‘Man flu’ myth busted in major man vs woman debate

A health expert has settled a long-standing debate on whether “man flu” truly exists and whether men do suffer worse in comparison to women when they come down with the flu.

This comes after the NHS reported that the UK is facing an “unprecedented” flu season, with one particular strain, H3N2, becoming the more dominant variant across the country as well as the world.

GP for LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, Dr Bhavini Shah, says the flu, or influenza, can come in many different forms. The most common form of flu is seasonal flu, likely caused by the influenza A or B virus, which causes outbreaks in the winter period.

She said: "Swine flu is another form of the influenza A virus which has similar symptoms to the common seasonal flu, and bird flu is more serious but very rarely spreads to humans. Flu, similar to covid-19, can be passed between people on droplets from coughing or sneezing, or from ingesting after touching a contaminated surface."

Common symptoms if an individual has the flu consists of:

• Sudden high temperature or fever
• Aching body and exhaustion
• A dry cough or sore throat
• Headaches
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach pain or diarrhoea
• Nausea and vomiting

Flu symptoms are usually at their worst after the first couple of days but most people will recover from flu in about a week.

"The flu can share symptoms of a more serious illness. If you are concerned, speak to your doctor. Meningitis, malaria, and pneumonia all present similar symptoms to the flu, but are each much more serious and require immediate medical attention as they could become life-threatening," she added.

Additionally, addressing “man flu” Dr Bhavini Shah said, "Man flu is portrayed in pop culture as men exaggerating common cold or flu symptoms. There is no medical evidence that there is a specific common influenza virus which only infects men."