Flu and ARVI are not such harmless diseases as they seem. The fact is that they cause quite serious and sometimes life-threatening complications. Is it possible to warn them?

The most dangerous, of course, is viral flu. It causes the destruction of the ciliated epithelium, whose function is to clean the respiratory tract, and opens access to the lungs for various infections. Therefore, the flu is most often complicated bronchitis, pneumonia, rhinitis, sinusitis or otitis media. Inflammatory diseases of the cardiovascular system may develop - myocarditis And pericarditis. Most often this happens in older people.

Complication in the form Reye's syndrome occurs mainly in children who were treated with salicylic acid (aspirin) during the flu. The syndrome is characterized by severe vomiting, which can lead to cerebral swelling and coma.

Guillain-Barre syndrome also typical for children. It can be a consequence of viral influenza or other acute respiratory viral infections. It develops paralysis of the peripheral muscles of the limbs. In mild form, this is expressed in muscle pain that the patient experiences for several days. The level of myoglobin in urine increases ( myoglobinuria), which can impair kidney function.

Some types of post-influenza complications are associated with damage to the central nervous system. They appear in the form radiculitis, polyneuritis, neuralgia. One of the most common lesions of the central nervous system during influenza is arachnoiditis. It is dangerous because it can develop even on the 7-14th day of the disease, when a person already considers himself to be recovering. With this disease, the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is disrupted and inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain occurs. Symptoms of arachnoiditis can be different, but they always manifest themselves very acutely: pain in the head, forehead or bridge of the nose, dizziness, nausea, flashing “flies” before the eyes.

First of all, understand: the flu, especially with a fever, cannot be carried on your feet! Treatment is usually carried out at home. In severe cases, patients are hospitalized. Indications for hospitalization are temperature above 40°, vomiting, convulsions, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, hypertensive crisis, severe toxicosis.

The patient is prescribed bed rest. The room where it is located must be regularly ventilated, avoiding hypothermia. Food should be rich in vitamins; you should not eat fatty, fried, or salty foods. You should drink plenty of fluids.

Take various medications as prescribed by your doctor - remantadine, amantadine, ascorutin, interferon, antihistamines And expectorants facilities. If the patient has difficulty breathing, drop into the nostrils ephedrine or naphthyzin. Antibiotics prescribed only for chronic infection, severe immunodeficiency, or fever lasting more than 5 days, accompanied by intoxication.

If you have the flu, you should never try to lower your temperature at any cost: fever is an important protective reaction of the body. Experience shows that with the systematic use of antipyretics, symptoms such as inflammation of the respiratory tract and intoxication last longer, and the risk of complications increases.

If the temperature is very high and poorly tolerated by the patient, limited doses can be taken analgin(0.25-0.5 g once). But it is better to wipe the skin with a warm solution of vinegar (0.25% - 0.5%) and use diaphoretics (linden blossom decoction, tea with lemon or raspberry jam). Mustard plasters also have a good effect. But forget about “warming” alcohol! Even a single dose of alcohol during the flu can cause a sharp rise in blood pressure and collapse.

But even if the temperature has dropped, this does not mean that you are already healthy and can start working. The body's defenses are weakened at this time, and you can easily catch a bacterial infection that will not be so easy to get rid of. Therefore, with acute influenza, the patient is usually on sick leave for at least 7-10 days.

Influenza can cause very severe damage to a person’s nervous system (encephalitis - inflammation of the brain, meningitis - inflammation of the pia mater, arachnoiditis - limited inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain). Influenza viruses cause hemorrhages and blockages of small blood vessels, destroy the protection of the respiratory tract from microbes, and destroy cells of the immune system.

People who have had a traumatic brain injury or concussion become more vulnerable. However, not all people who have the flu will experience complications. The secret lies in the characteristics of the human body, in its reaction to the virus. However, many people still experience complications. So let's try to figure out why there are complications after the flu?

Causes of complications after influenza

Neurological complications after influenza are most common in people who abuse alcoholic beverages. This is understandable, because alcohol is a powerful poison for the nervous system. It sharply reduces the resistance of the nervous system to pathogenic factors. Even one dose of alcohol in large doses can cause irreparable harm to the nervous system. Unfortunately, many people believe that by drinking vodka (infused with pepper), they can stop a respiratory infection. This is a deep misconception. Under the influence of alcohol, blood pressure can drop sharply and suddenly and cause a collapsed state (and even death).

Complications after influenza can occur in people suffering from vascular and neurological diseases, even if they were asymptomatic and hidden before the influenza infection. In this case, the influenza infection seems to “hit” the weakest point in the body. Therefore, after the flu, a person may experience complications such as radiculitis, hypotensive or hypertensive crisis, nervous and mental disorders.

Other complications arise because during illness the protection of the respiratory tract is destroyed. When you inhale, the ciliated epithelium in the respiratory tract secretes mucus, which destroys bacteria. Particles from the air stick to this mucus, and then the mucus moves to the pharynx (due to the beating of the cilia) and is swallowed there. Next, everything goes into the stomach, where hydrochloric acid is already waiting for this mucus. The influenza virus attaches and penetrates the cells of the ciliary epithelium, multiplies there and leads to the weakening or death of ciliary epithelial cells. The damaged epithelium is no longer able to secrete good mucus and quickly promote it, so bacteria quite easily pass through the ciliary mucous barriers and then enter the lungs. In this case, the most common complication after the flu can be bacterial pneumonia.

Complications after the flu also arise because after this disease a person’s blood vessels are affected. The border tissue (epithelium) has been destroyed, and therefore, now the virus can easily enter the blood and cause serious damage to the entire circulatory system. Influenza viruses have the ability to stick red blood cells together. They form lumps and can clog small blood vessels. Viruses can also infect the cells of the inner layer of blood vessels (endothelium), causing their death. All this can lead to hemorrhages and the formation of blood clots, and this in turn can seriously disrupt the blood supply to human organs.

Another cause of complications after the flu can be suppressed immunity. Influenza viruses can infect cells that are responsible for immunity. And not at all for reproduction in them, but for destruction. The number of immune cells decreases sharply and, accordingly, the body’s protective functions weaken.

Things to remember

To avoid unpleasant complications, try to regularly prevent influenza. If you do manage to get the flu, then never suffer from this disease “on your feet”, try to stay in bed, provide yourself with plenty of fluids and quality nutrition, and ventilate the room more often. Do not self-medicate. Take only those medications prescribed by your doctor. And do not forget that the consequences of the flu are very insidious and can result in serious complications.

Headaches are frequent accompaniments of many diseases, especially those associated with the respiratory system. The flu is also accompanied by pain in the head, which can be weak, dizzy, or hurt in certain areas. If headaches are natural during the flu due to the body’s reaction to a viral pathogen, then after the disease has passed, this symptom should go away. If you have a headache after the flu, you should take additional treatment.

Usually, after eliminating the virus that caused the flu, other symptoms disappear. At the end of the illness, the person feels great, and his head should not bother him. However, severe pain and dizziness may indicate the development of another illness or complications from the flu. The website recommends that you consult a doctor if you still have severe headaches after the flu, in order to undergo additional diagnostics and identify the cause in time.

If painkillers do not work and other symptoms occur, this clearly indicates the presence of some kind of disease. What could it be?

Arachnoiditis as a cause of headaches after the flu

If viral infections after influenza, scarlet fever, measles and other diseases affect the arachnoid membranes of the brain or spinal cord, then arachnoiditis may be the cause of headaches. This disease is characterized by thickening of the connective tissue of the arachnoid membrane, which causes adhesions and cysts filled with clear or turbid fluid.

Symptoms of arachnoiditis as a complication after influenza are:

• Headache, worse after exercise and in the morning.
• Vomiting and nausea.
• Memory loss.
• Dizziness.
• Irritability and apathy.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Signs of intoxication: fatigue, increased sweating, weakness.
• Possibility of epileptic seizures.

Treatment of arachnoiditis is complex and lengthy, which primarily depends on the causes of its occurrence (type of virus). The main therapies are desensitizing, antibacterial and antihistamine. Seeing a doctor should be urgent, as the disease can lead to death.

Although headaches are a symptom, they indicate the development of an inflammatory process in the ear, head, and sinuses. The flu is dangerous not in itself, but because of its complications.

Meningitis as a possible complication after influenza

Another dangerous possible complication after the flu is meningitis, which develops in 99% of cases if a person is not vaccinated against it. This disease manifests itself in inflammatory processes occurring in the meninges.

The main symptoms of meningitis are:

• Impaired consciousness.
• Severe pain in the head.
• Inability to tilt your head forward (neck pain) due to the sensations that arise.
• Photophobia.
• Sensitivity to sounds and touch.

The disease is characterized by a rapidly progressive nature. If a person self-medicates and does not consult a doctor, then the risk of death increases. Therefore, if you experience headaches after the flu, you should immediately seek medical help. If meningitis is detected, intensive and emergency therapy will be carried out. The first time treatment consists of taking antibacterial and antiviral medications. If treated in a timely manner, the prognosis is encouraging.

The main reason for the development of meningitis after the flu is self-medication of the first illness. The main prevention of complications is vaccination.

Headache after flu with sinusitis

A common complication after the flu is sinusitis, an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. There are several types of them, each of which can provoke a symptom of a headache.

The main symptoms of all types of sinusitis are:

1. Pain in the head.
2. Pain in the eyes, bridge of the nose, above the eyes, nose, which depends on the location of the inflammatory process.
3. Difficulty breathing, speaking through the nose.
4. Purulent or clear nasal discharge, depending on the stage of the disease.
5. Fatigue.
6. Lack of appetite.
7. Temperature increase.
8. Sleep disturbance.

The pain usually intensifies in the evening, as well as when tilting the head. After contacting a doctor, an x-ray, CT scan and ultrasound are prescribed. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the infection, swelling and all pain symptoms. For this purpose, antibacterial drugs, vasoconstrictors and physiotherapy are prescribed.

Doctors do not advise delaying treatment and not self-medicating for sinusitis. In severe cases, drug therapy does not work and surgery must be resorted to. The main complications of sinusitis are osteomyelitis, neuritis and meningitis.

Possible complications after the flu - otitis

Otitis is a common childhood disease. The child suffers not only from the flu, but also from its possible complication – otitis media. This often happens in situations where parents are treating the underlying illness on their own. However, doctors warn that such measures can lead to even greater deterioration of health - the development of heart defects.

After the flu, otitis media may develop due to a significant decrease in immunity, which allows viruses to penetrate the mucous membrane of the ear canal. The development of otitis media is accompanied by inflammatory processes and swelling, which provokes headaches and other symptoms:

• Jaw pain.
• Possibility of increasing temperature.

The best treatment is to contact an ENT doctor and follow all his recommendations. Treatment can be supplemented with the following procedures:

• Apply warm compresses throughout the day.
• Instill ears with specially prescribed alcohol drops 2 times.
• Monitor your health and consult a doctor periodically.

Self-treatment should be excluded. In some cases, doctors recommend hospitalization to constantly monitor the patient's condition. This advice should be heeded, otherwise complications of otitis media may develop:

1. Rupture of the eardrum.
2. Hearing loss.
3. Exudative otitis media.
4. Complete deafness.

Other causes of headache after the flu

Other causes of headache after influenza, which are also often noted, remained unexamined:

• Lung diseases – pneumonia.
• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels: pericarditis, myocarditis.
• Low blood pressure or poor circulation, causing the brain to not receive enough oxygen.
• Post-viral asthenia.

Post-viral asthenia seems to be a frivolous condition when a person simply feels a loss of strength, headache, fatigue and drowsiness. However, the absence of any treatment leads to the fact that it develops into a serious illness.

Doctors say that a headache should not hurt if a person has recovered from the flu. This symptom most often indicates the development of a complication, which only a doctor can identify. It is better not to delay treatment and consult a doctor in time so that he can confirm or refute the post-flu complication.

Forecast

Influenza is a viral disease, the treatment of which should already be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. The prognosis is favorable if the patient is vaccinated and undergoes all medical measures and procedures. Otherwise, complications after the flu, which manifest themselves in headaches, often become common.

To improve your condition and quickly return to normal after suffering from the flu, the following activities are suggested:

• Staying outdoors and walking.
• Eating fresh vegetables and fruits, seafood and seaweed, onions and garlic, as well as foods rich in vitamin C. Avoiding fried and fatty foods, pasta, pickles, confectionery, and smoked foods.
• Quitting smoking and alcohol.
• Performing feasible physical activity and exercises.
• Drink plenty of various juices, compotes, mineral water, etc.

All measures are good if a person feels much better every day. If the condition is accompanied by increased headaches, fever and periodic dizziness, then you should consult a doctor. This measure will help avoid negative complications, which are much more difficult to treat than a simple flu.

The question naturally arises: where is the virus stored, where is the reservoir, where do its new varieties come from? This question is very important and scientists are making a lot of efforts to find the answer to it.

Identifying reservoirs of infection has made it possible to find ways to significantly reduce or even eliminate a number of diseases. For example, it turned out that the main reservoir of infections in plague, tularemia, and rabies are wild animals and rodents. The elimination of natural foci of these infections and the creation of effective cordons against the importation of sick animals turned out to be sufficient to significantly reduce or completely eliminate these infectious diseases.

Are animals also reservoirs for influenza? This idea arose back in 1931, when a virus similar to the human influenza virus was isolated from sick pigs. Scientists returned to this idea after 1957. When studying influenza-like diseases of domestic animals and birds, viruses were again isolated from horses, pigs, sheep and ducks, with some properties related to influenza viruses type A. But they all differed significantly from each other and could not be completely identified with any of the human influenza viruses .

Further observations showed that influenza-like diseases in animals and birds are quite rare and animals are not the source of influenza in humans. Science has data indicating that the opposite phenomenon may occur - the transfer of the influenza virus from people to pigs and its further spread among them. Thus, some animals are a kind of piggy bank for the virus.

However, there is every reason to assert that the source of infection and the reservoir of viruses in influenza is only the person himself.

Systematically conducted studies have shown that in large cities and towns, influenza A and B diseases are observed all year round, although during non-epidemic times, especially in the summer, they make up a small percentage of the total number of observed acute respiratory tract diseases.

These individual diseases, stretching in a chain from case to case, preserve the virus in the period between individual epidemic waves. Moreover, it is during these apparently calm inter-epidemic periods that new varieties of the virus are formed.

According to what laws does the influenza virus change? Is it infinite or does it have periodicity and pre-existing varieties can reappear? Recently discovered phenomena have shed light on these questions. As mentioned earlier, after an illness, antibodies to the type of virus that caused the disease appear in a person’s blood. These antibodies are like traces of the virus. From them you can determine what type or variety of it caused the disease. It was generally believed that antibodies persist in the blood for no more than a year. However, it has now been established that antibodies produced in response to the first influenza illness in a person’s life persist into old age. Moreover, the number of original antibodies will always be greater than antibodies to any other type of influenza that a person has encountered in subsequent years.

Knowing the year a person was born and the type of virus to which he has more antibodies, it is possible to determine which type of influenza caused the disease in childhood.

Systematic conduct of this type of research has allowed scientists to establish the frequency of appearance of different varieties of the virus and the duration of their circulation among the population. These observations give grounds to assert that the variability of the influenza virus is not chaotic, not unlimited, but has its own patterns that can be revealed and used to combat the disease.