By Dr. Katherine Seibert Published: 2:00 AM – 12/07/11

Influenza viruses Types A and B cause annual outbreaks of flu affecting approximately 5-10 percent of adults each year, with higher rates in children.

There are multiple varieties of A and B viruses; the swine origin H1N1 virus is one of the Type A viruses. in the United States, influenza causes an average of more than 36,000 deaths per year and more than 130,000 hospitalizations.

People over age 65 constitute about half of the excess hospitalizations from the flu and more than 85 percent of the deaths.

However, in the U.S., most people who become ill with the flu recover without requiring any medical treatment. the flu occurs annually in this climate between December and March.

The flu virus changes its surface proteins so fast that no one becomes fully immune. This year’s virus is not a carbon copy of last year’s, thus necessitating a change in the composition of the yearly flu vaccine.

Symptoms of the flu come on abruptly, and usually include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and loss of appetite. Sore throat and dry cough may occur early in the illness. Secondary bacterial pneumonia can follow within one to three days, with rapidly progressing symptoms.

Influenza is thought to spread mainly person to person through coughing or sneezing by infected people. it may also be spread by touching infected objects, such as a phone, then touching one’s nose or mouth.

In many circumstances, the diagnosis of influenza can be made clinically. Several laboratory tests are available, but viral cultures do not yield timely results. Rapid antigen tests are available, but sensitivities are variable, between 60 and 90 percent. Specimens for influenza testing are aspirates and swabs from the nasopharyngeal area.

The flu is often treated symptomatically with rest and fluids. People who are at high risk of serious complications from influenza may benefit most from antiviral medications. Several antiviral drugs are available for treatment of influenza. These antivirals, if begun early, will reduce the duration of fever and symptoms by one to three days and provide more rapid overall recovery.

Little or no benefit is seen when treatment is initiated two days or more after the onset of uncomplicated influenza symptoms. the greatest effect occurs when antivirals are begun within the first 24 hours.

Influenza vaccines are available in two forms:

Flu vaccine protection is recommended for all persons 6 months old and older. the intranasal vaccine is currently approved only for healthy people ages 2-49 who are not pregnant.

Administration of the inactivated vaccine is associated with arm soreness in about one-third of people, and other side effects are infrequent. Adequate immunity is achieved in about two weeks after vaccination, and it is very effective in preventing the flu.

To protect yourself and others from the flu, it is important to follow good hand-washing and hygiene practices.

If you become sick with flu-like symptoms, stay at home for least seven days after the onset of illness or until 24 hours after your symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

Katherine Seibert, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, is a practicing internist who sees patients at Hudson River HealthCare in Monticello. she is also a doctor of microbiology and a Sister of Charity of new York. she has been serving Sullivan County as a physician for the past 20 years.

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November 07, 2011 Food Allergies: the Hidden Culprit< Back By Henry C. Sobo, M.D.

FOOD ALLERGIES: THE HIDDEN CULPRIT

You may have food allergies and not even know it ! That’s because the typical symptoms that people identify as related to allergies–watery, itchy eyes, or sinus congestion, or a rash- are just the tip of the iceberg. Because there are many more effects that are not as commonly recognized as related to allergies, many people don’t get the help that they need.

 A very important point about food allergies is that the symptom onset may be delayed , making the allergy even more difficult for the doctor to detect. Let’s take the case of  migraine headaches which may be triggered by food sensitivities. the person who suffers from them has never noticed that the headache occurs after any particular type of food is ingested. That’s because the onset of the headache may not necessarily start shortly after the food is ingested. the headache may not even occur on the same day, but may arise the day after.

Other symptoms which may be related to food allergies include anxiety, irritability, , asthma,  joint pain, and irritable bowel.  many times  a variety of medical specialists may be  consulted looking for  a diagnosis related to that body part   where the person has symptoms.

One person may see a neurologist for recurring headaches, while another sees a gastroenterologist for abdominal cramping and diarrhea. another perosn is a  repeat visitor to the dermatologist’s office because of recurring rashes  These people have  very different symptoms which have the same cause-food sensitivities.  Consider yet another scenario  which causes something of  a medical mystery. A person feeling very fatigued is tested by their doctor for ailments typically known to cause fatigue- anemia or thyroid problems, for example. the doctor doesn’t find anything wrong and sometimes concludes "it’s all in the patient’s head". what might  never considered is that food sensitivities themselves may manifest in some people as generalized fatigue, and when they have muscular and joint pains  they may suffer form fibromyalgia -chronic fatigue syndrome.

I have had the distinct pleasure of seeing symptoms , some of which have been troublesome for years, relieved when the true underlying cause was discovered and treated. For instance some patients who describe themselves as having a “ sensitive stomach” suffering from abdominal discomfortfor years , find themselves relieved of these symptoms when the offending food sensitivities are identified and avoided. others who see themselves as “headache prone” and assume that stress is responsible, find relief when they know what foods to avoid.

A simple in office testing procedure can be done to properly identify these food sensitivities. It is also important to understand that a program of desensitization can relieve the person of their symptoms so that it is possible to eventually reintroduce the food into the diet without adverse effects.

Henry C. Sobo, M.D. practices Integrative Medicine in Stanford, CT.  For more information see his website at drsobo.com or call the office at 203-348-8805

Address: 111 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT Email: 

I had cold like symptoms about 3 weeks ago, and now I'm left with grouchy me, constant body pain and incredible chest congestion thats greenish.

H1N1 is not the stomach flu. It is a strain of influenza aka the flu that is mostly respiratory symptoms, body aches, fever. for example….fever, aching, harsh cough, headache

Influenza A and Influenza B are the two types of viruses that cause flu. When you suffer from flu life becomes hell for you. the body temperature safely soars over 100º F and this is accompanied by cough and cold. You feel a chill all the time and your nose keeps running. Add to all this other discomforts like headache and constant tiredness and you now know what flu can do. in 1999, Roche started marketing a drug that was supposed to treat flu better than anything else. They named this particular drug Tamiflu. their claim was not wrong. Tamiflu soon went on to become the best medicine for flu. it is estimated that more than 50 million people have used this drug since its inception. if or someone in your family has flu then there should be no time wasted to buy Tamiflu.

Tamiflu works by cutting off the chemical communication between the influenza virus and its host cell. very soon the virus is stopped from reproducing and affecting other cells within the body. the growth of flu is stopped and then the treatment process eradicates it from within the body.

Of course you must consult your doctor before you buy Tamiflu and start having it. if you are pregnant or are a nursing mother then Tamiflu is not to be had. Patients should inform their doctor about their entire medical history and let them know whether they have had any heart, respiration or kidney diseases. the doctor should look at the history and prescribe Tamiflu.

The good part of Tamiflu is that it is not only suitable for adults for anyone of the age of 1 and over. the best time to buy Tamiflu and have it is within the first couple of days of the symptoms of the flu showing. When the medicine is used at the right time it both prevents further outbreak of the flu and also eradicates it.

Tamiflu is indeed a wonder drug when it comes to treating flu. You can easily find this medicine in all the chemist shops near you. if you are not in the habit of venturing out to buy medicines then you can also use one of the online chemists to buy Tamiflu. There are several websites that sell this medicine.

Before you buy Tamiflu from a website you should create your account with them. this will ensure that your address and contact details will be stored with them. When you order Tamiflu at a later date they will find your address automatically and help you save time on your purchase. You must also choose only those websites where you can pay online with safety. look for the VeriSign certificate before you make the payment.

Kill influenza by treating it with Tamiflu. the fever, the running nose, the headache and the cough and cold, everything will be gone within days of having this medicine. Don’t wait for your flu to treat itself automatically. buy Tamiflu today and nip it in the bud.

Suffering from influenza? try Tamiflu. You can buy Tamiflu online and use to treat flu like no other medicine can do.

A headache can also be caused from caffeine withdrawal. if it's been a while since you've drank caffeine and you are addicted to it you will get a headache. Lot's of things can cause a headache. why this one particular thing?

My daughter got pancreatitis when she was 7. One night out of the blue she was throwing up left and right, then her lips turned blue so I took her to the hospital. they ended up calling cps because they say for kids pancreatitis only happens from a blow to the stomach. So they thought I punched her.

Turned out she had climbed through the kitchen window high off the ground and was dangling by her stomach on the window cill trying to reach for the table (when I wasn't home). she told the neighbors who were babysitting that she had a key and wanted to go get something from our house.

She had no other symptoms. I guess for adults it is from drinking? I can't remember. I don't know about headaches with this. why do you think it is linked to that?

(assuming they haven't fallen to some opportunistic infection)

I need to explain the connection between rashes, fever, headache etc. to HIV, but I just can't think why killing white blood cells would give you a headache.

I want to know because my parents keep saying that i might have swine flu but i don't think i have it because all i have is a red throat. I've had it for three days and its starting to subside alittle bit. I just wanna know if its possible to only have one symptom and still have it.

It is UNLIKELY. the CDC – that is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – say the following are the symptoms of H1N1 ("swine") flu:

The symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, including 2009 H1N1 and have respiratory symptoms without a fever. Severe illnesses and deaths have occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

no you just have strept throat, dont worry!!!! but u can go to the doctor and they will give u penicillin or antibiotics,or take matters into your own hands and invest in chliroseptic

No, but you could have a cold, post-nasal drip, step, or other things.

The symptoms of swine flu are a sudden fever (a high body temperature of 38°C/100.4°F or above), and a sudden cough. you also may have: headache, tiredness, chills, aching muscles, limb or joint pain, diarrhea or stomach upset, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, or loss of appetite.

What you most likely been suffering from is a mild case of tonsilitis. with no other symptoms and if the swine flu had not come to be this year what would they think it was without swine flu to blame it on? Everyone is going overboard about swine flu right now. If you have the symptoms then I could see there concern, but this is not swine flu. please have your parents go to webmd.com and look up swine flu for themselves. Then they can see the symptoms and be happy that you don't have it. good luck and God Bless

I had a sore throat a few weeks ago they told me it was the regular flu. Don't get worried,everybody is going crazy if they just have 1 or 2 symptoms

You might have a viral throat infection. but go to th edr.

"could I have swine flu if i just have a sore throat and no other symptoms?" — It's very doubtful. a sore throat is a symptom shared by several conditions. Why would your parents focus on swine flu in particular?

I just read that……stuff….. posted by "js159". there is not one word of truth to it.

you probably ate some bad spinach … no worries …best be safe and get something to prevent it… what you need to do is find an old gypsy woman who will trade goods with you… bring a jar of canned hams and trade it for a vile of unicorns blood … take that vile and mix it with 3/4 cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of NyQuil … microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 3 min…rotate… then microwave for an additional 30 sec to 1 min… then let stand for 2 min… stir …then take the mixture and rub it on your belly once every 3 hours for 7 days… then call your doctor if symptoms persist…

An acquaintance of mine just had a routine medical check up done and his blood pressure came out to be as high as 210/130. Which is not so good.
He's been put on medications; but what struck me is how despite such a dangerously high blood pressure he didn't experience any symptoms whatsoever. no headache, nausea or dizziness at all.
Does this indicate something more serious?

If I say pain is a boon, would any one agree? But then, pain or any other symptom is truly important because without any symptom, one would simply die without knowing what really happened. Same thing with high blood pressure. half the patients with high BP never know about their disease until it is found at routine examination. Why a person with a BP of 210/130 never had any symptoms? let me explain….

High BP symptoms may be a) due to raised BP itself or b) due to complication of blood pressure such as eye or kidney disease. if the complication have not started or progressed, symptoms related to complications wouldn't be there.

Then, the symptoms of high BP per se such as headache, nausea or dizziness occur when the rise takes place over a short span of time. the brain which was perfused under the previous normal pressure gets less perfused due to vasoconstriction and it has no time to adjust to new pressure levels thereby producing the above mentioned symptoms.

If the BP rise happens in a calibrated manner, over a long period of time, brain has enough time to get accustomed to each level of raised pressure and therefore the symptoms do not occur. this was exactly what happened to your acquaintance. the danger in such a case is that by the time hypertension is detected, it would have caused a lot of organ damage. So, earlier the hypertension is detected and treated, the lesser is the chance of damage. Other than this, your acquaintance's hypertension has no other implication

It is precisely for this reason that periodic BP check up is advised – symptom or no symptom.

210/130 is awfully dangerous.

Exposed for long periods of time that could cause massive damage. He needs proper investigation, get him to a cardiologist asap. Tell him to do a full blood test and get the cardiologist to prescribe a Rennin and Aldosterone blood test. you will also have to get a Cortisol 48 hour urine test.

Tell him to ask for them.

Finally plead with him to avoid eating any take away especially subway as its loaded with salt, and eat very healthy.

He can get it under control, but drugs are probably the best bet for now.

Dear friend,

Calm down. he has very high blood pressure. Symptoms like headche, neck pain, body pain, feeling very hot, feeling heat around you. he should not have too much of pickles and spices in his food. Give him cucumber to eat every day. and watever medication he is aking he might have to take it for lifetime soo if his blood pressure comes to normal just buy having home food. He has silent blood pressure and that is much serious than having bp that shows symptoms.

Make sure he doesn't have too much of salt in his diet

He should also have a glass of fresh lemon water without salt. it is healthy and harmless.

Take care

It is possible for blood pressure to spike on a given day. I never heard of HBP being that high without any symptoms. when my blood pressure is 150 / 90 I feel like I am about to explode. I am now on 200mg metaprolol succianate and I LOVE it. no symptoms at all, I just feel totally relaxed and happy.

High Blood Pressure. when the heart beats, it pumps blood to the arteries and creates … That's why you can live for years without any symptoms or ill effects
nymedicaldoctor.com/Cardiovas…

"Does this indicate something more serious?"
Well, not really more serious condition but more like a time bomb, anytime can turn to hemorrhagic stroke.good he did a routine medical check up.

Very high blood pressure without any symptoms is due to his young age

even then it would have lead him to sudden stroke or heart attack

as he is now under treatment, so he is lucky

middle age or old age persons will surely show symptoms

check this link to get the answer:

normalbp.blogspot.com/

Why is it that when a person is watching a program about disease or similar things, they can sometimes start to feel the symptoms of the disease which is being described?

I was watching something about parasites and two common symptoms which popped up was headaches, and itching. Then a short time after I felt itchy and had a slight headache, but I doubt I have a parasite.
Just wandering why this happens? it seems to happen to a lot, my friends say they feel the same sometimes when watching those programs.

Hypocondria…..You always feel what isn't really there. Stop watching those programs and you will realize how good you feel.

Its just the human mind acting paranoid.

the power of suggestion your brain sees whats going on and it reacts to what your feeling

I don’t think your friend have to go to an ER because of viral gastroenteritis. Unless she was suffering from dehydration, there’s no specific treatment for it. I would advise against drinks with a high sugar content, clear soups (like bouillon) that are salty and caffeinated drinks.

“but I spent the night at her house last night. Which now I think wasn’t the best idea.” — Uh…you think? Oh well, we all make mistakes.

“if you know what some stomach virus symptoms are please answer. I want to know if I have it” — the primary symptoms are vomiting and watery diarrhea. there are different viruses that cause gastroenteritis and these can produce some variation in symptoms. with Rotavirus — vomiting, watery diarrhea, fever & abdominal pain. Rotavirus infection are pretty common Nov. – Apr. with Adenovirus — Diarrhea & vomiting. with Caliciviruses like Norovirus — vomiting and diarrhea, fatigue, headache, and sometimes muscle aches and these are common Oct.- Apr. And with Astrovirus — there’s vomiting & diarrhea and it’s most active during winter.

I put my money on a Norovirus infection. I think this is the virus causing your friend’s gastroenteritis. It’s the leading cause in all ages, the most common cause, is responsible for most epidemics and occurs more frequently during the months from October to April. And the incubation period after exposure is from 1 to 3 days.

“I’m sorry I didn’t really give a lot of details…” — That’s okay, none needed.