(Ben Renner/ Study Finds) — When we think about the flu, we think about the high fever, runny nose, and brutal body aches that come with the illness. But new research gives us something far more alarming to think about: contracting the flu and flu-like illnesses increases one’s risk of suffering a stroke and neck artery tears.
Researchers from Columbia University arrived at the frightening conclusions following two preliminary studies.
The first study found that battling a flu-like illness boosts a person’s risk of having a stroke by about 40% in the 15 days after coming down with the ailment. Though the risk decreased over time, but overall, the likelihood remained heightened for up to one year. (…)