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Influenza, also called the common flu, is an infection caused by the Influenza virus, which has several subtypes that cause recurrent infections, especially in children up to 5 years of age and in the elderly and can be easily transmitted from person to person through droplets that are suspended in the air when coughing, sneezing or talking, for example.
Flu symptoms can be quite uncomfortable, with fever, general malaise, body pain and runny nose, for example. Symptoms usually pass after a few days with only rest and healthy eating, because the immune system is able to fight the infection without the need for any other type of treatment.
Despite being a very common disease, it is normal that there are still several doubts about the common flu. For this reason, we have listed below the most frequent questions about the common flu and clarified what is a myth and what is true:
1. Has more flu in winter
TRUTH. The flu is more common in the winter because the cold slows down the movement of cilia that exist in the airways and that work by filtering the air and eliminating microorganisms.
In addition, the environment is drier and people stay longer in closed places, which favors the proliferation of the virus and the transmission of the disease.
2. Getting out of the hot bath and going cold causes flu
MYTH. The flu is caused by a virus, which means that a person only gets sick if he comes into contact with the virus, which does not happen by taking a hot shower and then going to the cold.
3. Cold can turn into the flu
MYTH. The cold is caused by the virus of the family Rhinovirus, and that can also lead to the appearance of signs and symptoms similar to those of the flu, however it does not usually cause fever and the symptoms are combated more quickly.
However, as the immune system becomes weaker with the cold, the chances of getting a flu infection increase, so it is important to start treatment soon to avoid this problem. Check out some homemade recipes that help treat the flu and cold.
4. Flu can become pneumonia
MYTH. Although pneumonia can also be caused by the same virus responsible for the common flu, it is very difficult for the flu to evolve into pneumonia, because the immune system is able to fight the virus effectively. Thus, there is no inflammation in the lungs and the development of pneumonia. Learn more about viral pneumonia.
5. Water helps fight the flu
TRUTH. Liquids such as water, teas and natural juices help to fight the flu because they fluidize secretions and facilitate sputum and cough, which helps to eliminate phlegm and viruses that are present in these secretions.
See some tea recipes that help treat the flu by watching the video:
6. Vitamin C helps prevent flu
MYTH. Vitamin C does not help to treat or prevent the flu, but the consumption of fresh foods rich in this nutrient, such as fruits and vegetables in general, helps to reduce inflammation in the body, which brings relief from the symptoms of the disease.
7. The vaccine can cause flu
MYTH. The vaccine is formed by the inactivated flu virus and, therefore, is not capable of causing disease, however it is sufficient to stimulate the body's immune response against the flu virus.
Thus, the symptoms that may appear after vaccination, such as mild fever, redness at the application site and softness in the body usually arise because the person already had a flu virus incubated in the body, but which is aroused and fought soon after contact with the vaccine.
The flu vaccine is contraindicated only for babies less than 6 months old, people with fever, with neurological disease or who are allergic to eggs or thimerosal substances, present in Merthiolate, and to neomycin. See more about the flu vaccine.