Flu in Adults

• Flu in Adults Overview
• Flu in Adults Causes
• Flu in Adults Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Flu in Adults Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medications
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Flu in Adults Overview

Many people commonly and incorrectly confuse influenza (the flu) with the common cold. Differentiating a cold from the flu by symptoms alone can sometimes be difficult or impossible, but in general, people with the flu get sick more suddenly, look much sicker, and feel much weaker than if the ailment were a common cold. Higher fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more often symptoms of the flu, whereas runny or stuffy nose are more often associated with common colds.

• The common cold is a mild infection frequently caused by viruses other than the influenza virus.

• Flu is an acute infection of the airway tract in the nose and throat that can sometimes spread down into the lungs. It is the most frequent cause of acute respiratory illness and can affect people of all ages. It occurs every year mainly in late fall and early winter and in a widespread fashion affecting many people of different ages at the same time. The peak season for the flu in the northern hemisphere is from November through March.

• Some also confuse the flu illness with the term stomach flu. The latter is an illness associated with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and can be caused by viruses other than the influenza viruses and by bacteria. It is a stomach illness, whereas the flu is an illness of the respiratory system.

• About 10-20% of people in the United States get the flu every year, and more than 200,000 are admitted to a hospital for complications related to the flu. Each year roughly 20,000 Americans die from these complications. Most of these deaths occur in those older than 65 years.