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This winter's flu season started early and hit hard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the flu season usually peaks in late December or January, but this season, the flu was already making headlines by Thanksgiving. Hospital Emergency rooms were full and some school classrooms were empty.
"The Emergency Room has been packed," says Michael Feder, MD, Saint Joseph Health Center. "And many of the people we are seeing are very ill requiring hospitalization. Generally, it's the very old or very young who are hardest hit."
"People use 'flu' in very general terms to describe winter viruses, but medically, it's very specific," says Dr. Feder. "We can do a nasal swab to diagnose the 'influenza'-and surprisingly, this year, about 75 percent of those tests done in the ER have been positive." Usually the percentage of positive tests is less than 50.
Dr. Feder says most people can be treated at home, but there is an advantage to a quick diagnosis. "If we can see someone within 48 hours, anti viral medication can help reduce the severity of symptoms. But after two days, the benefit of anti-viral medication is not significant. Then you treat for fever and pain control."
It's not uncommon for flu patients to get dehydrated," says Dr. Feder. "They don't feel like eating or drinking and by the time they get here, they're failing. They've already had one or two days of not drinking enough. Plus, the fever is burning up what fluid they may get."
Of course the best defense against the cold or the flu is a good offense and common sense. Health officials say wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. Dr. Feder tells patients to get plenty of rest, plenty of liquids and treat the symptoms-the worst should be over within five days, although fatigue and coughing could last up to two weeks. There is a bit of hope to hold on to as well. The CDC says the early start to the flu season could possible mean an early end.
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