Here's What to Do If You Have Long Flu

Key TakeawaysRecent research shows that some people may experience long flu after having influenza.You may be able to treat long flu on your own at home.It’s important to see a doctor if your symptoms persist or interfere with your daily activities.The COVID-19 pandemic put a fresh eye on infectious diseases, including the consequences that can come from having a virus. While long COVID is now a well-known condition, researchers have discovered that people can develop lingering illness from the flu, too.A recent study of more than 92,000 people compared the health outcomes of those who were admitted to the hospital with COVID versus people admitted with the flu. The researchers found that both viruses caused people to have lingering health problems that can last for months to years.“We’re learning that these respiratory viruses can have long-term effects,”William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told Verywell. “It seems like that was always the case. We’re just becoming much more aware of it now.”Long Colds vs. Long COVID: Here’s What Researchers Know So FarWhat Causes Long Flu?Research into long flu is in its infancy.“We’re learning now that a variety of infections result in symptoms after the acute phase as consequences of infection,”Thomas Russo, MD,professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Verywell. Long flu can cause respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath and a cough with activity, he said.It’s unclear why someone might develop long flu.“It’s probably due to a continuing inflammatory response,” Schaffner said. “This is your body’s way of fighting off the infection. You’ve gotten over the acute infection, but it’s as though the army that is your immune system keeps fighting.”New Criteria Helps Predict Which COVID-19 Patients Experience Cytokine StormHow to Treat Long FluThere are a few options to treat long flu at home. Schaffner recommends taking warm showers once or twice a day to get moisture into your lungs and running a humidifier at night.“Clean the humidifier after every use, dry it off, and, when you use it again, put in a new supply of water,” he said. “If you don’t, bacteria can grow, and you can inhale the bacteria, making you sicker.”If you’re experiencing pain or body aches, acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen can help, Schaffner said.Taking any medication long-term without consulting a doctor first isn’t advised, Russo said. If you’re considering taking a medication like acetaminophen or NSAIDs long-term or find that you’ve been taking them consistently for more than a few weeks, Russo said it’s time to consult a doctor.For coughs, Schaffner said that consuming a spoonful of honey or mixing it with warm water or tea may temporarily help.“It’s not very useful to take an over-the-counter cough suppressant—they don’t work very well,” he said.Study Shows ‘Long Flu’ Is Real, but Long COVID Is WorseWhen to See a Healthcare Provider for Long FluA lingering cough is usually a good indicator to make a doctor’s appointment, Schaffner said.If you suspect that you have long flu, Russo said it’s best to see a healthcare provider for an evaluation to make sure you’re not dealing with another health issue. Long flu is a diagnosis of exclusion—meaning doctors want to rule out other health issues first—and it’s important to be checked for other illnesses as well.“If you have symptoms that last more than a few weeks after flu recovery that affect your daily activities, you should reach out to a healthcare provider to see if there is any sort of systemic treatment that could be beneficial,” Russo said.You should contact your doctor if you find that you feel better after having the flu and then get worse within a week or two.“You could have a secondary infection like bronchitis or pneumonia,” Russo said.More research is needed on how to effectively treat long flu. But Russo said that bronchodilators like albuterol and salmeterol, as well as pulmonary rehabilitation, might work for long flu. These interventions are also recommended for respiratory symptoms of long COVID.You’re more likely to develop long flu if you have a serious course of influenza, which doctors said makes the case for getting an annual flu vaccine.“We certainly know that vaccination seems to be the most important measure to minimize acute consequences with long COVID,” Russo said. “We don’t have as much data for long flu, but there’s no question it would help, too.”What This Means For YouLike long COVID, long flu is a real illness. If you have symptoms of long flu, including shortness of breath and a lingering cough, and they last for more than two weeks after you recover from the flu, it’s time to consult a doctor.

Key TakeawaysRecent research shows that some people may experience long flu after having influenza.You may be able to treat long flu on your own at home.It’s important to see a doctor if your symptoms persist or interfere with your daily activities.

Key Takeaways

Recent research shows that some people may experience long flu after having influenza.You may be able to treat long flu on your own at home.It’s important to see a doctor if your symptoms persist or interfere with your daily activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic put a fresh eye on infectious diseases, including the consequences that can come from having a virus. While long COVID is now a well-known condition, researchers have discovered that people can develop lingering illness from the flu, too.

A recent study of more than 92,000 people compared the health outcomes of those who were admitted to the hospital with COVID versus people admitted with the flu. The researchers found that both viruses caused people to have lingering health problems that can last for months to years.

“We’re learning that these respiratory viruses can have long-term effects,”William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told Verywell. “It seems like that was always the case. We’re just becoming much more aware of it now.”

Long Colds vs. Long COVID: Here’s What Researchers Know So Far

What Causes Long Flu?

Research into long flu is in its infancy.

“We’re learning now that a variety of infections result in symptoms after the acute phase as consequences of infection,”Thomas Russo, MD,professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Verywell. Long flu can cause respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath and a cough with activity, he said.

It’s unclear why someone might develop long flu.

“It’s probably due to a continuing inflammatory response,” Schaffner said. “This is your body’s way of fighting off the infection. You’ve gotten over the acute infection, but it’s as though the army that is your immune system keeps fighting.”

New Criteria Helps Predict Which COVID-19 Patients Experience Cytokine Storm

How to Treat Long Flu

There are a few options to treat long flu at home. Schaffner recommends taking warm showers once or twice a day to get moisture into your lungs and running a humidifier at night.

“Clean the humidifier after every use, dry it off, and, when you use it again, put in a new supply of water,” he said. “If you don’t, bacteria can grow, and you can inhale the bacteria, making you sicker.”

If you’re experiencing pain or body aches, acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen can help, Schaffner said.

Taking any medication long-term without consulting a doctor first isn’t advised, Russo said. If you’re considering taking a medication like acetaminophen or NSAIDs long-term or find that you’ve been taking them consistently for more than a few weeks, Russo said it’s time to consult a doctor.

For coughs, Schaffner said that consuming a spoonful of honey or mixing it with warm water or tea may temporarily help.

“It’s not very useful to take an over-the-counter cough suppressant—they don’t work very well,” he said.

Study Shows ‘Long Flu’ Is Real, but Long COVID Is Worse

When to See a Healthcare Provider for Long Flu

A lingering cough is usually a good indicator to make a doctor’s appointment, Schaffner said.

If you suspect that you have long flu, Russo said it’s best to see a healthcare provider for an evaluation to make sure you’re not dealing with another health issue. Long flu is a diagnosis of exclusion—meaning doctors want to rule out other health issues first—and it’s important to be checked for other illnesses as well.

“If you have symptoms that last more than a few weeks after flu recovery that affect your daily activities, you should reach out to a healthcare provider to see if there is any sort of systemic treatment that could be beneficial,” Russo said.

You should contact your doctor if you find that you feel better after having the flu and then get worse within a week or two.

“You could have a secondary infection like bronchitis or pneumonia,” Russo said.

More research is needed on how to effectively treat long flu. But Russo said that bronchodilators like albuterol and salmeterol, as well as pulmonary rehabilitation, might work for long flu. These interventions are also recommended for respiratory symptoms of long COVID.

You’re more likely to develop long flu if you have a serious course of influenza, which doctors said makes the case for getting an annual flu vaccine.

“We certainly know that vaccination seems to be the most important measure to minimize acute consequences with long COVID,” Russo said. “We don’t have as much data for long flu, but there’s no question it would help, too.”

What This Means For YouLike long COVID, long flu is a real illness. If you have symptoms of long flu, including shortness of breath and a lingering cough, and they last for more than two weeks after you recover from the flu, it’s time to consult a doctor.

What This Means For You

Like long COVID, long flu is a real illness. If you have symptoms of long flu, including shortness of breath and a lingering cough, and they last for more than two weeks after you recover from the flu, it’s time to consult a doctor.

1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Xie Y, Choi T, Al-Aly Z.Long-term outcomes following hospital admission for COVID-19 versus seasonal influenza: a cohort study.Lancet Infect Dis. 2024;24(3):239-255. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00684-9

1 Source

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Xie Y, Choi T, Al-Aly Z.Long-term outcomes following hospital admission for COVID-19 versus seasonal influenza: a cohort study.Lancet Infect Dis. 2024;24(3):239-255. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00684-9

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Xie Y, Choi T, Al-Aly Z.Long-term outcomes following hospital admission for COVID-19 versus seasonal influenza: a cohort study.Lancet Infect Dis. 2024;24(3):239-255. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00684-9

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