Chances are if you’ve ever actually had the flu, it was an unforgettable occasion. I’m not talking about the time you had the sniffles, and a couple of days of scratchy throat. I’m talking about the body-aching, cold-chilling, fever-spiking virus known as influenza that left you moaning and shivering in the bed. And if you’re older or have chronic medical conditions, it’s more than just uncomfortable; it’s dangerous.

Symptoms of the flu include fever, headache, chills, sore throat, achy muscles, tiredness (malaise), cough, and runny nose. One memorable symptom is the alternating chilling and burning up sensation caused by fever. These symptoms are often severe and come on suddenly. Flu symptoms can hang around for one to two weeks. A common cold can manifest similar symptoms, but they are usually less severe and for a shorter period of time.

The flu virus is primarily spread by respiratory droplets when someone infected with the virus coughs or sneezes. A person may be contagious a day before their symptoms begin and for 4 to 7 days after becoming sick. Although uncomplicated cases of the flu in otherwise healthy adults can dissipate in 4 to 7 days, for some it can be a one to two week ordeal. Those at higher risk for complications and more severe bouts include the elderly, children, pregnant women, and patients with preexisting medical conditions.

The best way to avoid getting the flu is by getting immunized against the flu virus. Annual vaccination is necessary since the virus changes from season to season. Each year, vaccines are tailored to provide protection using the most current data regarding the virus makeup. This is monitored by scientists throughout the year. It is recommended that everyone ages 6 months and older should be vaccinated against the influenza virus yearly. Those with health conditions and pregnant women should especially be vaccinated.

Two types of flu vaccines are available at this time. The live vaccine is available in a nasal spray known as Flumist. This particular form is indicated only for healthy, non-pregnant patients aged 2 to 49 years. So if you fall into this category, you may be able to escape the needle stick. The inactivated (killed) form of vaccine is the well-known flu shot and is preferred for children less than two, adults 50 and older, and patients with any type of chronic medical condition.

The vaccines are made in fertilized chicken eggs, so a true allergy to eggs is a contraindication to getting the vaccine. If you can eat eggs or eggcontaining products (baked goods) then you’re probably fine to receive the vaccine. A severe allergy that would preclude a patient from getting vaccinated would include symptoms like breathing difficulty, throat-tightening, and anaphylaxis-type (extreme, life-threatening) reactions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths occur from flu each year. There is such a wide range in this estimation for several reasons. Since many deaths occur from complications that are secondary to flu, a death certificate may not actually label flu as the actual cause of death. A patient with congestive heart failure may get the flu and end up dying. The cause of death will probably read as congestive heart failure. Or an elderly patient may get a secondary bacterial pneumonia infection while her body is weakened by the influenza virus. The cause of death would probably be recorded as pneumonia. Another factor that affects the statistics is the virulence (harmfulness) of an individual strain of influenza virus in a given year. Some strains will end up causing mild flu seasons, while others may prove to be a very aggressive and potent. In the CDC cited studies, death rates were more than double during years when certain strains were identified as the predominant seasonal strain. Also noted in these statistics was the fact that about 90 percent of the flu-related deaths were in patients 65 years and older.

You may be asking yourself why you should get a flu shot. If you’re healthy and under 65 years old, why bother? For me, it’s the simple fact that I don’t like being sick. I’m a big baby when even the slightest cold invades my health. If I can avoid the malaise, headache, chills, and fever caused by the flu for twenty bucks or so, I’m all in. A more responsible reason would be in order to not infect others. If I decide to not get vaccinated and I get sick, I may very well pass on the virus to someone not so healthy. If I get my kids sick, I’m going to feel terrible (and my wife will kill me).

Can the flu vaccine cause me to develop the flu? No. The flu shot is made of dead virus which cannot cause the flu illness. Flumist nasal spray does contain the live virus, but the virus is attenuated (weakened) in such a way that it will not cause influenza infection. Those who have gotten ill after getting flu vaccinations were probably exposed before getting vaccinated. Since it takes a couple of weeks for the vaccine to provide protection, they still are susceptible to the infection.

Flu shots are available everywhere now. See your doctor or pharmacist and get vaccinated.

by Jared Combs, PharmD