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Symptoms of Flu
Flu is an infectious disease of the upper air passages (known as the upper respiratory tract).
The symptoms are:
- Fever that comes on quickly (38 – 40 C; 100 – 104 F)
- Sweating and feeling feverish· General muscle aches and pains
- A feeling of general tiredness
- Dry, chesty cough
- Sneezing
- Running or blocked nose
- Difficulty sleeping
Babies and small children with flu can also have the following symptoms:
- Lethargy (drowsy, unresponsive, limp or floppy)
- Poor feeding
The symptoms can also include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, especially in children.
Many of the symptoms of flu are similar to those of the common cold (see Common cold), and many people incorrectly refer to a heavy cold as ‘flu’. Viruses cause them both, but flu affects the lungs much more that a cold does. Also flu doesn’t usually give you the same congested ‘heavy headed’ feeling that a cold does.
