Respiratory

Medicines for Influenza

A common viral infection that tends to come on quickly with fever, aches and exhaustion — usually managed at home with rest, fluids and simple pain relief, with antiviral medicines kept for those at higher risk and vaccination as the main prevention.

Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.

Written by Meds Global Health Clinical Team · Clinically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS, Founder & Clinical Director · Last reviewed · How we review

Quick answer

What is Influenza?

Influenza, or flu, is a viral infection of the airways that typically arrives suddenly with a high temperature, body aches, headache, a dry cough, sore throat and a deep sense of tiredness. It is more than a heavy cold: people often feel too unwell to carry on as normal for several days.

  • How it is treated: For most people the mainstay is simple supportive care: rest, plenty of fluids, and paracetamol to bring down fever and ease aches.
  • Self-care: Rest, keep fluids up, and take up the annual flu vaccine if you are eligible, as it is the most effective way to prevent serious illness.
  • When to seek help: Get urgent help if there is difficulty breathing or breathlessness, chest pain, confusion, coughing up blood, or if symptoms improve and then suddenly get worse.

What it is

Influenza, or flu, is a viral infection of the airways that typically arrives suddenly with a high temperature, body aches, headache, a dry cough, sore throat and a deep sense of tiredness. It is more than a heavy cold: people often feel too unwell to carry on as normal for several days. For most otherwise healthy people it is unpleasant but self-limiting, easing over about a week, though the cough and fatigue can linger. The main concern is in those who are more vulnerable — older people, young children, pregnant women and people with long-term heart, lung, kidney or immune conditions — in whom flu can lead to complications such as a chest infection. Annual vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the risk of catching it and of becoming seriously unwell.

How it is treated

For most people the mainstay is simple supportive care: rest, plenty of fluids, and paracetamol to bring down fever and ease aches. There is no need for antibiotics, which do not work against the flu virus. Antiviral medicine is not used routinely; it is reserved for people at higher risk of complications or those who are severely unwell, and it works best when started early in the illness, so prompt assessment matters for those who may benefit. Prevention is central to the overall approach — annual flu vaccination is offered to those most at risk and substantially lowers the chance of serious illness. Anyone whose breathing becomes difficult, or who seems to recover and then deteriorates, should be reassessed.

For this condition, these medicines

Medicine classes used for Influenza

Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.

Influenza antivirals Anti-infective Reserved for people at higher risk of complications or with severe illness, and most effective when started early in the infection. Paracetamol Pain A simple, well-tolerated choice to lower fever and ease the aches and headache that come with flu.

Symptom checker

Symptoms that can point to Influenza

Influenza can be one cause of these symptoms. Each guide explains the other possible causes and the red-flag warning signs that mean you should get urgent help:

FeverA fever is a rise in body temperature, usually above 38°C, and is most often a sign that t…Chills and shiveringA feeling of being cold with shivering or shaking, usually as the body raises its temperat…Cold sweatsBreaking out in a clammy, cold sweat that is not caused by heat or exertion — often a norm…Blocked or stuffy noseA stuffy, congested or blocked nose where the lining is swollen and the airways feel obstr…Loss of smellA reduced or absent sense of smell — often dulling the sense of taste as well — which is m…Loss of tasteA reduced or altered sense of taste, where food tastes bland, odd or of nothing at all — u…Frequent sneezingRepeated, sudden bursts of sneezing as the nose tries to clear an irritant — most often fr…

Beyond medication

Lifestyle and self-care

Rest, keep fluids up, and take up the annual flu vaccine if you are eligible, as it is the most effective way to prevent serious illness.

When to get help

When to see a doctor

Get urgent help if there is difficulty breathing or breathlessness, chest pain, confusion, coughing up blood, or if symptoms improve and then suddenly get worse. People who are older, pregnant, very young or living with long-term heart, lung, kidney or immune conditions should seek advice sooner, as they are more likely to develop complications.

999Emergency — call 999 or go to A&E
111Urgent advice — call NHS 111 or use 111 online
GPNon-urgent — see your GP or pharmacist

Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.

Answers

Influenza: frequently asked questions

What medicines are used for influenza?

For most people, no specific medicine is needed beyond paracetamol to ease fever and aches, alongside rest and fluids. Antiviral medicines are kept for people at higher risk of complications or those who are severely unwell, and they work best when started early. Antibiotics do not help, because flu is caused by a virus.

Do I need an antiviral for the flu?

Usually not. Antivirals are not given to everyone — they are reserved for people more likely to become seriously ill or those who already are, and they are most useful when begun soon after symptoms start. If you are in a higher-risk group, contact a healthcare professional promptly so they can decide whether one is appropriate.

How is flu different from a cold?

Flu tends to come on quickly and hit harder, with a high temperature, marked body aches and exhaustion that can leave you unable to carry on as usual. A cold is generally milder, builds more gradually and centres on the nose and throat. Both are viral, but flu is more likely to lead to complications in vulnerable people.

How can I avoid getting flu?

The single most effective step is the annual flu vaccine, especially if you are in an eligible or higher-risk group, because the virus changes each year. Good hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying away from others while unwell also help reduce the spread.

Keep reading

Related articles

Seasonal vaccinations: flu and COVID boosters explainedA plain-English UK guide to seasonal flu and COVID booster vaccines — why they change each…Vaccination in pregnancy explained: protecting mother and babyA plain-English guide to vaccines offered in pregnancy in the UK — why whooping cough, flu…Colds and flu explainedA clear guide to colds and flu — how they differ, why antibiotics do not help, self-care a…

Sources

Where this is drawn from

  • NICE CKS: Influenza — seasonal.
  • NICE CKS: Flu.

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