Patient education: Flu in adults – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — 

Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is the flu? — 

This is an infection that can cause fever, cough, body aches, and other symptoms. The most common type of flu is the "seasonal" flu. There are different forms of seasonal flu, for example, "type A" and "type B." The medical term for the flu is "influenza."

All forms of the flu are caused by viruses. Antibiotics do not work to treat the flu. Doctors might prescribe you an "antiviral" medicine. If so, follow your doctor's instructions. The flu can be dangerous because it can cause a serious lung infection called pneumonia.

How do I care for myself at home? — 

Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Take all of your medicines as instructed, even if you are feeling better.

●Get lots of rest. Sleep when you feel tired. Avoid doing tiring activities.

●Take warm, steamy showers to help soothe your cough.

●Use hard candy or cough drops to soothe a sore throat and cough.

●Try to thin mucus:

•Drink lots of liquids.

•Use a cool mist humidifier, if your doctor told you to. Keep the humidifier clean.

•Use saline nose drops to relieve stuffiness.

●Take a medicine like acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin) to help bring down your fever.

●Dress in lightweight clothes if you have a fever. Cover with a light sheet or blanket if needed. This will help keep you from getting too warm.

●Lower the chance of passing the infection to others:

•Stay home while you are feeling sick or have a fever.

•At home, try to limit close contact with other people. You can also help protect others by wearing a face mask.

•Wash your hands often (figure 1). Alcohol-based hand sanitizers also work to kill germs.

•Cover your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow when you cough or sneeze.

•Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

•Do not share cups, food, towels, bedding, or other personal items with others.

•Clean items and surfaces you often touch. Examples include sinks, counters, tables, door handles, remotes, and phones. Germs can often live on surfaces for a few hours. Use a bleach and water mixture or a cleaning product that gets rid of viruses.

•Do not go to work or school until your symptoms are improving and your fever has been gone for at least 24 hours without taking medicine such as acetaminophen.

It's also important to get a flu vaccine each year. Some years, the flu vaccine is more effective than others. But even in years when it is less effective, it still helps prevent some cases of the flu. It can also help keep you from getting severely ill if you do get the flu.

What follow-up care do I need? — 

Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go.

When should I call the doctor? — 

Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if you:

●Are having so much trouble breathing that you can only say 1 or 2 words at a time

●Need to sit upright at all times to be able to breathe, or cannot lie down

●Are very tired from working to catch your breath, or are sweating from trying to breathe

Call for advice if you:

●Have trouble breathing when talking or sitting still

●Have severe chest discomfort

●Feel confused or disoriented

●Are vomiting and can't keep liquids down

●Have early signs of fluid loss, such as:

•Dark-colored urine

•Dry mouth

•Muscle cramps

•Lack of energy

•Feeling lightheaded when you stand up

More on this topic

Patient education: Flu (The Basics)
Patient education: Flu vaccine (The Basics)
Patient education: Bird flu (avian influenza) (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough, runny nose, and colds (The Basics)
Patient education: When to worry about a fever in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (The Basics)

Patient education: Influenza symptoms and treatment (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Influenza prevention (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: The common cold in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (Beyond the Basics)