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Four Signs Of Heart Disease That Could Be Mistaken For Flu - When To See A Doctor
Heart disease: Doctor explains how to reduce risk in 2021The heart is one of our vital organs, responsible for pumping blood around the body. Therefore, any problems with the heart can be dangerous and even fatal.
In the UK heart and circulatory disease is one of the most common causes of death, responsible for around a quarter of all fatalities every year.
Also known as cardiovascular disease, it refers to a range of conditions that affect the heart and circulatory system. This includes coronary heart disease, heart failure and strokes.
As with any dangerous disease, catching the symptoms early on is therefore important.
Many of us are aware of some of the common signs of heart disease that affect the chest such as chest pain and breathlessness. However, there are some other telltale signs that could easily be mistaken for something less serious.
In fact, there are four symptoms of cardiovascular disease that could be misdiagnosed as the flu.
These are:
FatigueThe British Heart Foundation (BHF) lists "extreme fatigue" as a sign of heart failure and other heart-related conditions.
Professor David Newby, from the BHF, said: "Many of my patients tell me they're tired, whether they've got heart failure or not, whether they've got angina or not! It's a difficult one, because it's so non-specific."
Harvard Medical School adds: "A constant, new fatigue also can sometimes signal heart failure (a condition in which the heart fails to pump well) or coronary artery disease."
But tiredness doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong with your heart - it could just be a by-product of staying up late or working long hours.
The BHF recommends: "If you start experiencing extreme tiredness and your lifestyle hasn't changed, it's a good idea to chat to your GP."
NauseaAccording to the Mayo Clinic in the US, nausea can be a sign of coronary artery disease. However, it is more common in women than men.
"Women are more likely to have other symptoms along with chest discomfort, such as shortness of breath, nausea and extreme fatigue," the clinic says.
Fever is often a tell-tale sign of the flu. But Penn Medicine lists fever as an "early" warning sign of heart failure.
It says: "Heart failure symptoms can range from mild to severe. In the early stages you may experience flu-like symptoms, including fever or chills."
Heart failure may also cause body aches in the early stages.
Fever is also a sign of myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle.
"Common myocarditis symptoms include flu-like symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pain, fever or sore throat," the Mayo Clinic says.
SweatingWhile a certain amount of sweating is normal it could also signal heart disease, according to the BHF.
It adds: "Working up a sweat when you've been to the gym or because it's a really hot day, is nothing to worry about.
"But feeling hot and clammy along with chest pains is a sign that you should call an ambulance."
Stomach Flu Remedies
Most people make a full recovery from the stomach flu without any complications. Getting enough rest and staying hydrated with clear liquids are beneficial, and easy-to-digest foods may be best.
Nobody likes getting sick, but the stomach flu delivers its own brutal mix of symptoms. When it hits, it can quickly render you nonfunctional and utterly miserable (i.E., lying on the bathroom floor within constant reach of the sink or toilet).
The initial stages start with chills, fever, and nausea, which transition into vomiting, diarrhea, and severe aches and pains. It's awful, and there is no cure. Stomach flu has to run its course.
That said, the remedies below may relieve the most difficult symptoms and help get you back on your feet once the toughest phase subsides.
Fluids are critically important since you lose vital bodily fluids through sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If you're having trouble keeping liquids down, try taking small sips at regular intervals or chewing ice chips.
The best fluids to drink are:
Most likely, you won't be in the mood for these during a bout of stomach flu anyway, but avoid:
All of these things can also upset your stomach.
Keeping food down can be difficult with the stomach flu. Don't force yourself to eat if the mere thought of food makes you cringe. When you do finally feel you can get something down, it's best to start slow and simple.
The BRAT diet — bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — can be your go-to for an uneasy stomach. These four foods are easy to digest, contain carbohydrates to give you energy, and replenish nutrients:
Generally, avoid dairy, fibrous foods, and anything fatty or spicy.
Acupressure has been shown to be effective in treating some types of nausea. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center suggests finding pressure point P-6 by measuring the width of three fingers down from the bottom of your palm.
Press below that width with your thumb, and you'll feel a sensitive spot between two tendons. Gently massage with your thumb for two or three minutes.
Get plenty of sleep and reduce the amount of activity you normally do during the day. This means lounging on the couch when you're not in bed.
While you're resting, your body works hard to fight off the infection and repair damage on the cellular level.
The stomach flu can't be cured by medications, and antibiotics won't help when a virus is the culprit.
For fever or aches, ibuprofen (Advil) can help, as long as it doesn't cause you to have more of an upset stomach. It can also be hard on your kidneys if you get dehydrated. Take it sparingly and with food.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is often recommended for the stomach flu unless you have liver disease. It relieves fever and aches, has fewer side effects than ibuprofen, and is less likely to irritate your stomach.
Your doctor may prescribe an antiemetic such as promethazine, prochlorperazine, metoclopramide, or ondansetron to stop the nausea and vomiting.
You can also try an over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication, such as loperamide hydrochloride (Imodium) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).
Consult with a healthcare professional before trying over-the-counter medication. Do not use Pepto-Bismol in children.
As terrible as it is to get the stomach flu yourself, it's even harder to watch your child go through it. If your infant's symptoms haven't subsided in a day or two, take them to the doctor.
Their doctor can make sure your child is on their way to recovery without any complications. They can also check to ensure no other causes for their symptoms.
Encouraging children to continue to take sips of water (or, in infants, breast milk or formula) to replace lost fluids is important to prevent dehydration. All infants and toddlers can also drink an electrolyte solution like Pedialyte.
The stomach flu (also known as gastroenteritis) can be caused by a number of different viruses that can attack your gastrointestinal system. It's not caused by the influenza virus, which gives you the seasonal flu.
Less often, bacteria can cause it, typically due to contaminated water or food that was prepared inadequately or in an unhygienic environment.
If you know the stomach flu is going around, take extra precautions. Avoid close contact with people who are sick if at all possible, and wash your hands frequently.
Here are additional methods of prevention:
Yes! Symptoms appear one to three days after exposure to the virus, so you're contagious before developing symptoms.
And even after you've recovered from your symptoms, you can remain contagious for up to two weeks. Children can remain contagious for an even longer period afterward.
Keeping a sick family member isolated can help prevent transmission. If possible, try to restrict them to one bathroom and have the rest of the household use another.
To decrease the risk of passing it on to others, do not go to work or school with symptoms. If you have a fever, wait until it's gone for 24 hours before returning to your routine.
While the stomach flu is definitely not a pleasant experience, most people make a full recovery without any complications. Staying hydrated throughout the course of the illness can be the biggest challenge.
There's not much to do for the stomach flu except wait it out and use the above remedies.
Seek medical attention if you haven't been able to keep down liquids for 24 hours, are showing any signs of dehydration, are vomiting blood, have bloody diarrhea, or have a fever above 102°F (38°C).
RSV, Flu And COVID-19: How Can You Tell The Difference? Doctor Explains
SAN FRANCISCO -- Health workers are preparing for a possible "tripledemic" this holiday season of influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). These have many of the same symptoms in common, and it is hard to tell which one you've caught.
We talked to Dr. David Hoffman, pediatric hospitalist at MarinHealth Medical Center, to share his insights on how to tell them apart and when you should and shouldn't worry.
"While it's impossible to know for sure which one of these viruses you have without testing, there are some distinctive symptoms for each virus," Dr. Hoffman said.
Here are some symptoms of each and a guide on what to do if you or a family member is falling sick.
Influenza OverviewThe flu typically comes on very suddenly with an incubation period of one to four days, unlike COVID-19, which tends to have a gradual onset of symptoms. Typically, people feel more miserable with the flu than with other types of viruses, and it often comes with a sore throat, nausea, body aches, vomiting, or even diarrhea. A distinctive sign of the flu can be a very high fever -- as high as 103 or 104 Fahrenheit. Fever is just the body's way of fighting the infection and is not dangerous in and of itself.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said, "Hospitalizations for flu continue to be the highest we've seen for this time of year in a decade. If you do get sick, present yourself to your provider for early care. There are good antivirals to treat both flu and COVID-19."
The CDC is again suggesting people voluntarily wear masks indoors to reduce their chances of getting sick in the next few weeks.
It's not too late to get both vaccines - experts say you start getting protection within a week with a booster.
Distinctive characteristicThe most distinctive sign of the flu can be a very high fever in the 103 to 104 range.
Flu symptoms include:"The coronavirus has become familiar to most of us, and the signs are similar to flu and RSV. To complicate it further, some people become very ill, while others have very mild symptoms, and others show no symptoms at all. While most people develop symptoms within the first week after exposure, symptoms can occur from two up to 14 days after exposure to the virus."
Distinctive characteristic"Unlike other viruses, COVID-19 can affect other areas of the body outside of the lungs and, in some instances, cause long-term effects," Dr Hoffman says.
COVID-19 symptoms include:RSV is a virus that many adults would have already caught and it generally just causes cold symptoms for adults. "If you think back to that cold that you got that just wouldn't go away, you kept having congestion and perhaps a cough that lasted longer than usual, there's a decent chance that that was RSV. And again, symptoms of flu can include fever, chills, headache, runny nose, or congestion, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and sore throat," Dr. Hoffman said.
RSV causes a runny nose, congestion, and cough for most people. According to Dr. Hoffman, RSV has a greater likelihood of causing severe illness in very young children, especially those born premature or who have lung disease or heart disease. The most distinctive symptom that some children infected with RSV will exhibit is wheezing. Wheezing is a high-pitched sound with each exhalation.
"For most people, and even most kids, RSV doesn't cause a dangerous illness. But it does in a subset of kids. Even kids with significant illness that require hospitalization are usually going to do just fine. Maybe they'll need a little bit of oxygen, maybe they just need to be watched closely. RSV is most likely to cause significant or, you know, more concerning illness in very young children and very old adults," Dr. Hoffman said.
MORE: Everything you need to know about RSV symptoms, treatments, shots
For the first time this year, RSV vaccines are available.
For adults over age 60, there are two vaccines. For babies under 8 months old, there are two monoclonal antibody shots available, which are a bit different than a vaccine but still provide protection.
Certain babies and toddlers between 8 months and 19 months entering their second RSV season are recommended to receive an antibody shot.
There is also a maternal RSV vaccine, which is given to pregnant mothers in the third trimester between 32 weeks' and 36 week's gestation.
Distinctive symptomThe most distinctive symptom that some children infected with RSV will exhibit is wheezing, a high-pitched sound, with each exhalation.
RSV symptoms include:Dr Hoffman says to seek medical care right away if these symptoms appear:
If your child is exhibiting any symptoms of RSV, flu, or COVID-19, health experts advise you to keep your child home from school to avoid spreading the virus to other people. It doesn't matter which of the viruses is the culprit. Caution should be taken to prevent the spread.
Prevention: How to keep your child from getting sickPrevention is the best medicine, particularly with these viruses. These suggestions are good ideas to avoid seasonal viruses:
"Everyone's talking about RSV but we do see other viruses in the community as well, like metapneumovirus, which can cause bronchitis or significant respiratory infection, or viral pneumonia. There are thousands of viruses that we don't have tests for so we don't know exactly which virus it is, but we're definitely seeing more of many different respiratory infections," Dr Hoffman said.
He says the most important message he wants to impart to parents is you can do a lot more harm to yourself by being overly concerned.
"By being anxious and increasing stress, you therefore are making yourself more susceptible to all types of illness, chronic disease, and infection,' Dr. Hoffman says.
"That said, I do think that everyone should do whatever they can do to protect themselves from all of the respiratory illnesses and other vaccine preventable illnesses out there. He encouraged all pregnant mothers to get their pertussis vaccines during their pregnancy to 'cocoon' their unborn child, and preventing by preventing themselves from getting pertussis," he says.
Similarly, he urged kids to get the pneumococcal vaccine (whooping cough).
"Get the COVID-19 and flu vaccine for kids and adults. The flu vaccine will make you perhaps feel like you have a very mild cold but that's a lot better than getting seriously ill, or even dying from influenza. So a lot of people choose not to get the flu vaccine because they don't like that. But really the benefits are much greater than the very small risks of getting the flu vaccine or the inconvenience of getting the flu vaccine," Dr. Hoffman said.
"I don't think that it's a great idea to rush to your pediatrician's office or your primary care provider's office just to get tested, to try and figure out which one of these you have, aside from perhaps doing COVID-19 testing because most people who get RSV and flu and COVID-19 are going to do just fine. And so it's really only about dictating whether or not you need to isolate strictly and for how long," he said.
The fact is that these respiratory viruses tend to crop up with similar symptoms, such as cough, runny nose, and fever. Fortunately for most children, it doesn't matter which of these, or the thousands of other viruses causing respiratory illnesses or colds, your child has. Most children will recover from all of these viruses on their own, without receiving medical treatment and without serious complications. If your child is sick, consider testing for COVID-19 first to inform if and how long you need to isolate your child at home.
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