This NHS content is written for people in England. Services, entitlements and contact routes may differ in other countries.
Symptoms of flu
Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:
- a sudden high temperature
- an aching body
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a dry cough
- a sore throat
- a headache
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea, tummy pain, feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting) – although these are less common in adults
The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear, sore eyes, swollen glands and appear less active.
How to treat flu yourself
If you have flu, there are some things you can do to help get better more quickly.
Do
rest and sleep
take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
give paracetamol or ibuprofen to your child if they're distressed or uncomfortable – check the packaging or leaflet to make sure the medicine is suitable for your child, or speak to a pharmacist or GP if you're not sure
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)
Don't
do not give aspirin to children under the age of 16
A pharmacist can help with flu
A pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies.
Do not take paracetamol and flu remedies that contain paracetamol at the same time as it's easy to take more than the recommended dose.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:
You or your child have symptoms of flu and:
- you're worried about your baby's or child's symptoms
- you're 65 or over
- you're pregnant or have recently given birth
- you have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes or a condition that affects your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, brain or nerves
- you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or HIV
- you feel very unwell
- you feel short of breath
- your symptoms do not improve after 7 days
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- you get sudden chest pain
- you have severe difficulty breathing – you're gasping, choking or not able to get words out
- you start coughing up blood
A&E safety messaging
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring any medicines you take with you.
How to avoid spreading the flu
Flu is very infectious and easily spreads to other people. You're more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days after getting infected.
Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.
To reduce the risk of spreading flu:
- wash your hands often with warm water and soap
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow, not into your hand)
- bin used tissues as quickly as possible
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature, feel hot, cold or shivery, or do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
Flu vaccine
The flu vaccine helps protect against flu. It's safe and effective.
It's offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter to some adults and children at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
Flu
Flu
Flu
Flu
The symptoms of flu are similar to a very bad cold. They include a high temperature, an aching body, tiredness and a headache.
Flu will usually get better in about a week if you rest, drink plenty of fluids and take painkillers.
To reduce the spread of flu, wash your hands often, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and bin used tissues straight away.
You can help avoid flu by getting a flu vaccine every year.
Content supplied by the NHS website, refreshed 19 August 2026. View the original NHS article ↗
Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 ↗. MyPHU is independent and is not endorsed by the NHS.