Flu Symptoms and Treatment
Many of us experience flu once in our lives, but we do not make efforts to know much about flu. We know that flu necessitates us to take rest from our routine work and causes severe pains and aches. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between common cold and flu due to similar symptoms. So it is essential to identify the details of flu symptoms and treatment.
Influenza viruses cause highly contagious respiratory illness, which is often medically termed as influenza. The virus that causes influenza normally enters through mucus membrane of ears, nose and mouth of an individual. When a patient suffering from flu sneezes or coughs, the viruses tend to spread through air to others around. As the infection is airborne, the affected persons are usually asked to close their mouth while coughing and sneezing since this can reduce the transmission of the infection.
Impact of Influenza
The infection spreads fast in schools, workplaces and hostels where children and youngsters live close together. Aged people with weak immune system, infants and severely ill people get affected badly and this disease sometimes proves to be fatal. In U.S.A, on an average, annually, 5-20% people get flu, 200,000 people are hospitalized for the treatment for flu complications and 38,000 people die due to flu.
Flu Symptoms and Treatment
When you are exposed to the virus, you can experience mild to severe symptoms within one to three days. Mild symptoms should not be neglected. If neglected, this may prove to be very acute within the next few days. It is important to monitor the temperature after when the mild symptoms become visible. The symptoms constitute
- Dry cough
- Extreme tiredness
- Muscle aches
- Chills
- Headache
- High fever
- Running nose
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Infants suffer a lot than elderly people with stomach ailments and running nose. The treatment for flu includes antiviral, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines and home remedial treatment.
Treatment Methodologies
Antivirals
Antivirals are prescribed to the patients within 12hours -2 days since the onset of the symptoms of flu. Antivirals obstruct the virus from spreading to other parts of the body. Antivirals can be used to prevent the widespread of flu in shared living areas such as nursing homes and college hostels. Pregnant women can be given antivirals as they are not allowed to take flu vaccination. The medicines are used to treat influenza. They can also be taken by people who nurse the affected patients to prevent from infection.
Flu vaccine
Flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu. Flu vaccines are very effective because new medications are added to the flu vaccine very frequently by scientists across the world.
So, when you get infected with flu, just consult your medical practitioner and get to know which is the right and effective medication for you and get treated as soon as possible.
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