Can Allergies Give You Flu Like Symptoms

The Flu Shot And Covid

An important update regarding timing between receiving the flu and COVID-19 vaccines for all Victorians including those most vulnerable in our community.

The original recommended timing between receipt of the 2 vaccines was a preferred minimum interval of 2 weeks .

Based on the latest medical advice the preferred minimum interval between vaccinations for COVID-19 and the flu is now 7 days.

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How Are Utis Treated And Prevented

UTIs are usually treated with antibiotics. The specific antibiotic used and how long treatment lasts depend on the type of bacteria causing the infection and if there are any other health complications.

Some common antibiotics used to treat UTIs include:

There are also some steps you can take that may help prevent UTIs. These include:

• Practicing good hygiene, including wiping from front to back for women, which helps prevent the spread of bacteria from stool.

• Drinking plenty of water, which increases urination and can help flush out bacteria.

• Avoiding some types of birth control, like spermicide, which in some women may increase the risk of UTIs.

Some studies suggest that cranberry juice and probiotics can help prevent UTIs in women, but more research needs to be done to see how helpful they really are.

If you develop symptoms of a UTI, its important to let your healthcare provider know right away so that you get the right diagnosis and treatment.

Flu Symptoms: When To Bring Your Child Into The Emergency Center

We are in the midst of one of the most severe flu seasons in a decade. Texas Childrens alongside hospitals across the nation have seen a major jump in flu-related emergency center visits over the past several weeks. Its important for parents to understand when they should or shouldnt bring their child into an emergency center with flu-like symptoms. The flu can cause a variety of symptoms and effects, ranging from mild to severe. Most healthy people, including children, can recover from the flu without complications, and dont need to go to the emergency center or seek hospitalization. Symptoms of the flu can include:

• Fever or chills

A child with these regular flu-like symptoms can usually be cared for at home with fever-reducing medication, like Tylenol or Ibuprofen, clear fluids and bed rest. If diagnosed early enough, some children might benefit from Tamiflu, a medication that requires a prescription from your pediatrician. To ensure your child has fully recovered from the flu, he/she should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone. If your childs flu-like symptoms return and worsen, or if your child is at high risk for developing flu-related complications , call your childs pediatrician to seek evaluation.

to schedule an appointment online.

You should seek immediate medical care in an emergency center if your child exhibits any of these core warning signs:

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Risk Factors For Urinary Tract Infections

And now a brief note about reproductive parts: Although people with penises do get UTIs, people with vaginas are more at risk. It all boils down to the anatomy, Minkin says.

Bacteria that cause UTIs often make their way from the back door to the front and then up the urethra to wreak havoc on the urinary system.

Because the male reproductive system has a longer urethra than the female reproductive system, the bacteria have farther to travel, which makes it more difficult for a UTI to develop.

Can Prostatitis Cause Flu

Yes. The acute bacterial form of prostatitis can trigger chills, fever, and flu-like symptoms, mainly vomiting and nausea. In comparison, chronic bacterial prostatitis could cause a recurrent urinary tract infection. Acute bacterial prostatitis is often the result of some strains of bacteria.

So, its not uncommon to have prostatitis flu like symptoms. Chills, for example, are an unpleasant sensation of goosebumps and shivers. This means that your body is trying to tackle the infection and, as a result, feels too cold. How well it does to fight it off will vary based on your current immune state.

Even if you have a fever, you can still feel chilled. Keeping the body warm with adequate clothing and enough heat should be a top priority. Dont leave the pelvic floor exposed to the cold air for an extended period, or the discomfort can take hold.

Although fever with prostatitis can be temporary, the ailment can still lead to a sudden spike in body temperature. Your first concern is to keep the fever down. Drinking fluids, getting enough rest, and adequate medication can help.

If you have bouts of nausea or vomiting that last over two days, then contact a prostatitis specialist. When these prostatitis symptoms become too draining, patients may need adequate medical treatment.

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Can Allergies Cause A Fever And Flu Like Symptoms Treatment

It is common question in many peoples mind whether sneezing, cough, sniffles, fever or diarrhea are symptoms of allergy or cold and flu. It is a puzzling condition as often both have similar pattern of symptom. So how do you distinguish the two? The reason for allergy and fever basically has vast dissimilarity. Let us understand them taking certain symptoms as an example. But before that we must know allergy is caused by bodys immune reaction to certain substances such as food or dust, pollen, dander etc. On the other hand flu or influenza is caused by viral infection.

Hence there is vast difference in the pathophysiology between allergy and flu although they may have some similarity of symptoms. While allergy is not contagious, fever and cold caused by viral infection are contagious and can spread from one person to another. Let us know whether allergies can produce symptoms similar to flu.

What Is The Difference Between Influenza And Covid

Influenza and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus first identified in 2019, and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.

COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu. However, as more people become fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 should slow down. More information is available about COVID-19 vaccines and how well they work.

Compared to flu, COVID-19 can cause more serious illnesses in some people. COVID-19 can also take longer before people show symptoms and people can be contagious for longer. More information about differences between flu and COVID-19 is available in the different sections below.

Because some of the symptoms of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses are similar, the difference between them cannot be made based on symptoms alone. Testing is needed to tell what the illness is and to confirm a diagnosis. People can be infected with both flu and the virus that causes COVID-19 at the same time and have symptoms of both influenza and COVID-19.

While more is learned every day about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, there are still things, such as post-COVID conditions, that are unknown. This page compares COVID-19 and flu, given the best available information to date.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Allergies

Allergy symptoms range in severity from person to person, can be stronger at certain times of the year and aren’t contagious. “For example, someone who suffers from allergies may have their worst symptoms during the summer months, when it’s hotter and plants and grasses pollinate,” says Dr. Ly. They can also be caused by normal things in your environment think pollen, dust, pet dander and mold.

Allergy symptoms can include:

• Nausea or vomiting

Like most respiratory viruses, COVID-19 can be spread person-to-person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Thats why its important to take the recommended measures to protect yourself and others by getting vaccinated, washing your hands, avoiding touching your face and staying home if youre sick, says Dr. Ly.

If you have COVID symptoms, take an at-home COVID test. You can also self-schedule your test at a Geisinger location near you. If you test positive, call your doctor.

Its important to identify positive cases of COVID, so that we can take proactive measures in protecting our communities, says Dr. Ly.

How Contagious Are They

Colds are transmitted through virus droplets that a person sheds when they cough or sneeze when they have a cold.

An allergy is not contagious. If you have a sensitivity or allergy to a substance, you can develop a reaction. Someone who does not have the same sensitivity or allergy will not develop a reaction.

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Sorting Out Your Cold And Allergy Symptoms

The reason people have such a hard time telling the difference between colds and allergies is the number of overlapping symptoms. Colds come and go, but if your cold symptoms are actually allergies, you can take steps to overcome them. With a little information, learn to decipher the signs and get the right treatment.

Am I Getting Sick Or Is It Allergies

Its the morning wake-up call we all dread: You roll out of bed with a stuffy nose, a pounding head and a deep cough you definitely didnt have yesterday. Despite getting a good nights sleep, you feel fatigued and are sluggish to begin the day. Is this just an allergy attack that an antihistamine can fix or are you sick?

As enjoyable as fall festivities and holiday preparation may be, the fall and winter seasons also bring about pesky seasonal allergies and miserable colds and flus. Knowing how to distinguish between these conditions can keep you healthy throughout the changing seasons and help you seek appropriate treatment when needed.

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What Kinds Of Doctors Treat Urinary Tract Infections

Most urinary tract infections can be treated by your primary care doctor or your childs pediatrician. They are usually the best provider to treat you as they are most familiar with your medical history, medications you are taking, and other factors that might affect your treatment. If you seek treatment in an urgent care facility, a specialist in emergency medicine may be involved in your care.

If there are frequent reoccurrences of UTIs or if complicating circumstances are present, your primary care doctor might refer you to a urologist, a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the urinary system.

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When To See A Doctor

If you have signs of a kidney infection, you should see a doctor right away. Again, a kidney infection is seriousit can sometimes lead to a dangerous, life-threatening health condition called , the NIDDK says. Even if your infection doesnt progress to that, a kidney infection can become chronic, i.e., long-lasting, and can cause permanent damage to your kidneys, the NIDDK says. Kaufman recommends heading to your local urgent care facility or emergency room if you have signs of a kidney infection.

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Talk With A Doctor Or Clinician To Create A Personalized Treatment Plan

If you arent sure if its a cold or allergies, or if your symptoms are severe or long-lasting, its best to connect with a care provider to get an official diagnosis and treatment plan.

If your allergy symptoms are left untreated, you could become more prone to getting sinus infections or other upper respiratory infections, or they may lead to poor asthma control.

Also, a common cold can turn severe. So if your cold has had you laid up longer than a day or two, get in touch with your doctor.

You have a couple options:

Make an appointment for face-to-face care from a primary care doctor or clinician. Whether you choose a video visit or in-person appointment, your doctor will listen to your symptoms, answer questions and work with you to create a tailored treatment plan including connecting you with an allergist or an otolaryngologist if needed.

Start a virtual visit anytime, anyplace through Virtuwell. With Virtuwell, no appointment is necessary and treatment is available 24/7. Getting started is easy. Well ask you a few questions, and youll get your diagnosis and treatment plan from a board-certified nurse practitioner. Each visit is just $59 or less, depending on your insurance.

Preventing Urinary Tract Infection

You can reduce your chances of developing a UTI by keeping your bladder and urethra free from bacteria.

You can help prevent an infection by:

• drinking plenty of fluids

Toilet tips

To help keep your urinary tract free from bacteria:

• go to the toilet as soon as you feel the need to urinate , rather than holding it in
• wipe from front to back after going to the toilet
• practice good hygiene by washing your genitals every day and before having sex
• empty your bladder after having sex
• if youre a woman, avoid hovering over a toilet seat as it can result in your bladder not being fully emptied

Diaphragms and condoms

If you use a diaphragm and have recurring UTIs, you might want to consider changing to another method of contraception. This is because the diaphragm may press on your bladder and prevent it emptying completely when you urinate.

If you get recurring UTIs and you use condoms, try using condoms that dont have a spermicidal lubricant on them it will say whether it does on the packet.

Spermicidal lubricant can cause irritation and may make it more likely that youll experience symptoms similar to a UTI.

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What Should I Do If I Get Sick

Most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care.

If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group, are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your health care provider .

Certain people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications and this is true both for seasonal flu and novel flu virus infections. . If you are in a high risk group and develop flu symptoms, its best for you to contact your doctor. Remind them about your high risk status for flu.

Health care providers will determine whether influenza testing and possible treatment are needed. Your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs that can treat the flu. These drugs work better for treatment the sooner they are started.

Flu information courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

How To Tell If Youre Pregnant Or Have The Flu

When the symptoms above are caused by pregnancy rather than by the flu, they usually resolve by the end of the first trimester.

Symptoms of the flu not typically associated with early pregnancy may include sore throat, cough, and a weakened sense of taste and smell.

Early pregnancy symptoms not typically associated with the flu include frequent urination, constipation, heightened sense of smell and taste, heartburn, and breast soreness and/or swelling.

However, as Dr. Minkin says, If you do feel persistently flu-like symptoms, especially if you have a fever, check in with your OB/GYN, because the real flu can be serious during pregnancy.

You can take Vitamin C to boost your immune system during flu season to help.

The CDC recommends all pregnant women receive the flu shot/vaccine at any time during pregnancy to avoid complications the virus may cause.

Important note: Given how little we know about COVID-19 at this point, please be sure to consult with your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above.

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How To Prevent A Kidney Infection

Preventing a kidney infection is really all about preventing urinary tract infections and getting prompt treatment if you ever get one. Sorry, but dont rely on cranberry juice or supplements for thisthe science is far too mixed to consider either of these a definitive UTI-prevention method. Instead, whenever you feel a bladder infection coming on, make it a habit to drink enough water every day to stay hydrated. That will ensure youre peeing often enough to help flush out bacteria that could lead to an infection. The NIDDK recommends peeing as often as you get the urge, but definitely at least every three to four hours, since urine hanging out in your bladder for too long may help bacteria to grow, the organization says.

Kaufman also stresses the importance of urinating like a fire hose after sex. It might even be helpful to skip peeing before sex as long as that doesnt make you uncomfortable, he says. This allows you to build up a forceful stream that may better help remove any bacteria that might have been pushed up there during sex.

Also, we referenced this above, but its important to reiterate: After you pee , you should be sure to wipe from front to back, as wiping back to front can spread harmful bacteria from your rectum to your urethra, where it can cause an infection.

Preventing Utis And Yeast Infections

Urinary tract infections and yeast infections can be safely and easily treated. However, if you have experienced either of these conditions, you know just how uncomfortable they can be.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to try to prevent these infections.

• In addition to staying hydrated, proper bathroom hygiene, such as remembering to wipe from front to back, can reduce the chance of bacteria entering the urinary tract.

• Urinating after sex naturally flushes bacteria from your urinary tract that may have found their way there during intercourse.

• Avoid using douches or sprays, as they can kill good bacteria that keeps your .

• Wear underwear and clothing that is made from natural materials to prevent bacteria or yeast buildup.

• When exercising or after enduring a hot day, be sure to change out of sweaty clothes and shower as soon as you can.

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