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SEASONAL HEALTH ▸
Too late for
the flu shot?
If the prime time for getting a flu shot
is early fall, have you missed your shot
at, well, the shot?
No, you’re just in time. Influenza,
or flu, season tends to peak in winter
months, and it can last through
late spring.
“The vast majority of my patients
who have the flu have not received
the vaccine,” says Daniel Flaming, MD,
an independently practicing family
medicine physician on themedical staff
atMethodist RichardsonMedical Center.
Wary of needles?
Try the new
intradermal version of the shot, which
uses a thinner, shorter needle that goes
only into the skin, not the muscle.
Schedule your flu shot at a
Methodist Richardson primary care
clinic. To find one near you, call
972-
4 DR LINE
(
972-437-5463
) or go to
www.
MethodistHealthSystem.org/Locations
.
Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The
physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are
independent practitioners who are not employees or agents
of Methodist Health System.
You remember what it was like to have the flu, right? Nausea kept you close to the
bathroom. You and ginger ale became close companions. Not even Oprah reruns
could distract you from the tummy aches and headaches.
Here’s the thing, though: You really didn’t have the flu.
P. Pamela Singh, MD, an independently practicing internist on the medical staff
at Methodist Richardson Medical Center, says in this case, flu is a misnomer. What
people call the stomach flu or flu bug is actually an inflammation of the stomach
lining caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite.
However, influenza — a.k.a. the real flu — carries a different slew of symptoms.
The chart below can help guide you through flu season:
The real flu
Stomach flu
Influenza
Main
symptoms
w
w
Severe diarrhea
w
w
Nausea
w
w
Vomiting
w
w
Stomach cramping.
w
w
High fever
w
w
Chills
w
w
Fatigue and weakness
w
w
Severe aches in joints and
muscles
w
w
Coldlike symptoms, such as a
runny nose, sore throat, and
headache
w
w
Sudden onset. “You go from
feeling fine to feeling
miserable in just a couple
hours,” Dr. Singh says.
Secondary
symptoms
w
w
Fever (rare)
w
w
Chills
w
w
Fatigue.
w
w
Diarrhea
w
w
Nausea.
Duration
1 to 3 days
3 to 7 days
Treatment
The stomach flu usually goes
away on its own, but over-the-
counter medicines can help
with symptoms.
While there are antiviral
medications, they don’t cure
influenza and are reserved
for people at higher risk
for complications.
“If you’re not at high risk, it’s
best to stay home — so you don’t
expose others to the virus — get
plenty of rest, and drink lots of
fluids,” Dr. Singh says. “Avoiding
smoke and smog are good ideas
to help you breathe better.”
When
it’s time
to seek help
w
w
Over-the-counter medicines
aren’t relieving symptoms.
w
w
You have both abdominal
pain and fever.
w
w
You are dehydrated, can’t
keep down fluids, or are
experiencing extreme fatigue.
w
w
“If you are younger than 2 years
or older than 60; have a chronic
illness, such as diabetes; or
are in an immunocompromised
state, you are at greater risk for
complications,” Dr. Singh says.
“Don’t wait to call your doctor.”
w
w
Symptoms worsen or return a
couple of weeks later.
info
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Methodist Richardson Medical Center
•
❁
Winter 2011 – 2012