Question: Do I Have the Flu?
Answer: Unfortunately, the reason the flu is so easily spread is because it's contagious for up to four days before symptoms appear and for another three or four days after the first symptoms are felt. The symptoms of the flu or influenza start very quickly and include:
- Body aches
- Chills
- Dry cough
- Extreme fatique and/or weakness
- Fever
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Stuffy nose
Fortuantely, the high fever that typically accompanies the onset of the flu begins to decrease about the third day. Symptoms such as nausea and diarhhea almost never occur when the flu is present. When you hear someone say they have a "stomach flu" they do not have influenza.
Source: The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAD)
