Symptom: Flu-like symptoms

Introduction: Flu-like symptoms

Flu-like symptoms appear like the flu (see symptoms of flu), which tends to be more severe than the similar cold-like symptoms. Flu-like symptoms may include fever, shivering, chills, malaise, dry cough, loss of appetite, and body aches. A runny nose or stuffy nose does not always occur with flu whereas it usually does for a common cold. This section lists conditions explicitly mentioned as having "flu-like symptoms" or similar phrasing; for specific information on individual symptoms see the information links for related symptoms.

The flu is not the only condition starting with flu-like symptoms. These symptoms are similar to the body's general method of reacting to a serious infection and are called "flu-like" simply because the flu is the most common of such infections. Numerous other conditions include other infectious viral conditions, initial phase HIV infection, viral hepatitis, food poisoning, lymphoma, leukemia, Lyme disease, and many others. The list of conditions with fever is much longer than those with the full list of flu-like symptoms.

» Review Causes of Flu-like symptoms: full list

Causes of Flu-like symptoms

• Anthrax - flu-like symptoms
• Blastomycosis - flu-like symptoms
• Bornholm disease - flu-like symptoms
• Bowel bypass syndrome - flu-like illness
• Bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome - flu-like illness

See all 64 causes of Flu-like symptoms

Causes of Types of Flu-like symptoms:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Flu-like symptoms:

• Acute cough (8 causes)

More types of Flu-like symptoms

Flu-like symptoms: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Flu-like symptoms, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Flu-like symptoms: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Flu-like symptoms and Respiratory symptoms (61 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Fever (56 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Pain (56 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Temperature symptoms (53 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Sensations (52 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Nerve symptoms (51 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Muscle symptoms (43 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Digestive symptoms (39 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Head symptoms (39 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Fatigue (37 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Muscle weakness (37 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Sweat symptoms (35 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Abdominal symptoms (32 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Headache (31 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Skin symptoms (30 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Weakness (30 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Chills (28 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Lung symptoms (25 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Muscle aches (24 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms and Muscle pain (24 causes)

See full list of 787 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Flu-like symptoms

Home Diagnostic Testing and Flu-like symptoms

Home medical tests possibly related to Flu-like symptoms:

• Cold & Flu: Home Testing:
  • Home Fever Tests
  • Home Ear Infection Tests
  • Home Flu Tests

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Respiratory symptoms (1879 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Flu-like symptoms

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Flu-like symptoms:

• Respiratory symptoms (1879 causes)
• Lung symptoms (625 causes)
• Fever (1218 causes)
• Cough (441 causes)
• Headache (977 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms (111 causes)
• Sore throat (237 causes)
• Shivering (33 causes)
• Chills (318 causes)
• Loss of appetite (335 causes)
• Aches (326 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Flu-like symptoms

Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Flu-like symptoms from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Flu-like symptoms. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Flu-like symptoms

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Flu-like symptoms

Sinusitis is overdiagnosed: There is a tendency to give a diagnosis of sinusitis, when the condition is really a harmless complication of another infection, such as a ...read more »

Whooping cough often undiagnosed: Although most children in the Western world have been immunized against whooping cough (also called "pertussis"), this...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Flu-like symptoms

Diagnostic tests for Flu-like symptoms:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Flu-like symptoms. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • General appearance e.g. jaundice may suggest hepatitis, ascending cholangitis or cholecystitis
  • Temperature - Fevers can be due to infection; malignant disease; metabolic disorders (e.g. gout); blood disorders (e.g. hemolytic anemia); vascular disorders (e.g. stroke, brain hemorrhage); immunological disorders (e.g. lupus).
  • Examine the heart for a heart murmur which would suggest bacterial endocarditis
  • Examine the lungs for noises that suggest pneumonia or bronchiectasis

See full list of 40 diagnostic tests for Flu-like symptoms

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Flu-like symptoms. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had the flu-like symptoms? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• What do you exactly mean by flu-like symptoms? -"flu" usually refers to influenza virus infection which causes a relatively debilitating illness and should not be confused with the common cold. The illness commences abruptly with a fever, headache, shivering and generalized muscle aching, especially aching of the limbs. These symptoms are often followed by sore throat, dry cough and runny nose. "Flu-like symptoms" are any of the above symptoms which may occur in a wide range of febrile illnesses
• What is the pattern of the fever? - e.g. intermittent fever of malaria, Epstein-Barr virus and ascending cholangitis; continuous fever is common with viral infections such as influenza; remittent fever where temperature returns towards normal for a variable period but is always elevated may occur with pelvic abscess, wound infection and cancer; undulant fever where bouts of fever for several days are followed by several days of normal temperature occur with brucellosis infection and lymphomas.
• Are you breast feeding? - acute mastitis often features fevers, tiredness, muscle aches and pains along with a sore red lump in the breast.
• Travel history? - overseas travelers or visitors may have special or even exotic infections.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Flu-like symptoms (16 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Flu-like symptoms) may include:

• Pain and location of the pain? - can help determine focus of infection e.g. sore throat may indicate streptococcal pharyngitis, viral upper respiratory infection, infectious mononucleosis, leukemia and subacute thyroiditis; headache may indicate meningitis or encephalitis; chest pain may suggest pulmonary infarction, heart attack, Bornholm disease, tuberculosis, pleurisy or empyema; abdominal pain may suggest pyelonephritis, cholecystitis, appendicitis, liver abscess or diverticulitis; joint pain may suggest rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis or septic arthritis; ear ache may suggest middle ear infection or mastoiditis.
• Frequency and burning of urine? - would suggest pyelonephritis, abscess around the kidney or abscess in the prostate.
• Cough? - may suggest pneumonia, lung abscess, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis or chronic fungal disease in the lung.
• Bone pain or bone swelling? - may suggest osteomyelitis.
• Body discharge? - e.g. vaginal, penile, anal, tooth, ear, nasal.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Flu-like symptoms (16 listings)

Stories from Users for Flu-like symptoms

Real-life user stories relating to Flu-like symptoms:

• symptoms like HIV, but not
• flu-like body aches & bone or nerve pain. Someone Please help!
• lyme-like disease
• Would like to know what this is!
• I Can't Live Like This Anymore
• Flu or not?
• Constant Flu
• Would like some feedback please
• Any other boards like this?
• Not the flu
• Flu Like Symptoms
• flu like symptoms?
• just the flu?
• flu-like for past year
• Five - Week Flu
• Flu like symptoms in leg skin
• Really nauseous/gassy/vomiting/body aches-Doesnt feel like stomach flu
• flu shots
• This is what an EMG test is like!
• Hi. Would like some help please.

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Flu-like symptoms or relevant symptoms:

• Constitutional (General Wellbeing) (156)
  • Sore Scalp/hair follicles
  • Fat loss in entire body
  • Dont know how much more I can take..
  • I'm Lost.
  • My wife does not sweat I'm worried
  • More user stories
• Eyes (218)
  • Sudden blackout in vision??
  • Halo around the streetlights, glaucoma or something else?
  • Flashers, floaters, and more
  • Seeing spots
  • Flashes of almost lightning type light with sound
  • More user stories
• ENMT (Ears, Nose, Mouth and Throat) (275)
  • Swelling in roof of mouth
  • Pain on one side of throat
  • Please help! Mucus/dark circles/bad breath...
  • Painful white bumps on tongue
  • Sinus headache & eye area pain
  • More user stories
• Respiratory (Lungs and Breathing) (136)
  • Chlorine/ammonia odor when I breathe
  • Chest Pain/Pain While Breathing
  • Clearing throat cough and breathing difficulties
  • Chest discomfort
  • Unable to get diagnosis....please help!
  • More user stories
• Allergic/Immunologic (88)
  • Chronic hives
  • Spontaneous flushing and redness of face and body.
  • Non-stop itching, no rash
  • Swelling & itching
  • Problems with my scalp can anyone help me
  • More user stories

Videos for Flu-like symptoms

Patient Surveys for Flu-like symptoms

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about diseases related to your Flu-like symptoms
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Medications or substances causing Flu-like symptoms:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Flu-like symptoms as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Lumigan
• Travatan
• Xalatan
• Rescula
• Orlistat

See full list of 129 medications causing Flu-like symptoms

Article Excerpts about Flu-like symptoms

Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a variety of flu viruses. The most familiar aspect of the flu is the way it can "knock you off your feet" as it sweeps through entire communities. (Source: excerpt from The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Influenza, also called "the flu", is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue. Although nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea sometimes occur during a flu infection, such symptoms are rarely prominent. "Stomach flu" is a misnomer sometimes used to describe gastrointestinal illnesses that are actually caused by other microorganisms. (Source: excerpt from Facts About Flu (Influenza): CDC-OC)

Flu - the short name for influenza - is a highly contagious infection that causes fever, chills, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, as well as headache, muscle aches, and often extreme fatigue. Flu usually is a mild disease in healthy children, young adults, and middle-aged people. However, it can be life threatening in older adults. (Source: excerpt from Shots for Safety - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Each winter, millions of people suffer from the flu, a highly contagious infection. It spreads easily from person to person mainly when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Flu - the short name for influenza - is caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It usually is a mild disease in healthy children, young adults, and middle-aged people. However, flu can be life threatening in older adults and in people of any age who have chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart, lung, or kidney diseases (Source: excerpt from What to Do About the Flu - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Definitions of Flu-like symptoms:

Acute viral infection involving the respiratory tract; marked by inflammation of the nasal mucosa, the pharynx, and conjunctiva, and by headache and severe, often generalized, myalgia.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Organs affected by Flu-like symptoms:

The list of organs typically affected by Flu-like symptoms may include, but is not limited to:

• General constitution
• Sinuses
• Throat

Detailed list of causes of Flu-like symptoms

The list below shows some of the causes of Flu-like symptoms mentioned in various sources:

• Anthrax - flu-like symptoms
• Blastomycosis - flu-like symptoms
• Bornholm disease - flu-like symptoms
• Bowel bypass syndrome - flu-like illness
• Bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome - flu-like illness

See full list of 64 causes of Flu-like symptoms

How Common are these Causes of Flu-like symptoms?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Flu-like symptoms. Of the 64 causes of Flu-like symptoms that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 3 causes are "very common" diseases
• 4 causes are "common" diseases
• 2 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 0 causes are "rare" diseases
• 26 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 31 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 64 causes of Flu-like symptoms

Conditions listing symptoms: Flu-like symptoms:

The following list of conditions have 'Flu-like symptoms' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Flu-like symptoms Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Flu-like symptoms based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: