Porter Hospital Blog

It’s fall, and the signs of its arrival including the kids back in school, the cold weather we’ve seen this week and the changing leaves. Another, less welcome part of this is the beginning of cold and flu season. This year, with the H1N1 flu in the area, how to take care of our family – and ourselves – are giving us extra concern.  So let’s talk about H1N1; how to tell the flu from a cold, and how to take care of our families and ourselves.

First of all, let’s talk about H1N1 – we seeing more of it in our community.
H1N1 is a flu virus. The reason it is getting so much attention is that it is a strain of flu that is new to humans. We don’t have immunity to it, and this means that it is very contagious.
We are seeing a lot of cases of flu across the state, and especially in the Denver Metro area – in our emergency rooms and in the physician offices. This is early for seasonal flu – it usually doesn’t start until late November or December. The Colorado Department of Health is telling us that 97 percent of the cases of Influenza A in the community are the H1N1 virus. They began tracking the 2009-10 season on Sept. 5, and already had reported 171 flu related hospitalizations through last week.
H1N1 is a subtype of the influenza A virus that is new to humans. Because we have not been exposed to it before, our bodies don’t have immunity to it. Immunity is simply a way of saying that our bodies have fought it before, and so have developed specific molecules that are ready to fight it.

How do we tell the difference between H1N1 and usual seasonal illnesses such as colds and croup?
Colds and other illnesses we see this time of year are also caused by viruses, so there is some overlap in symptoms, but there are some very big differences.
In general, influenza A causes high fevers (over 101 degrees Fahrenheit), severe aching in the muscles, dry cough, a great deal of fatigue. The H1N1 also has some gastrointestinal symptoms that are associated with it.
On the other hand, colds are usually without a fever, associated with some mild achiness, runny nose, scratchy throat and feeling run down – but able to function.

Obviously, the best defense is to protect ourselves from getting the flu in the first place. Getting the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccinations when they are available and practicing the good health hygiene we’ve talked about many times before is the best way to avoid getting sick with the flu or a cold.

How do I prevent myself from getting the flu?

The most effective way to prevent getting the flu is to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, and to avoid putting your hands near your face.  It is also helpful to stay at least six feet away from someone who is coughing or sneezing. In addition, making sure you are getting enough rest,  plenty of liquids and eating a nutritious diet can help.

What should we do if we get the flu?
The CDC is urging that if you have symptoms of the flu, stay home and avoid infecting others. A good rule is to stay home until after your fever has subsided without fever-reducing medications for 24 hours. While the H1N1 has been a relatively mild illness in most people, for those who are at higher risk, you may want to contact your doctor if you have concerns.

Should we go and get medication if we are sick?
Most healthy adults and children will recover with acetaminophen to treat the aches, lots of liquids, rest and TLC. However there are a group of people that the CDC is recommending get antiviral medication right away for their flu: These people are:

o Children younger than 2 years old;
o Persons aged 65 years or older
o Pregnant women
o Persons of any age with certain chronic medical and people with immunosuppressive disorders or medications
o Persons younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy.

People who develop complications such as pneumonia from the flu should also be given antiviral medications.
Another important thing is that children and teenagers SHOULD NOT receive aspirin while sick – it can lead to a dangerous side effect called Reye’s syndrome that damages the heart.

Are there any warning signs that should prompt us to get medical attention?
If any of the following symptoms occur in a patient that has influenza, you should get immediate medical attention:
• Have difficulty breathing or chest pain
• fever lasting more than three days
• Have purple or blue discoloration of the lips
• Are vomiting and unable to keep liquids down, or
• Show signs of dehydration, such as feeling dizzy when standing or being unable to urinate
• confusion or increasing lethargy (sluggishness)
• flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse
cough.

For more information on this topic you can go to:

The Denver Channel to see our discussion

Porter Website

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

American Red Cross