What Are The Early Flu Symptoms? - Healthline

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Key takeaways

Early signs of the flu include sudden fatigue and general body aches, which may be mistaken for other causes like a recent workout.
A persistent cough, sore throat, and fever can indicate the early stages of the flu, but not everyone will experience all symptoms.
Preventive measures such as getting a flu shot, avoiding close contact with sick individuals, and practicing good hygiene are crucial during flu season.

Read on to learn more about all of these symptoms and how you can find relief.

1. Sudden or excessive fatigue

Shorter days and reduced sunlight can make you feel tired. There’s a difference between being tired and experiencing extreme fatigue.

Sudden, excessive fatigue is one of the earliest symptoms of the flu. It may appear before other symptoms. Fatigue is also a symptom of the common cold, but it’s usually more severe with the flu.

Extreme weakness and tiredness may interfere with your typical activities. It’s important that you limit activities and allow your body to rest. Take a few days off from work or school and stay in bed. Rest can strengthen your immune system and help you fight the virus.

2. Body aches and chills

Body aches and chills are also common flu symptoms.

If you’re coming down with the flu virus, you may mistakenly blame body aches on something else, such as a recent workout. Body aches can manifest anywhere in the body, especially in the head, back, and legs.

Chills may also accompany body aches. The flu may cause chills even before a fever develops.

Wrapping yourself in a warm blanket can increase your body temperature and possibly reduce chills. If you have body aches, you can take over-the-counter pain relieving medication, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).

3. Cough

A persistent dry cough can indicate an early illness. It may be a warning sign of the flu. The flu virus can also cause a cough with wheezing and chest tightness. You might cough up phlegm or mucus. However, a productive cough is rare in the flu’s early stages.

If you have respiratory problems, such as asthma or emphysema, you may need to call your doctor to prevent further complications. Also, contact your doctor if you notice foul-smelling, colored phlegm. Flu complications can include bronchitis and pneumonia.

Take cough drops or cough medicine to calm your cough. Keeping yourself and your throat hydrated with lots of water and caffeine-free teas can also help. Always cover your cough and wash your hands to prevent spreading the infection.

4. Sore throat

Flu-related coughing can quickly lead to a sore throat. Some viruses, including influenza, can actually cause a swollen throat without a cough.

In the earliest stages of the flu, your throat may feel scratchy and irritated. You may also feel a strange sensation when you swallow food or drinks. If you have a sore throat, it’ll likely get worse as the viral infection progresses.

Stock up on caffeine-free tea, chicken noodle soup, and water. You can also gargle with 8 ounces of warm water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

5. Fever

A fever is a sign that your body is fighting off an infection. Flu-related fevers are typically over 100.4˚F (38˚C).

A fever is a common symptom in the early stages of the flu, but not everyone with the flu will have a fever. Also, you might experience chills with or without a fever while the virus runs its course.

Usually, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are both effective fever reducers, but these medications can’t cure the virus.

6. Gastrointestinal problems

Early flu symptoms can extend below the head, throat, and chest. Some strains of the virus can cause diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, or vomiting.

Dehydration is a dangerous complication of diarrhea and vomiting. To avoid dehydration, drink water, sports drinks, unsweetened fruit juices, caffeine-free teas, or broth.

Emergency symptoms

The flu is a progressive illness. This means that symptoms will worsen before they get better. Not everyone responds the same to the influenza virus. Your overall health can determine how severe your symptoms may be.

Seek immediate medical care if you have the following symptoms:

chest pain
breathing difficulties
bluish skin and lips
severe dehydration
dizziness and confusion
recurring or high fever
worsening cough

Possible complications

Symptoms of the flu usually go away within a week or two. However, in some cases, the flu can cause additional complications, especially in people at high risk. Some possible complications include:

pneumonia
bronchitis
sinusitis
ear infection
encephalitis

Protect yourself

During flu season, protecting yourself from respiratory viruses is a top priority.

The flu virus can spread through saliva droplets that are projected when a sick person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can reach people and surfaces up to 6 feet away. You can be exposed by breathing air containing these droplets or by touching objects that these droplets have landed on.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get a mild case of flu?

The flu virus can be mild or severe, and everyone’s experience of it can be different. That said, it can also be very serious in some cases and even life threatening.

Can you feel the flu coming on?

Early symptoms can include fatigue, body aches and chills, cough, and fever. There are also early flu symptoms that are more unique to children. These can include not drinking or eating enough, crying without tears, having a fever with a rash, or difficulty urinating.

It can be hard to know the difference between the flu and a cold in children. Usually, however, flu symptoms are more severe. Children can also get stomach problems like diarrhea and vomiting. Some young children can also experience febrile seizures.

What should I do if I have early flu symptoms?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you don’t go back to work until you’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without needing to take a fever-reducing medication.

Even if you don’t have a fever, you should still consider staying home until other symptoms improve. It’s generally safe to return to work or school when you can resume normal activity without getting tired. However, the recovery rate varies from person to person.

Takeaway

The good news is that the flu virus is preventable.

Getting a flu shot every year is one of the best ways to protect yourself. The flu shot is recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, including pregnant people.

Here are a few other preventive measures:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home if you’re sick, especially if you have a fever.
Cover your cough to protect others.
Wash your hands.
Limit how often you touch your mouth or nose.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Flu guide for parents. (n.d.).https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/FluGuideParentsChronic-updated.pdf
Flu symptoms & complications.(2022).https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/symptoms.htm
Flu symptoms & diagnosis. (2022).https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/index.html
Flu: What to do if you get sick. (2019).https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/takingcare.htm
Key facts about influenza (flu). (2022).https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm
Sick with flu? Know what to do! (2023).https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/freeresources/graphics/sick-with-flu-infographic.htm
When is your flu severe enough to go to the ER? (n.d.).https://www.dmc.org/services/emergency-room/emergency-healthy-living/corporate-content/when-is-your-flu-severe-enough-to-go-to-the-er

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Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.D., MPH — Written by Kristeen Cherney and Valencia Higuera — Updated on February 5, 2024

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Key takeaways

1. Sudden or excessive fatigue

2. Body aches and chills

3. Cough

4. Sore throat

5. Fever

6. Gastrointestinal problems

Emergency symptoms

Possible complications

Protect yourself

Frequently asked questions

Can you get a mild case of flu?

Can you feel the flu coming on?

What should I do if I have early flu symptoms?

Takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

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