Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: Titanscape on 02/03/2005 16:21:47
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Before Flu Vax, itb would take me eight painful weaks to fully recover from the Flu. But others only one week, why is that?
Titanscape
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Because humans are overdramatic *****s who will call the slightest little sniffle the flu rather than realising it is simply the common cold.
Tim
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Look at that... it picked up on my spelling mistake and put stars in there instead what a nice forum. Or it could just be I used a bad word, it isn't bad in the context I meant but eh.
Tim
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No this was no sniffle, I coughed so hard that red would be on my tissues...
Titanscape
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It's VERY common that when you cough hard to bring up some spots of blood....it's happened to me sometimes...I think it's the strain that bursts the odd blood vessel either in your throat or in the lining of your lungs, the same can happen when you sneeze violently, you can get a nose bleed etc...it's normal...but lets see if a medic can confirm that....incidentally, like Tim...I keep on hearing people say they've had the flu when they've only had a bad cold....it's the same when people say they've had a migraine when in fact they've just had a bad headache.......believe me, you KNOW it when you have the flu and when you have a migraine....
...anyway...wish you better Bren.
Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!
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There are a couple of issues (or should that be tissues) going on here.
Firstly, tim is right in highlighting the over and mis-use of the word "flu" which specifically refers to infection by the influenza virus. This is a nasty virus that kills thousands of people annually all around the world. The excess mortality in Australia where Tim lives is a couple of thousand people annually, for instance.
But 'flu hits hardest those that are weakest. We tend to have the worst doses when we are young and old. The young have no pre-existing immunity to the virus and hence the first time they catch it the virus has a head start and makes them much more unwell. The elderly have co-existing illnesses and a weaker immune system and are hence more susceptible to its effects.
Common colds, on the other hand, produce more mild infections, largely because we have some underlying immunity against them.
Vaccination against the flu can provide protection and lessen the severity of infection because it gives the immune system a headstart over the pathogen, preventing the infection from getting going properly.
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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Hey sorry Titan, I mustn't have read your first post properly. I didn't mean it to sound like I was saying you didn't have the flu. I just read the message in a general sense and meant it as Chris and neil pointed out about the over use of the word.
Tim
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Thanks, also, I do not have the flu, I was vaccinated a couple of days ago. For 5 years now I have been vaccinated and Flu free. IXL!
Titanscape