It’s unfortunately flu season, and this year we’re noticing the impact it’s having on our Wiltshire communities more than ever. Most people will usually get better after a couple of days, but flu can leave you feeling much more tired than usual and rather run-down.
Flu can have a whole range of symptoms that might leave you feeling unwell:
- Fever: A sudden high temperature
- Aches and pains: Body aches, muscle aches, or headaches
- Cough: A dry or chesty cough
- Sore throat: A sore throat
- Tiredness: Feeling tired or exhausted
- Runny nose: A runny or stuffy nose
- Sneezing: Sneezing
- Loss of appetite: Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea or vomiting: Diarrhea or vomiting, which is more common in children
- Difficulty sleeping: Difficulty sleeping
- Loss of sense of smell or taste: A loss or change in sense of smell or taste
Flu – NHS rest and care advice – looking after yourself for a good recovery.
GP’s are here for you if you feel you have become very unwell, or have underlying health conditions which are impacting your recovery. If you’re feeling under the weather with flu symptoms, first please follow the NHS advice:
✅ Rest and sleep – many of us are used to being busy, but your body needs to spend it’s energy on fighting a viral infection, so please take things as easy as you can. If you’re a care-giver or parent, can you ask someone else to help a little?
✅ Keep warm – use blankets, slipper socks, jumpers etc to keep a consistent core body temperature.
✅ Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains – just make sure any medicated hot drinks don’t also have it in as well (it’s possible to take too much).
✅ Give paracetamol or ibuprofen to your child if they’re distressed or uncomfortable – check the packaging or leaflet to make sure the medicine is suitable for your child, or speak to a pharmacist if you’re not sure
✅ Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear). Warm drinks can help you stay hydrated as well as keep you warm.
✅ Flu is usually most infectious during the first 5 days, so please try to stay away from others and where possible, ventilate your home and wash your hands regularly.
Flu can last 7+ days, so you may need to ask friends and family for help with any caring responsibilities you may have. If you feel you are getting worse and might need some medical help, please contact NHS111 for advice.
We can also help each other by looking out for those who might have flu symptoms – offering to help with caring responsibilities, shopping supplies etc can make a big difference in helping them rest and recover sooner.