It’s one of those conditions that can put you out of action for months, yet truth be told there isn’t too much understanding when it comes down to flu. Some people go as far as classing the common cold as flu, while others will do their upmost to suggest they have anything but the F-word.
We will now take a look at some of the biggest misconceptions that have arisen when it comes to flu, and debunk them once and for all. Hopefully, by the end of proceedings, you’ll know how to prepare for flu season much more easily.
“Flu is the same as a cold”
Let’s start with one of the most common misconceptions. Often, when someone is struggling with a cold, they will state that they are down with the flu. In short, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If we were to study the signs and symptoms of each, a cold tends to fall as one of the symptoms of the flu. This is because coughing and a sore throat are just a couple of the common side effects that accompany flu.
That’s not all, though. Quite often, you will be in bed if you have the flu. Not only that, but you will usually have a fever, and if things don’t ease up after a few days there’s even a small chance you might have to visit hospital. Suffice to say, with the common cold, this isn’t going to occur.
“The flu vaccine gives you flu”
In most countries, governments are advocating the use of flu vaccine – and it can be for a very good reason. However, a lot of people greet such notices with the response that these vaccines contain flu and as such should be avoided.
Well, let’s debunk this damaging myth. Do these vaccines contain flu? In a way, they do. However, this is an inactivated version of the flu, meaning that you will not get the condition because you have had the vaccination. You might get a few symptoms, such as a sore arm from the injection, but nothing too serious and you really should read up to see how this vaccine works to get the real lowdown on this matter.
“You can pick up medicine to treat your flu symptoms”
Unfortunately, this isn’t true. If you are hampered by the flu, a trip to the doctor is unlikely to speed up your recovery process during the initial few days.
All of this stems from the fact that having the flu is the equivalent of having a virus, which as we all know are not able to be impacted by antibiotics. This is in stark difference to bacteria, which can of course be banished through a course of medication.
The only thing that can help you in this regard is antivirals. However, these don’t cure flu as such, but might reduce the amount of time you are subjected to the symptoms.
“Vitamin C stops all forms of flu”
While there are plenty of benefits to taking vitamin C supplements, don’t for a moment think that this is going to eliminate the chances of you coming down with the flu. There’s no science to support this, so don’t turn to supplements of this type for this reason alone.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
