Flu Symptoms

The flu is contagious, and can spread around your school or work like a flame following a trail of gasoline. Recognizing the symptoms and staying home when you have the flu can go a long way toward stopping its spread. Symptoms include fever, aches, chills, nausea, dry coughs, runny nose and extreme tiredness.

About Flu Symptoms

Flu.gov lists these helpful tips on how to take care of yourself if you're knocked out by the flu.

If you have been diagnosed with flu, you should stay home, follow your doctor’s orders, and watch for signs that you need immediate medical attention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever (100°F or 37.8°C) is gone except to get medical care or for other things you have to do and no one else can do for you.

Avoid close contact with others, especially those who might easily get the flu, such as people age 65 years and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women, young children, and infants.

Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after using tissues or coughing/sneezing into your hands.

Cover coughs and sneezes.

Drink clear fluids such as water, broth, sports drinks, or electrolyte beverages made for infants to prevent becoming dehydrated.

Get plenty of rest.

Get medical attention right away if you:

Have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Experience pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

Have sudden dizziness

Become confused

Have severe or persistent vomiting

Experience flu–like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

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