Most worrying is the fact that many people are unaware how the flu can lead to life-threatening medical complications.

As anyone over 65 will be aware, there is a vaccine (or “flu jab”) available on the NHS, with a new one developed every year to tackle the most prevalent strains of the virus. According to recent reports, though, a Korean pharmaceutical company called Celltrion is close to finalising a universal influenza treatment that would be effective in fighting off a variety of different strains – including the deadly avian (or “bird flu”) subtypes. The medicine, an antibody labelled as CT-P27, is currently being prepared for another phase of trials, and has already been shown to fight off strains of the virus that are resistant to existing antivirals.

If these upcoming trials are successful, Celltrion is hoping that their antibody will be fast-tracked onto the market – however, it’s unclear how long that will take. What is clear is that until an effective universal influenza treatment is made widely available, more education into the risks of flu is needed. In 2015, the number of flu-related deaths in the UK hit a 12-year high.

Causes & Symptoms of Influenza

The flu is caused by a group of viruses that all attack the body in the same way. Certain strains are worse than others, and as a group the viruses have a more severe effect on the body than any of the cold viruses.

Influenza is spread through the droplets expelled from the nose and mouth of an infected person when they sneeze or cough. You can take in the virus by breathing in these droplets, or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your mouth or nose. The virus is very infectious, and outside of the body it can survive for up to 24 hours. This is why it’s important to wash your hands frequently, and keep surfaces clean, if you are around someone who is infected.

Once inside the body, the flu starts to cause symptoms within a few days. Unlike the common cold, it tends to come on quickly and prevents you from taking part in your regular daily activities.

The main symptoms of influenza are:

• Fever
• Chills
• Feeling tired and weak
• Headache
• Aches and pains
• Chesty cough

Some people experience the symptoms of the common cold (sneezing, blocked nose, sore throat) and others may feel sick, vomit and have diarrhoea. Whatever your symptoms, they should start to pass within a week – if they don’t start to get better or if they worsen over time, it’s important to see a doctor.

Influenza Treatment

The recommended treatment for influenza is usually self-care at home. If you have the flu but you’re otherwise healthy, you should be able to treat your symptoms by doing the following:

• Staying home from work
• Resting
• Keeping warm
• Drinking plenty of water
• Self-medicating with over-the-counter painkillers

Antibiotics are ineffective in treating viral infections such as influenza. However, antivirals such as Tamiflu or Relenza can be prescribed; this sort of treatment usually shortens the illness by a couple of days.

If you’re self-treating at home and you start having chest pains, experiencing shortness of breath or coughing up blood you should see a doctor immediately as this is a sign that the illness has progressed and requires medical attention.

High-Risk Groups for Influenza

There are several groups that are particularly high-risk for influenza complications:

• Over-65s
• Pregnant women
• Anyone with an existing lung, heart, kidney, liver or neurological disease
• Anyone with diabetes
• Anyone with a weakened immune system (e.g. from HIV or chemotherapy)
• Anyone with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

It’s advised that the people in these groups receive their annual flu vaccination, making sure that they get it every single year to update their immunity to various strains.

To find out more about influenza and the antivirals that can be prescribed for its treatment, consult this information page from Private Doctor Direct.

What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia?

Although not frequently reported, the following are some of the symptoms that will help you in determining the presence of Chlamydia in your body. These are noticeable within a week of infestation with the bacteria. Also, the symptoms are different for men and women.

Symptoms in Women

• Abnormal vaginal discharge
• Odor in vaginal discharge
• Abnormal bleeding
• Painful periods
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Itching around or inside the vagina
• Pain during urination
• Pain in abdomen with fever

Symptoms in Men

• Small discharge of clear or cloudy fluid from the penis
• Burning sensation on the skin of the scrotum
• Itching on the skin of the penis
• Pain in the testicles
• Swelling in the loins

What Are The Diagnostic Tools Used For Indicating The Presence Of Chlamydia?

Your doctor will use a few tests that will help determine whether you have this infection or not. Your doctor will take a clean swab and take a sample from your genital area. For females, this will consist of the cervical secretion present on the inner and the outer lips of the labia. For the men, a sample of the fluid from the tip of the penis or the urethra will be obtained. This sample is then sent to the lab to be analyzed for the presence of Chlamydia.

Other tests require urine samples, which indicate the presence or the absence of the parasitic bacteria.

What Are The Treatments Available?

The most common treatment option is the prescription of antibiotics. Your doctor will give you Azithromycin (Zithromax) or Doxycycline. It is important to note that your partner will also require treatment for this parasite, since sexual contact is one of the leading factors in the spread of this disease. This move will also ensure that you do not get re-infected with the disease.

Once you have started taking your antibiotics, you will notice that the infection has subsided within the next three to four days. However, it is important that you continue taking your antibiotics for the complete week.

For some women who have a severe infection of Chlamydia, hospitalization is advised. This is important to tackle a list of medical complaints that arise as a result of this infection. Intravenous antibiotics are given to these women along with high potency pain medications.

Once the antibiotic treatment has been completed, you will be re-tested for the infection to make sure all the traces of the parasite have been eliminated. It is advised that you do not engage in any sexual intercourse until you are sure that you and your partner are completely free of the disease.

Chlamydia Home Testing

Since, this disease is symptomless, it is very difficult to detect. However, if you are sexually active and would like to keep track of your sexual health, Chlamydia home testing kits are available to help you detect the presence of these bacteria in your body.

For men, this kit is a simple urine test. You just have to send in your sample to the lab with a prepaid envelope to a partner lab of the service you are using.

For women, the home test kit is comprised of a swab test. This looks like a long cotton bud. You will also get an illustration showing how to carry out the test. You have to wipe your cervix with the swab and then insert it into a sterile tube provided in the test. Send this with a prepaid envelope to your concerned lab.

This test is 99.99% accurate. You will obtain the results within 2-3 days of sample submission.

Home testing is available from many reputable websites, including www.theGUMclinic.com

One important tip is to keep your sleeping patters as fixed as possible. Unfortunately, that does include sleeping and wake up at the same time on the weekends too. Take naps if necessary instead of waking up too late and further pushing your bedtime to a later time. Being smart about taking naps is important, as sleeping too much could be making the problem worse instead of regulating it especially if you already suffer from insomnia. You can regulate your sleeping patters naturally by getting as much light as possible in the day time and reducing light exposure at night. So, try not to stay in a dimmed or low light environment during the day, and during the night try avoid any bright lights like a television, an iPad or your mobile phone and make sure it is dark when it is time to sleep.

Another tip is to be careful with what you eat and drink before bed time. Many may think that alcohol is a good way to put you to sleep. However alcohol reduces sleep quality, ultimately not allowing you to rest as well as your body needs. Additionally, big meals right before bedtime is another culprit of bad sleep quality. In this instance your body will be too busy working on digestion than focusing on sleep mode. I think it goes without saying that caffeine before bedtime will keep you awake all night. What you may not know, however, is that caffeine will continue to work for up to 12 hours after drinking. So, if you’re a regular caffeine drinker after a late lunch or dinner, this could be the reason why you are unable to fall asleep. You can get more helpful sleep tips here.

If after trying all the self-help advice provided you find you are still having difficulty with sleep you should see a doctor to find out if you have an underlying problem. You should also be wary if you have frequent headaches after waking up, inability to move once you have woken up or when trying to sleep, physically acting out dreams or falling asleep at inappropriate times. However, if you are traveling and suffering from jetlag, you could be prescribed some medication to help with falling asleep. Melatonin is the medication of choice to help with jet lag and you can get this online here.