Flu season nipping at Sisters Country

The flu is felling people in droves across the country.

Oregon isn't hit nearly as hard as some places in the country, but folks in Sisters are still falling sick.

"It's certainly influenza season," said Dr. Steven Greer of St. Charles Family Care. "We've had cases that are confirmed by lab tests (to be) Influenza A."

While they haven't seen lab-confirmed influenza at Bend Memorial Clinic in Sisters, Dr. May Fan reports that plenty of people are down with flu-like symptoms. And nobody is liable to care much whether the crud they've come down with is "real" flu or not.

"Both are miserable," Dr. Fan said.

Chills, fever, muscle aches - the flu or similar viral illnesses are much more debilitating than a nasty cold. Most treatment is simply to ameliorate the symptoms.

"For most people its symptomatic care - fluids, Tylenol or ibuprofen for the headaches, if necessary, medicine for the cough," Dr. Greer said.

The doctor noted that the anti-viral medication Tamiflu can be effective if administered at the first sign of symptoms. He noted that it may be a good idea if one person in a household gets hit for the others to get Tamiflu, especially if they're older or have compromised health.

Dr. Fan noted that many people complain of "stomach flu," which is actually viral gastroenteritis. There have been quite a few cases of that in Sisters.

Both doctors strongly recommend getting a flu shot now. The season is far from its peak and the vaccine still has plenty of time to have a protective effect.

While the flu is miserable, complications from it can be downright deadly.

"The biggest complication from the flu is pneumonia," said Dr. Greer. "That's what puts you in the hospital."

Progressive illness, shortness of breath, feeling wiped out are indications of potential complications. If you see improvement followed by worsening, you may have a secondary infection.

"That would definitely be a time you'd want to get checked out," Dr. Greer said.

The flu is passed person-to-person, by coughing or through germs left on surfaces, which can remain viable for hours. The holiday season gives illness a boost, as thousands of people travel and expose each other.

"Right around Christmas we see a peak in contagious illness," Dr. Fan noted.

The best way to prevent the spread of flu is to avoid contact with people who have it. And that means staying home from work or school when you're sick. Going to work sick not only impedes your swift recovery, it's not fair to everyone around you to hand them your germs.

"People are so dedicated to work," Dr. Fan said. "They'll have a fever and still go to work and they should not. If you have a fever, you should not work."

You can do a lot to protect yourself. Stay away from crowds and avoid people who are coughing. Get plenty of rest and eat right to keep your immune system functioning at the top of its game. And above all, wash your hands - thoroughly and frequently. A few minutes of extra precaution may prevent days of feeling lousy.