How to fight a cold or the flu (with photos) - tips

Content

Steps
Advice
Warning

The common cold and the flu are respiratory viral infections with similar symptoms such as stuffy nose, fever, muscle aches, body aches, sore throat, fatigue and nausea. Symptoms of severe spasms and diarrhea is another viral infection called "gastroenteritis" and requires other treatment. Unfortunately, there is no way to get rid of these viruses completely and you have to wait for your immune system to defeat them. However, there are ways to help relieve symptoms during the illness to support the immune system.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Treating a cold or flu at home

Take over-the-counter medications. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) both help reduce fever. Reducing a fever 1-2 degrees will also help you feel better. They are also pain relievers, helping to relieve sore throats, muscle aches caused by cold or flu.
- Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen in children. Do not take aspirin as it can cause Reye's syndrome to be life-threatening.
Take medicine to treat nasal congestion. You can take an over-the-counter decongestant to relieve a stuffy nose caused by a cold or the flu. Many over-the-counter fever reducers have a combination of cough relief and nasal congestion relief. Take it as directed and do not combine it or take it for longer than directed.
- If you do not want to take medicine, you can use saline saline as drops or sprays, especially suitable for children because it is only salt water. Always use the product according to the instructions.
Gargle with warm salt water. This is a simple, safe way to relieve sore throats caused by colds and the flu. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water. Keep a little diluted salt water in the back of your throat and rinse your mouth for 30 seconds. This method is safe and can be repeated if necessary.
- Do not swallow salt water to avoid adverse health effects. If allowing young children to rinse their mouths with salt water, make sure they rinse their mouths without choking.
Rehydration. Drinking lots of water is very beneficial for health. Various types of fluids help dilute congested mucus, moisturize and soothe sore throats, and prevent dehydration in the event of vomiting during a cold or flu.
- If you have "gastroenteritis" causing vomiting and diarrhea, you should drink sports drinks like Gatorade to replace your electrolytes. For young children, it is advisable to give them special fluids that help replenish electrolytes like Pedialyte instead of using sports drinks.
- When you have a cold, you can drink more fruit juice and broth.
- Men need to drink 13 glasses of water, women need 9 glasses of water a day.
Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Drinks containing caffenine and alcoholic beverages should be avoided when sick. These drinks are all diuretic, making dehydration worse instead of rehydrating the body.
Full rest. Both colds and flu are caused by viruses. Your immune system will “fight” the virus on its own, but you should still get plenty of rest to support your immune system. You should take time off from school or work to stay home and sleep more.
Take a hot bath. The moist environment helps dilute and break down mucus, relieve congestion and relieve sore throat. A hot bath can provide the above benefits.
Use a humidifier. You can use a humidifier to increase the humidity of your indoor air. This is as effective in reducing congestion as taking a hot bath. Choose a cool mist mode and clean the device daily to avoid mold or bacteria that cause symptoms to worsen.
Use over-the-counter cough drops or drops. You can use over-the-counter lozenges or throat sprays to relieve cough and sore throat symptoms. These products are safe to use in combination with other cold and flu medicines and help reduce throat irritation to reduce coughing.
Avoid smoking and other throat irritants. Smoking not only causes many health complications, but smoking also makes cold symptoms worse and last longer due to an irritated throat. In addition to avoiding smoking, limit your exposure to other throat irritants like cigarette smoke, smoke, and air pollution. advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Recognizing the signs that you should see your doctor

Watch the fever. Young children with a fever higher than 39 degrees C need to see a doctor. In addition, both adults and children should see a doctor if the fever persists for more than 3 days or if an over-the-counter fever-reducing medicine doesn't work.
Monitor liquid filling status. See a doctor right away if symptoms of "gastroenteritis" including severe vomiting and diarrhea make it difficult for the body to retain water. Dehydration and loss of other essential minerals and vitamins due to vomiting and diarrhea are considered serious complications. If necessary, your doctor can take steps to help rehydrate you.
Observe the child's pale skin (if any). If a young child has flu symptoms, watch for pale skin. If so, this is a sign of hypoxia, meaning the child is having difficulty breathing. In that case, seek immediate medical help for the child.
Keep track of the time of illness. Most people with colds and flu recover completely within 2 weeks. If your symptoms persist or worsen within 10 days, see your doctor right away. These may be signs that the symptom is due to another cause. Or the doctor will have to prescribe antiviral drugs to support the immune system.
Watch for symptoms of difficulty breathing (if any). Should see a doctor if breathing is difficult, shaking shoulders when breathing, signs of wheezing, shortness of breath. This is a sign that a cold or flu has led to a more serious viral infection such as pneumonia or bronchitis. These diseases require the intervention of a doctor to reduce symptoms.
Watch for ear pain or pus in the ear (if present). If the cold or the flu turns into an ear or sinus infection, you may experience pain or discharge from the ear. This is a sign of infection and should be treated with antibiotics.
See a doctor if your mood changes. See a doctor right away if you experience confusion, disorientation, fainting, or other altered mental states. This could be a complication from a high fever, dehydration or another worrying flu symptom. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Prevent the spread of colds and flu

Get a flu shot. The best way to avoid or prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each year. This vaccine protects you from a wide variety of influenza viruses that experts think will show up during the upcoming flu season. You can go to the hospital or clinic to get the flu vaccine.
- Unfortunately, the flu vaccine does not protect you from the common cold, nor does it guarantee it to protect you from all strains of the flu virus. However, vaccines significantly reduce the risk of viral infection.
Wash your hands often. Frequent hand washing with warm, soapy water is the best way to kill cold and flu viruses. This will help avoid spreading the virus (if you are sick) and from getting the virus (if you are not already).
Do not share cups or eating utensils. Objects that come in direct contact with the mouth (cups or utensils) are a direct way of transmitting cold and flu viruses. Sharing utensils with sick people is susceptible to infection. If you are already sick, you should avoid sharing these items with others to reduce the risk of infection.
- For young children, do not share toys, nipples and similar objects that they may put in their mouths.
Cover your cough or sneeze. Coughing and sneezing will release the virus into the air, causing everyone around you to be infected with the virus. Therefore, you should always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Experts recommend covering your mouth with your sleeve or elbow instead of using your hands.
- If you have to use your hands, wash your hands with warm, soapy water after covering your mouth.
Take vitamin C supplements. Research shows that supplementing with vitamin C when sick has only minor effects on the virus. However, taking it before the onset of illness can help reduce the duration of the illness. Providing enough vitamin C needed to help shorten the duration of illness.
Take antiviral medication. If you are around someone with a cold, healthy people should still take antiviral medicine to reduce the chance of getting the virus. Taking medication early can reduce the risk of viral infection by 70-90%.
- These come in pill, liquid, or inhaler form and require a prescription from your doctor. The most common are Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), Zanamivir (Relenza), Amantadine (Symmetrel), and Rmantadine (Flumadine).
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