A normal recovery
| Time since symptoms began | What is typical |
|---|---|
| First few days to 2 weeks | Most people recover from flu in this window.[1] |
| 3 to 8 weeks | A leftover cough is common: 11% to 25% of adults have one after a respiratory infection. The infection leaves the airways more sensitive and making more mucus for a while.[2] |
| More than 8 weeks | No longer considered a post-infection cough. It needs a check for other causes such as asthma or COPD.[2] |
Easing the cough
Reviews of clinical trials found no proof that inhaled steroids, inhalers that open the airways, or oral medicines speed up recovery from this kind of cough. Knowing it is expected and will pass is the main treatment.[2] For short-term relief of other symptoms, see symptom relief.
Tiredness
Fatigue is one of flu's main symptoms.[1] Feeling worn out for a while after the fever ends is common, and most people recover within a few days to less than two weeks.[1]
Rarely, flu can inflame the heart muscle or lead to other serious complications.[1] Tiredness together with chest pain, shortness of breath, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or fainting is not normal recovery and should be checked promptly.
Red flags: get checked
- A fever or cough that improved and then came back or got worse. This is a CDC emergency warning sign.[1] Getting worse after getting better.
- Coughing up blood, trouble swallowing, marked shortness of breath, a hoarse voice, or whole-body symptoms such as fever or weight loss.[2]
- Coughing fits, vomiting after coughing, or a "whoop" when breathing in, which can be whooping cough.[2]
- A cough lasting more than 8 weeks.[2]
- A long-term condition such as asthma, COPD, heart failure, or diabetes that is getting worse.[3]