What's Going Around: flu
The warmer weather might have you thinking flu season is over, but not so in Southwest Louisiana.
It has been a busy week for Calcasieu Urgent Care nurse practitioner, Crystal Tarou, treating patients testing positive for the flu virus every day.
"A couple of my patients today have already had it. Yesterday I diagnosed about eight of them," said Tarou.
The flu is different from a cold and usually comes on suddenly.
"You can have upper respiratory symptoms, cough, fever, headache, body aches, as well as stomach issues, diarrhea, throwing up," said Tarou.
If the flu is caught early, Tamiflu can be prescribed to help you get over it faster. Tarou says the patients she has seen with the worst cases are those who did not get the flu vaccine.
"I've seen if you have the flu vaccine, your symptoms are not as severe, they're recovering quicker," she said.
Flu is very contagious and most healthy adults can infect other people before they even know they are sick. That is why prevention is so important.
"Make sure you get your flu vaccine, as well as getting enough sleep, eating healthy, exercise is always good as well," said Tarou.
Upper respiratory infections are also being seen in higher numbers. About 80 percent are viral and symptomatic treatment is the best way to manage it.
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