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Influenza is one of the most common seasonal diseases – it can happen that during one winter season it happens to us several times. Properly treated, it can be forgotten after a few days. Unfortunately, we often underestimate its symptoms, do not use appropriate countermeasures, which results in later complications. And these are no longer as harmless as the flu itself, which we underestimated. If you are not careful in this regard, you can get pneumonia, sinusitis or meningitis. How to recognize the symptoms of an undertreated group and deal with them effectively?
Complications after the flu
What it really means getting sick with the flu? What is it triggered by? Well, influenza is one of the most common ailments caused by viruses A, B, C – with B and C having the mildest course. The biggest threat to health is type A virus. What happens in the body attacked by viruses? After infection, viruses lodge in the epithelium in the respiratory tract – in the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi. This is where they multiply, which usually takes several hours. Epithelial cells are damaged, the risk of secondary infections increases. Sometimes, it even comes to the fact that the virus gets into the lungs, causing their inflammation, and finally necrotic changes and hemorrhages. If it attacks the nervous system, we cannot avoid meningitis and encephalitis. Untreated flu is a very short way to create a risk of complications. Going through it is usually done in several stages. The first is the incubation period of the virus, the next – lasting about 7 days – is the time of treatment. If symptoms do not disappear after this short time, you will need to see your doctor again for a second diagnosis. Complications most often occur in people with reduced immunity – children, the elderly, chronically ill.
Untreated flu – what complications can you expect?
Untreated cold usually not without consequences. The most common complication of untreated flu is sinusitis. The symptoms that accompany it are quite characteristic of this disease. There will be pain in the area of the forehead and nose, intensifying when bending over, a feeling of pressure in the cheeks and more typical of the common cold – stuffy nose, temperature rise. This can result in many months of treatment, if we additionally get infected with a bacterial infection and purulent rhinitis occurs. In this case, inhalations or compresses will be helpful, and if we are dealing with a bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment will also help.
Weakness after a cold – not always the natural order of things!
Not always felt by us weakness after the flu means we need a quiet time to recuperate. Frequently occurring symptoms indicate post-influenza complications. It may be otitis media, during which symptoms such as headache, high fever, and sometimes even perforation of the eardrum or oil leakage will occur. Ignoring these symptoms can lead to to hearing loss. Such an infection is treated with painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics.
Another dangerous one flu complication, is bronchitis. Here comes fever and a strong, paroxysmal cough, initially dry, in the next phase wet, with expectoration. Lying in bed during this time, lowering the temperature and, if necessary, using antibiotics will help.
Powikłaniem grypowym pneumonia is undoubtedly life-threatening. It is accompanied by a number of interrelated symptoms, such as: vomiting, muscle pain, chills, increased cough, chest pain. In the initial phase, placing bubbles will help, but if the disease is severe, hospital treatment will be necessary.
Powikłaniem grypowym it may also be inflammation of the heart muscle, which manifests itself primarily by irregular heart rhythm – chest pain, fainting. This usually requires cardiac treatment. Another dangerous complication of influenza is meningitis, which requires hospitalization.
Prevention above all!
Problems with untreated flu, as you can see, can be many, so it is worth focusing primarily on effectively avoiding possible complications. If you catch a cold, do not underestimate it, but calmly give your body time to rest and convalesce. An additional protection is vaccination, which greatly reduces the risk getting sick with the flu!