Influenza B causes significant impacts on patients

* Symptom

Influenza A and influenza B can both become equally serious, with common symptoms such as fever, chills, sore throat, cough, runny nose, sneezing, fatigue, and body aches.

Similar to the common cold, influenza B can cause you to experience respiratory symptoms. Signs of onset often include cough, congestion, sore throat, and runny nose.

However, respiratory symptoms from the flu can be more severe and lead to other health complications. If you have asthma, respiratory infections have the risk of worsening symptoms and even triggering a severe asthma attack. If left untreated or in more severe cases, influenza B can cause pneumonia, bronchitis, respiratory failure, kidney failure, myocarditis or heart inflammation, blood infection…

A small number of cases of influenza B can also cause diarrhea or stomach pain. These symptoms are common in children and are easily confused with stomach problems. In addition, children infected with type B influenza also experience symptoms of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite.

* Treatment of influenza B

If you suspect you have the flu, you need to drink more fluids to avoid dehydration. Besides, you should spend a lot of time sleeping so your body can rest and recharge.

Sometimes flu B symptoms will improve on their own. However, people at high risk of complications from the flu should see a doctor immediately for timely treatment.

Subjects at high risk of complications include children under 5 years old, especially children under 2 years old; elderly people aged 65 and over; Women who are pregnant or have just given birth for less than 2 weeks; People with weakened immune systems or certain chronic diseases.

For children with flu, parents should prioritize taking the child to a medical facility before applying home treatment measures. Some medications, if used indiscriminately, can increase the risk of complications. Children with flu fever should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever subsides naturally (without medication). In some cases of flu, doctors will prescribe pain relievers and antiviral medications to shorten the duration of the illness and prevent more serious complications from occurring.

Doctors and many health organizations around the world recommend that everyone be vaccinated against influenza B and influenza types in general every year to protect themselves against common virus strains.