Influenza - How to Treat Flu Symptoms at Home

Influenza is the most common disease in the U.S. that can be prevented by vaccination. Yet, 5-20% of the population (about 15-60 million people) come down with this potentially life threatening respiratory illness. Annually, there are approximately 36,00 deaths related to influenza.

Serious complication due to the flu can occur at any age. However, children, people over 65 years of age, and those with chronic medical conditions are at the highest risk. The symptoms of the flu include: fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, runny and stuffy nose, and body aches. These symptoms usually occur suddenly, and those affected report feeling as if they were "hit by a truck." Although symptoms of a regular cold are similar, they develop gradually over a few days and are not as intense as the symptoms of the flu.

The influenza virus multiplies in the lungs and it spreads from one person to another via droplets from coughing and sneezing. That's why it is very important to cover your mouth (preferably with your sleeve, not the hand) when coughing or sneezing. Washing your hands is also crucial to prevent the spread of the virus.

What to do when the virus strikes?

Two of the most important things that you can do for yourself or your family members when they get the flu is to rest and drink plenty of clear fluids. Warm tea with honey and lemon for older children and adults, as well as chicken soup (homemade is the best, but canned counts too) will help to thin out secretions. Scientists confirmed what moms and grandmas knew all along: chicken soup helps in upper respiratory illnesses by loosening up mucus. Therefore, a daily dose of chicken soup daily during the illness will help you feel better and may speed up the recovery. If you are a vegetarian, vegetable broth or warm tea with honey will do.

Do not be afraid of the fever. Fever simply means that the body is trying to fight off the infection. Since it stimulates the immune system, reducing the fever may not be necessarily beneficial. I use general rules of thumb when counseling patients about the fever treatment:

If the fever is less than 102 and the patient is comfortable, I suggest fluids and cool compresses to the neck, armpits, and the groin area. The skin in those areas is thinner than anywhere else and blood vessels are closer to the surface. Cool compresses will help to cool the blood, thus reducing the fever. But do not let the feverish person shiver as shivering, which is caused by contracting muscles, increases the body's temperature.

If the fever gets to 102 or above, or for any fever that causes discomfort, I suggest acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol), or ibuprofen (i.e. Motrin, or Advil) in addition to fluids, rest, and compresses.

Viral illnesses, such as the influenza, may produce fever lasting for 3-4 days. At any time the fever persists beyond 3 days, or it cannot be controlled with fever reducing medicines like Tylenol or Motrin, you should seek evaluation of your health care provider.

Most people recover from the influenza in about 1-2 weeks. However, a significant number of people infected with the flu will develop complications, such as an ear or sinus infection, pneumonia, or encephalitis. In addition, the flu may exacerbate chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart diseases, or COPD. Furthermore, a significant fatigue that accompanies the influenza may persist for 3-4 weeks.

One of the most effective ways to prevent getting sick with the flu is through vaccination. Young children 6 months of age or older, adults over 65 years of age, people with chronic illnesses, especially those affecting the respiratory and cardiac system, should get vaccinated against the influenza annually

When the flu strikes, the following will help you get better:

Rest
Warm clear fluids (no milk as it thickens mucus and worsens symptoms)
Chicken soup (loosens up mucus)
Expectorant (i.e. Robitussin, Mucinex)*
Fever reducing agents (i.e. Tylenol, Motrin, or Advil)*
Saline nasal drops (relieve congestion)
Antiviral medications prescribed by your health care provider
Possibly antibiotics

*Contact your health care provider to get safe dosing instructions for children

Why do I need to get the flu shot every year?

The influenza virus is very adaptable and is constantly changing. Different strains of the virus may exchange their genes or simply mutate leading to the birth of new influenza strains. The influenza vaccine available to us every fall is a result of scientific predications as to which influenza strain will predominate in the up-coming season. Since no prediction is ever exact, the available vaccine may not necessarily be 100% effective if the prediction for the season turns out inaccurate. In addition, since the virus has the ability to change rapidly from season to season, the flu vaccine that will be available to us this year probably would not be effective in the next flu season. Thus we should get vaccinated against the influenza every fall.

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