweats
- Headache
- Dry, persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Tiredness and weakness
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Eye pain
- Vomiting and diarrhea, but this is more common in children than adults
When to see a doctor
Most people who get the flu can treat themselves at home and often don't need to see a health care provider.
If you have flu symptoms and are at risk of complications, see your health care provider right away. Taking antiviral medication may shorten the length of your illness and help prevent more-serious problems.
If you have emergency symptoms of the flu, get medical care right away. For adults, emergency symptoms can include:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Ongoing dizziness
- Seizures
- Worsening of existing medical conditions
- Severe weakness or muscle pain
Emergency symptoms in children can include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds — depending on skin color
- Chest pain
- Dehydration
- Severe muscle pain
- Seizures
- Worsening of existing medical conditions
Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health
tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health.From Mayo Clinic to your inbox
To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.
Causes
Influenza viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the infection coughs, sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly. Or you can pick up the germs from an object — such as a telephone or computer keyboard — and then transfer them to your eyes, nose or mouth.
People with the virus are likely contagious from about a day before symptoms appear until about four days after they start. Children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a slightly longer time.
Influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing regularly. If you've had influenza in the past, your body has already made antibodies to fight that specific strain of the virus. If future influenza viruses are similar to those you've encountered before, either by having the disease or by getting vaccinated, those antibodies may prevent infection or lessen its severity. But antibody levels may decline over time.
Also, antibodies against influenza viruses you've encountered in the past may not protect you from new influenza strains. New strains can be very different viruses from what you had before.
Risk factors
Factors that may increase your risk of developing the flu or its complications include:
- Age. Seasonal influenza tends to have worse outcomes in children under age 2, and adults older than age 65.
- Living or working conditions. People who live or work in facilities with many other residents, such as nursing homes or military barracks, are more likely to develop the flu. People who are staying in the hospital also are at higher risk.
- Weakened immune system. Cancer treatments, anti-rejection medications, long-term use of steroids, organ transplant, blood cancer or HIV/AIDS can weaken the immune system. This can make it easier to catch the flu and may increase the risk of developing complications.
- Chronic illnesses. Chronic conditions may increase the risk of influenza complications. Examples include asthma and other lung diseases, diabetes, heart disease, nervous system diseases, metabolic disorders, problems with an airway, and kidney, liver or blood disease.
- Race. American Indians or Alaska Natives people may have an increased risk of influenza complications.
- Aspirin use under age 19. People who are younger than 19 years of age and receiving long-term aspirin therapy are at risk of developing Reye's syndrome if infected with influenza.
- Pregnancy. Pregnant people are more likely to develop influenza complications, particularly in the second and third trimesters. This risk continues up to two weeks after the baby is born.
- Obesity. People with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher have an increased risk of flu complications.
Complications
If you're young and healthy, the flu usually isn't serious. Although you may feel miserable while you have it, the flu usually goes away in a week or two with no lasting effects. But children and adults at high risk may develop complications that may include:
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
- Asthma flare-ups
- Heart problems
- Ear infections
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Pneumonia is one of the most serious complications. For older adults and people with a chronic illness, pneumonia can be deadly.
Prevention
Flu vaccines at Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic offers flu shots in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.
Learn more about how to get your flu shot at Mayo ClinicThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone age 6 months or older. The flu vaccine can lower your risk of getting the flu. It also can lower the risk of having serious illness from the flu and needing to stay in the hospital.
Flu vaccination is especially important because the flu and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cause similar symptoms. Both COVID-19 and the flu may be spreading at the same time. Vaccination is the best way to protect against both. Flu vaccination could lessen symptoms that might be confused with those caused by COVID-19. Preventing the flu and lowering the number of people with severe flu and complications could also lower the number of people needing to stay in the hospital. And if a COVID-19 vaccine or booster and a flu vaccination are due at the same time, the CDC reports that you can get vaccinated for both in one visit.
This year's seasonal flu shot provides protection against four influenza viruses expected to be the most common during this flu season. This year, the vaccine will be available as an injection and as a nasal spray. There will also be a high-dose flu vaccine for adults age 65 and older.
The nasal spray is approved for people between 2 and 49 years old. It isn't recommended for some groups, such as:
- Children younger than age 2
- Adults age 50 and older
- Pregnant people
- Children between 2 and 17 years old who are taking aspirin or a salicylate-containing medication
- People with weakened immune systems
- Kids 2 to 4 years old who have had asthma or wheezing in the past 12 months
If you have an egg allergy, you can still get a flu vaccine.
Mayo Clinic Minute: Why getting vaccinated for the flu is doubly important this season
DeeDee Stiepan: Getting your annual flu vaccine is especially important this season.
Gregory Poland, M.D., Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic: Where we have COVID spreading, we will very likely have influenza spreading.
DeeDee Stiepan: The flu vaccine won't protect against COVID-19 but it can help reduce the chance of getting the flu.
Dr. Poland: The symptoms of COVID and influenza overlap almost exactly in their initial manifestations with the exception of the loss of smell, loss of taste. That would be very unusual in influenza.
DeeDee Stiepan: Getting a flu vaccine helps rule out influenza if you develop respiratory issues and helps reduce stress on the health care system.
Dr. Poland: Every American, age six months and older, get a flu vaccine. An opportunity we have in the context of this twindemic is not only to get our flu vaccines but to remember these non-pharmaceutical interventions: the mask wearing, physical distancing. While they prevent COVID, they also decrease the risk of influenza.
DeeDee Stiepan: For the Mayo Clinic News Network, I'm DeeDee Stiepan.
Controlling the spread of infection
The influenza vaccine isn't 100% effective, so it's also important to take several measures to reduce the spread of infection, including:
- Wash your hands. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is an effective way to prevent many common infections. Or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water aren't available.
- Avoid touching your face. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands.
- Clean surfaces. Regularly clean often-touched surfaces to prevent spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus on it and then your face.
- Avoid crowds. The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you reduce your chances of infection.
Also avoid anyone who is sick. And if you're sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone so that you lessen your chance of infecting others.
Oct. 15, 2022