Synonyms
Influenza, real flu, viral flu
Causes of joint and limb pain
In the case of a real flu (influenza), which is caused by a virus of the family of orthomyxoviruses, there is not only general indisposition and breathing difficulties, but also joint pain and aching limbs. The cause of this joint and limb pain is the body’s defence reaction against the virus that has penetrated the body. Our immune system generally consists of 2 parts.
On the one hand there is the so-called innate immune system, which acts non-specifically against all potentially harmful invaders, and there is the acquired immune system, which is responsible for ensuring that patients who, for example, once had a measles infection have lifelong protection against measles. Infection with the influenza virus leads to a defensive reaction of the innate immune system. The body actively targets the virus and tries to eliminate it as a pest. This defensive reaction of the body causes a certain overreaction of the body and the body’s own defense cells such as macrophages then ensure that the virus is removed, but at the same time there is always a slight damage to the body’s own cells. This can then lead to general joint and limb pain.
Mental, psychosomatic causes
A true flu (influenza) is caused by the influenza A or B virus and leads to a rapid high temperature rise, limb and headaches and difficult breathing (dyspnoea). The causes of influenza are infection with the influenza A virus (in rare cases also influenza B, even more rarely influenza C). However, it is also possible that influenza has psychosomatic causes.
In general, feeling unwell, for example due to stress or other psychological factors, means that the immune system is no longer as strong as in a happy, psychologically strong person. Therefore, it is possible that a mentally unstable person may fall ill with flu more easily than a happy person. In addition, people who are under a lot of stress put their body permanently in an extreme situation.
Permanently stressed patients have a significantly increased concentration of stress hormones, such as adrenaline or cortisol in their blood. However, the body cannot maintain this state for long without harming itself. Therefore the body has to stop the increased hormone production at some point, which then leads to a drop in performance. If the stress remains, however, the body can no longer cope with the situation and the immune system is now more susceptible to diseases such as the flu virus. Therefore, a psychosomatic cause can also be the reason for a flu while a healthy lifestyle serves as a prophylaxis against a virus attack.
