In the US, the flu season is considered October through May. Typically peak flu activity is December through February.
While there is no surefire way to prevent the flu, there are many steps you can take to decrease the likelihood of contracting it and to reduce the severity of your symptoms when you do get the flu.
Flu prevention steps:
Flu symptoms can vary, and you may not even realize you have the flu as symptoms are similar to those of the common cold.
Common flu symptoms include:
The influenza virus is not to be confused with gastroenteritis (stomach flu). Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea are rare in adults but more common in children. People may be infected with the flu and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.
If you think you might have the flu, taking an influenza test is a quick and easy way to confirm. Our providers use state of the art testing technology to more accurately diagnose your symptoms so that we can provide effective treatment.
If you have the flu, our providers can prescribe antiviral drugs to reduce the severity of the illness and shorten the length of time that you are sick. Studies have shown that antiviral drugs can also prevent serious flu complications in people that are at a high risk for complications.
Flu antiviral drugs work best if begun within 2 days of getting sick, discuss with your provider the instructions for taking this drug.
At Physicians Urgent Care, we offer flu testing and treatment, as well as flu shots, so that you can get on the road to recovery quickly. Simply walk into one of our clinics or reserve a spot online to save time.