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Swine Flu
General Information
Swine flu, or H1N1, is an influenza virus that causes the flu, an infection of the respiratory tract. You can come down with swine flu the same way you get other flu viruses – through contact with someone who is infected.
Any type of flu can be mild and keep you in bed for a few days. However, some cases can have life-threatening complications, such as pneumonia, bronchitis and sinus infections.
There are certain people who are at the highest risk for developing swine flu-related complications:
- Pregnant women
- People over age 65
- Children under age 5, especially those under age 2
- Residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes
- Those with a weakened immune system or chronic medical conditions
- Morbidly obese people
If you fall under these groups and have the swine flu our emergency department can help.
Symptoms
Swine flu symptoms are the same as other seasonal flu symptoms. They include:
- Fever
- Body aches
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Chills
- Headache
If your symptoms are severe, promptly seek medical care.
Treatments
If you are in a high-risk group or have a severe case, you may need prescription antiviral medicine. These work best if you start them within 48 hours of getting the flu.
At home, you can treat swine flu by getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids and taking over-the-counter medicine to treat symptoms.
Trust our team of highly trained emergency physicians and nurses to provide personalized care. Using leading-edge treatments, we work together to make sure that our patients get the best care available.