Understanding the Symptoms of H1N1 Flu

Dr. Margret Chan, Director, World Health Organization

That is what Dr. Chan said on June 11, 2009, and fortunately she was WRONG.  Today we know that there are  things that you can do to lower the risks to yourself and your family.  Old fashioned personal hygiene and good public health measures have worked so far, but some scientist believe that the Swine Flu virus might reemerge in the Spring.

H1N1 News Tracker

Stay current on the latest news on the spread of the virus and possible treatments.  Our H1N1 News Tracker has the very latest H1n1 news from the CDC, WHO, and other scientific and medical journals.

This is where you will see the H1N1 news before it is the news, because these are the sources that mainstream journalists use for their stories.

Symptoms of H1N1

The symptoms of H1N1 are similar to the symptoms of common seasonal flu.  The common Swine Flu symptoms include:

• Fever – particularly a fever of over 100 degrees
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Chills and fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Occasionally, vomiting and diarrhea

Persons who experience flu-like symptoms should contact their physician immediately, but, remember, Swine Flu is an extremely contagious disease and anyone who believe they are infected with H1N1 should avoid going out in public unless absolutely necessary.  So, call first.

Swine Flu Warning Signs

Anyone at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu,  including people over the age 65, and  children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are infected with HIV should be extra vigilant in looking for the symptoms of H1N1.

However, anyone with asthma or other respiratory illness, and perhaps even heavy smokers should be extra vigilant, because what makes severe cases of H1N1 more severe than regular flu is the way that it attacks the respiratory system. Seasonal flu is largely an upper respiratory illness, but in severe cases H1N1 moves deeper into the lungs and causes viral pneumonia. It is the complications from the pneumonia that has caused the vast majority of Swine Flu deaths.

Because young children often cannot clearly explain how they are feeling it critically important to keep an eye out for children who are having difficulty breathing.

If any person, but particularly small children and others in high risk groups, exhibit any of the following serious warning signs, seek immediate emergency medical care:

• Trouble breathing, including rapid breathing.
• Gray or bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Sleeping constantly and not interacting when awake
• Being especially irritable
• Not urinating or no tears when crying
• The symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

H1N1 Symptoms: Summary

The symptoms of H1N1 are nearly identical to the traditional flu, but you should also look for the beginning of pneumonia type symptoms, particularly among anyone has a pre-existing respiratory illness.

In simple layman’s terms the severe cases of Swine Flu are basically the seasonal flu and viral pneumonia. Most cases are NOT severe, but the worse cases can be fatal, usually because of respiratory complications.

What worries public health professionals is that the vaccine for H1N1 is not widely available yet, though one is being manufactured, and the vaccine for the regular flu will not be effective against this newly discovered strain.

Also, that means, if the vaccines are available, you will need two flu shots to be fully protected from both H1N1 and the normal seasonal variety of the flu.

Finally, the simple fact that the H1N1 virus is new is a real concern, because there is concern that it might mutate into something more deadly. Remember, the regular seasonal flu strain kills hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year, and, so, even if H1N1 turns out to be no more virulent than the regular flu that is still an awful disaster on the grandest scale.

At this point it is hard to know what the ultimate out come of the H1N1 pandemic will be.  Be prepared, but don’t panic.

Products For Preventing and Treating H1N1

There has been a flood of products to the market designed to prevent or treat H1N1.  Some of these treatment may be great, but very few of them have the scientific research behind them to truly prove their effectiveness.

Consumers need to be VERY wary of products that make extraordinary claims.  The H1N1 pandemic has brought out all sorts of kooks and con men offering instant cures.

In the United States the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration have teamed up to crack down on business making unsubstantiated medical claims.  Download a PDF list of business and products censured by the FDA.

Many advocates of alternative medicine have railed against the FDA for being overly aggressive, because the FDA requires expensive, time-consuming peer-reviewed scientific studies before they will approve a product for use.

Though, it is easy to understand the frustration of people who want to make their own decisions about their personal health care, but the FDA is trying to protect the public from potentially deadly frauds. However, consumers still should carefully research any product and come to their own conclusion before making a purchase.

Finally, most of the advertisements on this website are automatically posted.  Hopefully, they are doing proper due diligence, but if you believe that a fraudulent product is being advertised, please contact us and we will investigate the matter.

With that disclaimer in mind, here are the products and services that most well educated consumers should probably consider.

Air Purifiers

Air purifiers are used in scientific laboratories to control airborne infections, but the FDA does NOT recommend air purifiers to prevent the spread of the Swine Flu virus, apparently because they know that most people do not live in a sterile laboratories.  Also, they do not want to give people a false sense of protection, because the best protection is still good personal hygiene practices and sound public health measures.

Frankly, it makes a lot of sense.

Furthermore, they have reprimanded several air purifier manufactures for making unverified claims, but CleanAir4Life.com offers a variety of air purifiers that they assert eliminate viruses, including the H1N1 virus.   They make some very strong claims, but they also offer a lot of compelling evidence, particularly for the Airfree models.  Regardless, air purifiers are no substitute for good personal hygiene and public health measures.

However, you should remember that even a perfect air purifier is worthless if you do not follow good standards of hygiene and public health.

Health Insurance

If you live in the United States this is probably a very good time to check out your health insurance coverage.

eHealthInsurance is a service that compares rates from a variety of companies to find one right for you. They offer plans for small businesses, individuals, and families, but they also offer short term health insurance for a maximum duration of six months that is even cheaper.

Remember, H1N1 is not a pre-existing condition and if you are otherwise healthy you could probably easily buy a short term additional coverage. Then when the threat has lessened you simply let the coverage lapse.

Costs vary depending on your age, smoking habits, and where you live. In a recent test for short term rates for single thirty-year-old non-smoking male living in the greater Los Angeles area were as cheap as $68.00 a month and only $41.00 a month if that person lived in rural Missouri.

Even if you already have health insurance eHealthInsurance might be able to offer you better coverage at the same price you are already paying or provide you with low cost additional coverage.

However, remember there is more to health insurance than the cost, so be sure to check on deductibles, coverage, co-pays, and the other details. Also, with most companies you will have to provide information on you general health and any preexisting conditions before they allow you to enroll.

Medical Supplies

There are also a lot of choices for medical supplies, such as masks, disinfectants, and hand cleaners.   Frankly, you can probably buy most items you might need at your local pharmacy or supermarket, but if you believe you need hospital quality medical supplies you should price them at iMed.com

Medical masks are probably the most common item that you might want to order from a medical supply company, because if you are going to the effort to wear a mask you probably want to go ahead and buy form fitting hospital quality masks, known as N95 respirators, which might not be easily available in your local drugstore.

However, you should note that the experts are not sure how effective even the N95 masks are at preventing the spread of H1N1.

Medication

The FDA has approved the prescription antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for the treatment of H1N1 Flu.  You probably want to purchase these and other prescription medication from your local pharmacy.

H1N1 Treatment

None of the statements on this site should be viewed as medical advice. If you believe you or a family member is suffering from Swine Flu symptoms, contact your doctor. DON’T TAKE CHANCES!