How does influenza affect the body?

Flu, it would seem, is a familiar and not so terrible disease. But we do not even imagine all the consequences that arise in the body after the flu. For example, how does influenza affect brain function and the nervous system? Why is the kidney and liver worse after the influenza ? What and how changes in the body after the flu?

This terrible beast - the flu

Flu and cold are the most common diseases among all infectious diseases. But few people know that influenza viruses are different among themselves, and the most common ones that "work" in commonwealth with each other are the influenza A and B viruses. It is because of them that there is a danger of epidemics every year .

The nature of these diseases is unpredictable precisely because the viruses constantly change their structure - this is called antigenic changes. Therefore, the immune system of the organism recognizes changed viruses not immediately, it takes time to learn how to deal with them.

Sources of influenza in nature

The most common source of viruses in nature are birds, so today the whole world is afraid of the possibility of epidemics of avian flu. When the avian influenza virus is transmitted to a person, it again mutates and takes on new forms, so it is difficult for physicians to invent a vaccine against these kinds of flu.

Of course, the virus is also transmitted from person to person. The flu is transmitted so quickly from a sick person to a healthy one, because its incubation period is very short - from one day to six days. In addition, the human body is very susceptible to the influenza virus, and immunity adapts to its different types very slowly. Therefore, new variants of the viral antigen make doctors constantly worry and look for more and more new drugs for influenza.

What happens in the body during infection with the flu?

The first virus is affected by the respiratory tract, and then the gastrointestinal tract. The influenza virus primarily settles in the epithelium - the cells of the mucous membrane. Thus, the cells of the bronchi, the trachea are endangered , because of which their structure is disturbed and the cell layer gradually dies. Affected cells are rejected by the body, which leads to intoxication of the whole organism.

This process takes place in the body very quickly. The organism reacts to these destructive processes by disrupting the work of all vital systems, allergy, weakness and high temperature (not always). The nervous system, the respiratory system, the vessels and the brain suffer the first. The state of capture of an organism by enemy pathogens is called virusemia. Its duration - from a week to two, after which the virus affects the internal organs of man. Suffers blood, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes and the brain. A person feels tired, broken and unable to do anything. New research, moreover, shows the ability of viruses to affect even leukocytes and lymphocytes (human blood cells) by infecting them.

How does influenza affect respiratory function?

Naturally, the respiratory organs are affected by influenza viruses among the first. This is not surprising, since viruses penetrate the body through the mouth and nose. In this case, in humans, we observe coughing, runny nose, and respiratory arrest, which are not permanent, but in the first two to three days after the virus struck the cells of the body.

How does the flu suffer from blood vessels?

The vascular system suffers from influenza viruses, collapsing, being affected by toxins and changing its properties. Not for the better, of course. Influenza viruses act on the vessels toxic and increase their fragility, vulnerability and permeability to foreign microorganisms. From this, the circulation of blood in the vessels is disturbed. As a result, a person has bleeding from the nose, a rash on the skin of a hemorrhagic nature, small pimples on the mucous membranes and hyperemia of the veins. Internal organs are oversaturated with blood, resulting in its stagnation and hemorrhage. Influenza viruses reward a person with such problems as thrombosis of small and deep veins and small capillaries.

Small vessels are no longer so elastic, their tone is disturbed, so unwanted changes occur in the lungs. Pulmonary tissue swells, blood flows into the alveoli. Destructive changes in the lungs lead to disruption of the central nervous system. Neurological syndrome develops.

How does influenza affect the brain?

Since the permeability of the vessels is disturbed, the virus infects the toxins with receptors at the sites of the brain tissue plexus. And then the spinal cord fluid is produced in increased amounts. This causes a person to develop neurocirculation disorders. He may suffer from increased intracranial pressure, and as a result - cerebral edema.

The influenza virus also affects the autonomic nervous system through a complex of nervous system disorders. Even the intermediate brain is affected - such important areas as the pituitary and hypothalamus. As a result, the basic processes of the nervous system are violated. Cells of the brain are intensely affected by influenza viruses, because of which, under the influence of toxins, the whole organism responds to this attack with increased allergenicity.

How does influenza affect the work of the heart?

The influenza virus also infects the heart muscle, at visible level it is manifested by reduced arterial pressure, weakness, reduced, as it were, a muted rhythm of heart tones with the upper noise of systole tones and urge to vomit.

The body temperature of a person decreases, and after that the heart starts to work more clearly and loudly, and the upper noise of the systole disappears. In 40% of people affected by the flu, doctors state bradycardia - a kind of heart rhythm disorder, in which their frequency is reduced. True, it should be noted that myocardial infarction in patients with influenza is extremely rare, only if the flu is supplemented with mycoplasmal and adenoviral infections, as well as with an increased attack of bacteria with complications.

How externally does the flu appear?

After the incubation period has passed, during which the viruses are introduced into the structure of living cells of the body (1-6 days), a person falls ill sharply. Symptoms of the flu are manifested as an immediate increase in temperature (with good functioning of the immune system, which tries to fight viruses and bacteria), chills, coughing, headache. The temperature with medium and severe form of influenza can rise to 40 degrees Celsius. In addition, a person affected by the flu, there are all the signs of toxicosis - poisoning with the products of the vital activity of the viruses - myalgia (all the muscles ache), aches in the joints, weakness, the urge to vomit. With a severe form of influenza, in 3% of cases there is also a clouding of consciousness.

If the fever from the day of the disease lasts more than five days, then the flu has given you complications due to an incorrect treatment regimen or a weak organism. In the normal course of this disease, the temperature should drop to the fourth-sixth day.

The most common complication of the flu is pneumonia (pneumonia), which can be difficult to cure. If the virus is particularly active, and the body is weakened, pneumonia can join the flu on the third day after the appearance of the classic symptoms - temperature, cough and headache.

In order not to aggravate your situation, you need to see a doctor already in the first day of the course of the disease. Do not expect that the flu "will pass by itself." You now know how influenza affects the body, so your main job is to find and neutralize the enemy in time with the help of medics.