How to treat the flu is a question that is on a lot of minds; and this year is a double whammy with normal seasonal flu and the Novel H1N1 swine flu strain hitting at the same time. What should we be doing?
Unfortunately, there really is only one thing different that most of us can do and that's get the vaccination for seasonal flu as soon as it becomes available in your area. Vaccinations for H1N1 are going to be in limited supply and only available persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years, plus health care workers and some care givers. If you are otherwise healthy and over 24 you will not get a shot for swine flu.
The symptoms of seasonal flu and swine flu are almost identical and it really takes a lab test to figure out which one you have. The symptoms are fever, sore throat, coughing, runny nose, nasal congestion and generally feeling run down.
Symptoms that should trigger a call to the doctor or ER are difficulty breathing, bluish tint to skin, persistent vomiting, or the return of symptoms after the fever has broken.
You can't "cure" the flu but you can treat the symptoms. The following are generally accepted treatments:
* Use Tylenol or ibuprofen to treat the fever
* Get plenty of rest. With the seasonal flu, your immune system will do as much to rid the flu as anything else. Unfortunately, no one has ever been exposed to N1H1 before so the immune system will be of little help.
* Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 150 pounds then drink at least 75 ounces of water.
* Eat nutritious food and try to include garlic, onion, rosemary and thyme in your diet for their anti-viral qualities.
* Gargle with warm salt water each morning and evening to help prevention of infection in the throat.
* If you are on prescription drugs, check with your doctor to see how, or if, they will interact with the flu virus.
The second half of treatment is containment. Keeping the infected from infecting more.
* While masks (N95) will not protect you from getting the flu, it can be used on the patient to deter spreading the disease.
* Try to keep at least 4 feet from the patient. An infected person can spray the virus up to 3 feet with a cough or sneeze.
* Have the patient wash his or her hands frequently.
* Sanitize any surfaces the patient touches. When washing bedding or clothes, use a basket to move the laundry, don't hug it in your arms.
Influenza, be it seasonal or H1N1 is miserable. Hopefully these tips will help in a speedy recovery and a return to regular life.
Did you know that a family of four has an 80 percent chance of having a member be infected with swine flu? Do you have a plan to provide for care if a kid can't go to school? Did you know that vaccinations will be rationed due to a shortage of supply?
by Rachel Willson
ezinearticles.com
14 years ago
