Flu-like symptoms

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

Flu-like symptoms are experienced when one has influenza, a flu-like illness, many other illnesses and diseases, and some medications.[1] ME/CFS sufferers experience recurrent flu-like symptoms which increase after exertion due to post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Presentation[edit | edit source]

Body aches and pains, chills, cough, fatigue, fever, headache, muscle soreness, nasal congestion, sore throat, and stiffness are all flu-like symptoms due to influenza or flu-like illness.[2][3][4] Malaise, which is a feeling of weakness, discomfort, like you have an illness, or simply not feeling well is often described by patients with a cold or flu as well as many other illnesses.[5]

Prevalence[edit | edit source]

Flu-like symptoms in ME/CFS[edit | edit source]

Patients reporting flu-like symptoms can help confirm a diagnosis of ME/CFS. These symptoms can include general pain (myalgia) and a feeling of being unwell, a fever and temperature control, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands.[6][7][8]

Symptom recognition[edit | edit source]

Potential treatments[edit | edit source]

Notable studies[edit | edit source]

Possible causes[edit | edit source]

There are many illnesses, infections, contagions and contaminants that can cause flu-like symptoms such as: anthrax, brain infection, central nervous system infections, chickenpox, enteroviruses, food poisoning, fibromyalgia, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, Hodgkin's disease, Legionnaires' disease, lyme disease, monkeypox, Percocet withdrawal, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, Weil's syndrome, and many more.[1][5]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Causes of Flu-like symptoms - RightDiagnosis.com". rightdiagnosis.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  2. "Flu-Like Symptoms | Infections | Contagious Diseases". June 26, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  3. Clopton, Jennifer (January 4, 2018). "Is It Flu, Or Flu-Like? The Difference Matters". WebMD. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  4. Gardner, Amanda (February 21, 2018). "7 Conditions That Feel Like the Flu–But Aren't". Health.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Malaise: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis". healthline.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  6. Kraft, Sy (January 22, 2018). "Chronic fatigue syndrome: Symptoms, treatment, and causes". Medical News Today. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  7. Dellwo, Adrienne (August 16, 2018). "The Complexity of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". Verywell Health. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  8. "Symptoms, Testing and Assessment". The ME Association. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  9. "Malaise: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis". healthline.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.