When it comes to the flu, there are actually more things to unpack than you might think. While colloquially we tend to call both influenza and the stomach flu all by the same name, they are actually quite different conditions. Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency physician, helps us break it all down.
Influenza, commonly known as “the flu,” is a respiratory system infection that affects the nose, throat, windpipe, and lungs. The strains of influenza virus mutate and change yearly, often leading to varying degrees of impact. As Dr. Johns puts it, some years are relatively mild while others are a “total whopper.”
There are a variety of symptoms you might experience if you contract the flu, including congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, body and muscle aches, headaches, fever, chills, and fatigue. A key differentiating factor of influenza, according to Dr. Johns, is the tendency to cause sustained high fever, exhaustion, muscle pain, and headache.
Influenza is an airborne virus that spreads through tiny saliva droplets a person releases into the air when coughing, sneezing, talking, or laughing. This can easily result in an infection, though it’s not as contagious as some diseases. Individuals most at risk include kids under the age of 5, adults over the age of 65, and people with conditions like asthma or diabetes.
While it is possible to contract the flu at any time of the year, there is a seasonality to it when it is most common in the U.S. Flu season typically starts in October and peaks between December and February. Read more about the differences between influenza and the stomach flu to stay informed and healthy. Find the information here.