Can the flu cause serious health issues?
Influenza has the potential to make a bad situation worse. In some situations, an annual flu vaccine can help to avoid a host of more dangerous health issues.
Transcript
The flu is bad enough on its own. But in some cases, it may make a bad situation worse.
[MUSIC PLAYING] It can cause sinus and ear infections. And it can also lead to life-threatening illnesses
like pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs where the air sacs become inflamed and may fill with fluid or pus,
leading to difficulty with breathing. It can be brought on by an influenza virus alone, or it can be the result of a combination of influenza
and bacteria. This is why it's important to wash your hands as often as possible and keep a safe distance from people
who are sick. If someone has chronic medical problems such as asthma or chronic heart disease, contracting the flu
can cause asthma attacks or worsen heart conditions. The flu can trigger inflammation of the heart, brain, or muscles, and lead to sepsis.
Sepsis is an inflammatory response in the body to an infection. It triggers a chain reaction that can lead to organ failure.
The flu is a very serious illness, which is why it is stressed that everyone get their flu vaccine each year.
cold flu
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