Flu (influenza), seasonal

Seasonal flu can give you any of these symptoms:

• sudden fever (a temperature of 38°C/100.4°F or above),
• dry, chesty cough,
• headache,
• tiredness,
• chills,
• aching muscles,
• limb or joint pain,
• diarrhoea or stomach upset,
• sore throat,
• runny or blocked nose,
• sneezing,
• loss of appetite, and
• difficulty sleeping.

Babies and small children with flu may also appear drowsy, unresponsive and floppy.

Your symptoms will usually peak after two to three days and you should begin to feel much better within five to eight days. A cough and general tiredness may last for two to three weeks.

Glossary

Congested

Congestion is an excess of fluid in part of the body, often causing a blockage.

Nausea

Nausea is when you feel like you are going to be sick.

Drowsy

Drowsiness is when someone feels extremely tired and uncontrollably near to sleep.

Fever

A high temperature, also known as a fever, is when someone's body temperature goes above the normal 37°C (98.6°F).

Vomiting

Vomiting is when you bring up the contents of your stomach through your mouth.

Sneezing

Sneezing is an involuntary expulsion of air and bacteria from the nose and mouth.

Aches

An ache is a constant dull pain in a part of the body.

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is the passing of frequent watery stools when you go to the toilet.

Lungs

Lungs are a pair of organs in the chest that control breathing. They remove carbon dioxide from the blood and replace it with oxygen.