Do body ache, cough and a skin rash indicate flu?
Patient: My husband and I thought we had the standard flu....body aches, headache, coughing and a fever of 101.+ for three days...fever has subsided and now just dealing with a wracking cough but I broke out with a rash on my chest last night and still have it. Doesn’t itch. He broke out with a rash on his back and it does itch...is that from the flu or are we dealing with something else..? Doctor: Hello -Influenza causes a cough, fever, and body aches, and is "going around" in the US right now, so there is a good chance that it is flu.  But flu doesn't typically cause a rash.  However a viral infection (which is what flu is) can cause a post-viral exanthem (rash).  Still, I advise you both to go in to be checked as rashes can be from other causes (such as a strep throat) and other reasons as well.