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Flu and Pneumonia Symptoms

Flu Symptoms: Influenza, commonly known as "the flu," is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. Although the flu affects both sexes and all age groups, kids tend to get it more often than adults. The illness even has its own season - from November to April, with most cases occurring between late December and early March.

Common symptoms of flu are as follows:

• Fever (usually high)
• Severe aches and pains in the joints and muscles and around the eyes
• Generalized weakness
• Ill appearance with warm, flushed skin and red, watery eyes
• Headache
• Dry cough
• Sore throat and watery discharge from the nose

Pneumonia Symptoms: Pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs is usually caused by infection of the lung tissue by one of many different microorganisms (germs). These may be present in the body for some time before causing illness. The ailment is very common mostly in small children and people over the age of 65.

With the most common type of pneumonia, symptoms may come on quite suddenly. There may be pain in the side of the chest that can make breathing and coughing uncomfortable. This is due to the inflammation of the air sacs (alveolar sacs) and narrowing of the fine tubes in the lungs (bronchioles) caused by the infection. Pneumonia is also more likely to develop after another illness such as flu.

Most types of pneumonia can usually be treated effectively with antibiotics. However it can also be a serious illness, especially for people who are frail or already ill. Pneumonia can also be caused by inhaling substances, such as caustic chemicals, food or vomit into the lungs and this form of pneumonia is known as "aspiration" pneumonia.