一、2025 Flu Symptoms: Typical and Atypical Manifestations
According to the core points of the "2025 Version of the Influenza Diagnosis and Treatment Plan" and the latest clinical observations, the 2025 flu symptoms still take systemic symptoms as the main manifestations, but there are obvious differences in different groups of people, and some atypical symptoms are also worthy of attention.
1. Typical Symptoms
The onset is acute, with high fever (up to 39-40℃) and headache as the initial symptoms, accompanied by respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, dry cough, stuffy nose and runny nose, as well as systemic symptoms including chills, fatigue and loss of appetite. Muscle soreness, especially in the legs and back, is particularly prominent, and some patients describe it as "feeling like running a marathon" superscript:2superscript:5>.
2. Atypical Symptoms and Population Differences
Elderly people: Symptoms may be atypical, often presenting with low-grade fever or no fever, with prominent respiratory symptoms or mental malaise, which is easy to be ignored superscript:2>.
Children: Gastrointestinal symptoms are more common in those infected with type B influenza, such as abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, in addition to common respiratory symptoms superscript:2>.
Special groups: About 40% of confirmed patients in 2025 have no obvious fever symptoms, but only show persistent fatigue, dry cough with tight throat, decreased appetite, eye soreness and photophobia. These "low-key" symptoms are easy to be mistaken for "getting angry" or "staying up late" superscript:5>.
二、Comprehensive Prevention Strategies: Combining Conventional and TCM Methods
Preventing influenza requires a multi-pronged approach. We should take conventional scientific preventive measures as the foundation and integrate TCM's "preventive treatment of diseases" concept to strengthen the body's resistance and block the spread of the virus.
1. Conventional Preventive Measures (Recommended by CDC and China CDC)
Vaccination is the first and most important measure: Everyone aged 6 months and above should get a flu vaccine every season, especially high-risk groups such as children under 5 years old, pregnant women, the elderly over 65 years old, and patients with chronic diseases (such as asthma, diabetes, heart and lung diseases). For the 2025-2026 flu season, single-dose formulations of flu vaccine free of thimerosal are recommended for children, pregnant women and adults. It is best to complete vaccination by the end of October superscript:1superscript:2>.
Maintain good personal hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap or hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds using the six-step handwashing method; keep indoor ventilation and clean the environment regularly superscript:3>.
Strengthen personal protection: Avoid going to crowded and poorly ventilated places. When going to hospitals and other places, wear masks and disinfect in time to avoid cross-infection. If you are sick, stay at home and isolate yourself until your symptoms improve overall and you have no fever for at least 24 hours without taking antipyretic drugs superscript:1superscript:3>.
Enhance immunity: Maintain a balanced diet, moderate exercise, adequate sleep and regular work and rest to improve the body's resistance superscript:3>.
2. TCM Prevention Methods (Based on TCM Wisdom of "Preventive Treatment of Diseases")
TCM believes that influenza belongs to "seasonal influenza" caused by exogenous pathogenic factors. The core of prevention is to "avoid pathogenic factors externally and consolidate healthy qi internally" superscript:6>.
中医认为流感属“时行感冒”，由外感淫邪所致，预防核心为“外避病邪、内固正气”superscript:6>。
Dietary Therapy: Dispelling Pathogens and Tonifying Qi Through Diet
Scallion and Fermented Soybean Soup: Pound 7-8 scallion whites with the back of a knife, add a small handful of salted fermented soybeans, boil in water and drink. It has the effect of relieving exterior syndrome and dispelling cold superscript:4>.
Scallion Braised Tofu: Cut scallions into sections, stir-fry, add shiitake mushrooms, cook with tofu, and add an appropriate amount of pepper. It can invigorate the spleen and dispel cold superscript:4>.
White Radish and Ginger Soup: Cook white radish slices and ginger slices with water, add a little rock sugar. It is suitable for relieving dry cough and sore throat caused by mild flu superscript:4>.
External Therapy: Convenient and Effective Daily Protection
Moxibustion: For adults, select Zusanli point (4 horizontal fingers below the outer knee eye, 1 horizontal finger outside the tibial crest), suspend moxibustion with moxa stick 2-3 cm away from the skin, 10-15 minutes per side, 2-3 times a week, to tonify middle qi and strengthen the spleen and stomach. For children over 3 years old, moxibustion on Shenzhu point (below the 3rd thoracic spinous process on the midline of the back) can be performed under the guidance of a doctor, no more than 5 minutes at a time superscript:6>.
TCM Sachet: Grind mugwort leaves, atractylodes lancea, agastache rugosa, angelica dahurica, mint, cyrtomium rhizome, etc., into powder, put into a sachet to wear around the body or place indoors, and replace the medicinal materials every week. The aroma can purify the environment and assist in enhancing protection superscript:6>.
Vinegar Fumigation: For each cubic meter of space, use 8-10 ml of vinegar, dilute with twice the amount of water and heat, fumigate for 1-2 hours each time, once a day or every other day, for 3-6 consecutive days, to disinfect the air superscript:4>.
superscript:6>。
TCM Tea: Nourishing and Protecting the Body Daily
Honeysuckle and Chrysanthemum Tea: Brew honeysuckle and chrysanthemum with boiling water, add a little honey. It has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, suitable for preventing wind-heat type influenza superscript:4>.
Agastache and Eupatorium Tea: Cook 5 grams each of agastache rugosa and eupatorium fortunei, and 2 grams of mint with water instead of tea. It is suitable for preventing summer dampness type influenza superscript:4>.
三、Conclusion
The 2025 flu has both typical and atypical symptoms, which requires us to enhance our awareness of identification. By combining the conventional preventive measures represented by vaccination with the TCM prevention methods focusing on "consolidating healthy qi and avoiding pathogenic factors", we can build a comprehensive health defense line. If you have persistent discomfort, please seek medical treatment in time and do not delay the condition. Wish you and your family a healthy and safe flu season!
