How long do flu symptoms last: A day-by-day breakdown and what you should do to recover soon

While the novel coronavirus continues to impact people's lives, the flu season has added more fuel to the fire. Amid growing concerns of emerging variants and breakthrough infections, the rise in the number of flu cases has alarmed doctors and medical professionals. As per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu cases during 2020-21 were "unusually low". Given that people were masking up, taking all the precautionary measures to stay safe from COVID, it also curbed the spread of other respiratory illnesses.

However, this year, the influenza virus is rampant and has affected many. That said, here's everything you should know about the flu and the duration of the illness.

The flu or the influenza virus affects our nose, throat and the lungs. It is a respiratory illness that can trigger symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, sore throat, runny, stuffy nose, body ache and more.

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Following your exposure to the virus, you may develop the symptoms between 1-4 days and may last for upto 5 to 7 days. Those of you, who've had your flu shot, may experience the associated symptoms for a shorter length of time.

Some may continue to feel fatigued even after the pain and the discomfort has diminished.

The progression of flu symptoms is somewhat the same for everyone. Anyone who gets infected and shows symptoms will have to go through the different stages of flu. Here's a day-by-day breakdown of flu symptoms and what you can expect.

Day 1: If you have been exposed to the flu virus, you may be contagious even before the symptoms onset. On day 1, you will feel fine. But as you go about your work and daily activities, you will start experiencing a certain discomfort in your body, mild chills and body ache.

Day 2- 4: The next day, you might wake up with the classic symptoms of the flu including sore throat, fever, headache, blocked, stuffy nose and pain in the body. Between day 2-4, flu symptoms are at its peak. As per the CDC, you must maintain your distance from people around you, so as to contain the spread of the virus.

Day 5-6: By day 5, you will start to feel a bit better. With proper care and medical attention, the symptoms will become milder and you'll experience less discomfort and pain. However, continue to stay home and rest. Drink as much water as you can and eat a healthy diet.

Please note: If you do not feel better by day 5 and still have severe symptoms, get yourself professional help. Figure out the source of your illness and make sure you do not come in contact with others.

Day 7: On the seventh day, you're most likely to be able to breathe better, feel more active and will be less in pain. You will probably be on your way to work and can also step out to meet your friends. However, if your symptoms haven't diminished even now, isolate yourself and call your doctor.

A flu infection can range from mild to severe symptoms. You can consult your doctor accordingly. Drinking plenty of water, taking rest, keeping warm are some of the ways you can recover soon. However, when the symptoms are severe, you may resort to antiviral drugs as prescribed by your doctor or physician.

Read more: Flu Vaccination: Side effects that need immediate attention

At a time, when both COVID-19 and the flu are wreaking a lot of havoc in and around the world, getting your vaccines is of utmost importance.

The CDC has said that it is safe to receive vaccine shots against COVID-19 and the flu at the same time. While vaccines cannot protect you against contracting the virus, it sure makes it easier to manage it.