Is it possible with the flu?

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Nutrition for colds and flu

In this article, we will talk about methods of proper nutrition for flu and colds in adults and children.

What can you eat during the flu?

Food for influenza should first of all be well-fortified and contain a large amount of fruits and vegetables that are beneficial to the body and increase the body’s immunity.

Table of contents:

The patient needs to eat multiple meals, at least 4 - 5 rubles. per day, but best of all not in large portions. You should eat food at approximately the same time.

It is recommended to boil food well; you should consume fried and fatty foods as little as possible. In the acute period of the disease, it is recommended to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables in order to strengthen the body’s immune defenses in order to increase the body’s fight against infection.

Flu products must comply with a specific therapeutic diet number 13, which includes:

  • fresh fruits containing large amounts of vitamins. C, which has a good antiviral effect (apples, oranges, tangerines, currants, lemon);
  • vegetables (pepper, dill, garlic, parsley, green onions, carrots, beets) are recommended to be eaten regularly;
  • meat (chicken, veal);
  • broth, a low-fat chicken soup, promotes antiviral effects;
  • garlic, consume it regularly during the flu epidemic, it contains a large amount of antibacterial and antiviral substances;
  • steamed sea fish;
  • milk porridge (rice, oatmeal, pearl barley);
  • fermented milk products (cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, milk, yogurt) contain large amounts of trace elements of calcium and magnesium, which strengthen the body’s immune defenses;
  • nuts (daily consumption of walnuts during a flu epidemic significantly speeds up the recovery period);
  • honey, it is recommended to eat 1 tbsp. l. daily, best with hot milk. It has an antiviral, antibacterial, and enveloping effect.

What is recommended to exclude:

  • fried foods containing high amounts of cholesterol;
  • confectionery and sweets (sugar, buns, sweets, chocolate, jam);
  • alcoholic (spirit) products;
  • conservation;
  • coffee;
  • highly carbonated mineral water;
  • cocoa;
  • Rye bread;
  • sausage.

What should you drink when you have the flu?

Regular consumption of warm liquid during influenza and ARVI is one of the main methods of treating an existing disease. Colds regularly take away from the body a large amount of the fluid it needs, thereby gradually drying out all the mucous membranes. Drinking plenty of fluids daily restores the moisture of the mucous membranes and improves the body's anti-inflammatory properties in the fight against infection.

During the flu period, it is recommended to constantly drink water, fruit juices, hot tea with honey, boiled milk, fruit juice, compote, etc. throughout the day. On average, you need to drink at least 1.5 - 2 liters daily. liquids.

Attention: maintaining proper nutrition during the flu significantly accelerates the overall course of the disease, and also prevents the further development of unwanted complications (laryngotracheitis, acute bronchitis).

In this article, we discussed the basics of nutrition for flu and colds.

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Remember, self-medication is dangerous to your health! Consult your doctor

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What can and cannot be done if you have the flu?

What can and cannot be done when you have the flu?

Each of us has had the flu, as a rule, it happens to everyone once a year. Of course, questions arise about what can be done during this illness, and what is better to abstain from. Below we have answered the most popular questions about the flu for you:

How to distinguish influenza from ARVI and colds?

It is possible to distinguish influenza from ARVI if you know the main signs and symptoms inherent in these conditions. Comparative characteristics of the two infections are shown in the table.

Acute onset. Within an hour, the patient's condition worsens, and a sharp rise in temperature is observed.

Symptoms increase gradually over several days.

In 1-2 hours it reaches critical levels on the thermometer (up to 40 degrees). It is difficult to correct and lasts for about 3 days.

Body temperature does not exceed 38.5 and subsides within 2-3 days.

Other clinical signs

Characterized by muscle and headaches, body aches, chills with increased sweating, photophobia, and painful sensations in the eyes.

Weakness and malaise are not clearly expressed.

The nose is slightly stuffy, or generally remains free of mucus; an exacerbation of sinusitis and sinusitis is possible. The runny nose stops after 2 days. Possible sneezing and conjunctivitis.

The nose is very stuffy, there is profuse lacrimation, rhinitis, and sneezing.

The back wall of the throat and sometimes the soft palate are hyperemic and swollen.

The throat is loose and red.

Plaque on mucous membranes

Their increase is possible.

Chest pain, cough

The cough occurs two days after the onset of the acute stage of the disease, gradually turning into a wet cough. If a person is sick with swine flu, then the cough is dry, debilitating, and occurs from the very beginning of the disease.

The cough is dry and occurs in the initial stages of the disease.

Rarely, due to a bacterial complication.

Gastrointestinal disorders

In adulthood, nausea and diarrhea are likely to occur; in childhood, vomiting and diarrhea are likely.

Gastrointestinal disorders are rare.

Duration of the infectious process

The disease goes away after 7-10 days, leaving behind weakness and malaise for another 2-3 weeks.

The disease goes away after a week, there is no weakness or malaise after the illness.

How many days does a fever last for the flu?

The temperature during influenza lasts for 3-5 days, then goes down. If the body temperature remains elevated for 6-7 days or more, this indicates the development of complications.

How contagious is the flu?

Influenza is a highly contagious infection. Thus, according to available data, within an hour one patient is capable of infecting all the people who are in the same closed room with him.

Is a flu shot required?

The flu vaccine is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended for children aged 3 months and older, adults, especially those over 45 years of age, workers in the medical, educational and trade sectors, as well as people with chronic diseases and impaired immune function. Only vaccination can provide more or less reliable protection against influenza during the next epidemic.

Is it possible to go to the bathhouse if you have the flu?

You should not go to the bathhouse if you have the flu. Firstly, doctors generally do not recommend leaving the house during this infection and require bed rest. Secondly, a person’s body temperature is elevated, and in a bathhouse it can reach critical values. Thirdly, the body is weakened due to illness and additional stress will only worsen the course of the infection.

Is there flu without fever?

Any infection can occur without fever, including the flu. However, this is a dangerous signal that the immune system does not resist the disease, which is very bad. (High temperature without symptoms - what are the causes and what to do?)

Is it possible to breastfeed if you have the flu?

Breastfeeding during flu is possible if the mother does not take any medications that are incompatible with the lactation process. It is recommended to cover your face with a special sterile mask during the feeding process.

Is the flu sexually transmitted?

Experts distinguish two routes of transmission of influenza: airborne droplets and household contact. The sexual route of transmission of infection is not specified, although it is obvious that during intimate intimacy both methods of infection can be involved.

Does a mask protect against the flu?

Unfortunately, a mask will not be a reliable means of protection against the flu, and this has been proven experimentally. According to a study conducted in a large medical center in Hanoi on 1,607 doctors, it was found:

97% of viruses and pathogenic microbes penetrate through fabric masks;

56% of pathogens penetrate through masks made of non-woven material;

Masks only protect against microscopic droplets of mucus released when patients sneeze and cough;

With prolonged contact, droplets collect on the outer surface of the mask and become a source of infection.

A person with the flu should wear a mask to avoid infecting others. A healthy person can use a mask in close contact with a sick person, provided that it is replaced every hour and a half.

Can you have the flu without a cough?

Yes, there may be no cough or runny nose at all with the flu, at least in the first three days from the onset of the disease. If it appears later, it is characterized as a “dry” cough. The appearance of a cough in the first 1-2 days is a sign of an acute respiratory infection or acute respiratory viral infection.

Can you get the flu after getting vaccinated?

The appearance of flu symptoms in a vaccinated person is caused by the following reasons:

Too little time has passed since vaccination, since the production of antibodies requires at least 7 days, preferably 2-3 weeks. It is advisable at this time to limit contacts as much as possible and not visit places where large numbers of people gather;

The influenza virus that affected the patient belongs to a different strain not included in the vaccine. This circumstance occurs very rarely; the vaccine is selected taking into account the characteristics of the predicted epidemic danger. Even with such a mismatch of strains, the disease in a vaccinated person will be easier and will not cause complications;

The disease is not caused by influenza, but by ARVI viruses, that is, there is a diagnostic error;

The person fell into the same 2-4% of the total number of vaccinated people who do not develop immune protection against the disease. And even in this case, the flu will proceed according to the mildest scenario and will not cause dangerous complications.

Can vomiting occur with the flu?

Yes, maybe, since the influenza virus, entering the human body, affects many organs and systems. By vomiting, the immune system tries to rid the body of intoxication. Intoxication is especially dangerous for children, elderly and weakened patients.

Can you have the flu without a runny nose?

Yes, at the beginning of the disease, a runny nose is not a characteristic symptom of the flu. The absence of signs of a cold combined with fever and headache is one of the signs of influenza infection.

Is it possible to do inhalations with the flu?

Since influenza is a viral disease, inhalations are completely ineffective against influenza, since they have no effect on the virus. In addition, at high temperatures, any physiotherapeutic measures are contraindicated. Inhalations are used to treat complications of influenza (bronchitis, sinusitis, tracheitis) after the temperature drops to +37.5°C.

Can you drink alcohol when you have the flu?

No, alcohol causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the pharynx, which are already inflamed, aggravating the swelling and provoking an increase in the inflammatory process. The toxic damage caused by the influenza virus is enhanced by the breakdown products of alcoholic beverages, which further aggravates the condition of the sick person.

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Does vodka help with the flu?

According to medical experiments conducted in the USA in 1993, vodka or good cognac in small quantities can protect a person from infection with influenza and ARVI viruses.

The researchers explained this effect by the fact that alcohol increases the acidity of the blood plasma. An increased pH level promotes the production of interferon, which neutralizes viruses and pathogenic microbes. In addition, the permeability of the walls of blood vessels and small capillaries increases. A similar process starts in the body when inflammatory processes of any etiology appear.

Is it possible to go outside if you have the flu?

The gold standard for treating influenza is bed rest, which must be maintained until signs of the disease disappear. Any physical activity, including walking outside, forces the cardiovascular, respiratory, and circulatory systems to actively function. With an increased toxic load on the body during influenza, such a load is fraught with complications - myocardial dystrophy, heart failure. During the acute period of the disease, instead of walking, it is better to ventilate the room in which the patient is located more often, protecting it from drafts.

Can you take aspirin when you have the flu?

Contrary to the established opinion about the benefits of aspirin for the flu, it has been proven that it is unsafe to take, and for viral infections it is completely contraindicated. Since aspirin acts on blood vessels already damaged by the influenza virus, taking it can cause hemorrhagic edema of the lungs and kidneys, when the liquid fraction of blood penetrates the vascular walls and fills the organ. Aspirin in large doses causes liver necrosis, leads to acute liver and kidney failure, and provokes the appearance of Reye's syndrome with liver damage and encephalopathy.

Is it possible to get the flu again after a week?

The influenza virus is highly contagious (infectious) and variable. Although a person can develop partial immunity to certain types of this virus for 1.5-3 years, a changed subtype can re-infect the body.

However, in most repeated cases, the disease returns within a week for the following reasons:

The disease was carried on the legs, or it was not fully treated, and a relapse occurred, affecting the weakened body;

A patient with a weakened immune system suffers for the second time not the flu, but one of the types of acute respiratory viral infections caused by adenoviruses.

Are antibiotics prescribed for the flu?

Influenza is a viral infection, so antibiotics do not affect the causative agent of the disease, since their action is directed exclusively against bacteria. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat complications caused by bacteria attacking a weakened body. The most common complications are pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis, otitis media, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, and meningitis. Uncontrolled prescription of drugs from this pharmacological group leads to a decrease in overall immunity.

Is it possible to have sex when you have the flu?

Although the main route of transmission of influenza is considered to be airborne droplets, transmission of this infection cannot be ruled out during sexual contact. The influenza virus is detected in the blood soon after infection (viremia); it penetrates through any membranes, including the mucous membranes of the genital organs.

If you do not take into account this possibility of infection, then having sex exposes your partner to a considerable risk of infection. The influenza virus can spread within a radius of 3 meters around the patient. In addition, any physical activity provokes complications for the body affected by intoxication.

Can you have diarrhea with the flu?

Yes, maybe the cause of this symptom is severe intoxication, which, among all other body systems, also affects the gastrointestinal tract. The pancreas and liver temporarily lose the ability to produce digestive enzymes for complete digestion of food.

Is it possible to wash your hair if you have the flu?

If health allows, the patient can take a short shower to remove toxins actively released through the skin. It is desirable that the room is warm and the water temperature is not much higher than body temperature. After a shower, it is recommended to dry your skin and go to bed. During this procedure, a bathing cap is placed over the hair to protect it from getting wet. Wet hair takes a long time to dry and can cause hypothermia, so you should not wash your hair during the acute period of the disease to avoid complications.

Author of the article: Alekseeva Maria Yuryevna, general practitioner, especially for the site ayzdorov.ru

Influenza is a type A, C, and B virus that belongs to the orthomyxovirus family. Type A viruses can infect both humans and some animals, while type C and B viruses pose a danger exclusively to the human body. Viruses are prone to antigenic polymorphism, especially type A virus.

Most citizens of our country, both children and adults, have at least once taken sick leave due to ARVI, which is given at the first signs of hyperthermia. Each therapist prescribes a complex of 2 to 6 drugs that will definitely lead to recovery. But few people noticed that every doctor has a list of prescriptions.

Every year, with the onset of cold weather, caring parents have another reason for concern - how to protect their child from the seasonal epidemic of acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections or influenza? And if your child has already caught the virus, how can you help the child’s body cope with the virus faster and avoid serious complications? About the most effective antiviral drugs.

The collection of cones is carried out in May-June; green pine cones that have not yet opened are needed. The diameter of the cones should not be more than four centimeters. After collection, the raw materials are thoroughly washed under running water, each cone is divided into four parts and filled into a glass container (you can use a liter jar).

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The information on the site is intended for informational purposes only and does not encourage self-treatment; consultation with a doctor is required!

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7 rules for treating flu

Unfortunately, we all have to deal with the flu almost every year. It would seem that such a common disease should already be studied inside and out, and every person who has had it at least once (the number of such people in our country tends to 100%) should know the basic rules of its treatment. However, as the experience of doctors shows, things are different: often people, arrogantly believing that they know how to be treated, make mistakes.

It is worth understanding how to behave correctly if the seasonal epidemic has not bypassed you.

It should be understood that there are no effective medications that rid the body of the influenza virus. More precisely, there are, but they are used only in the most severe cases, since they are expensive and have side effects. As is the case with many other viral diseases, when treating influenza, the patient’s main task is to create optimal conditions for the body to cope with the disease on its own. Influenza is one of those diseases in the treatment of which it is not drug therapy that plays a decisive role, but the measures taken and home remedies.

Isolation from healthy people

The flu is transmitted by airborne droplets, so it is most likely to catch the virus during seasonal epidemics in areas where there are large crowds of people. If the disease has overtaken you, think about others: do not expose healthy people to the risk of infection, do not visit public places, even when the disease is mild and you feel relatively well. The more responsible you are in your public responsibilities, the less chance you will have of becoming infected during seasonal peaks of incidence each year.

Prohibition of carrying the flu on your feet

Unfortunately, our country still maintains an irresponsible attitude towards one’s health, expressed in ignoring the disease as much as possible. It is considered special valor to go to work or study, despite obvious signs of the flu. In fact, there is nothing positive in this either for the sick person or for those around him: in addition to the fact that such a person is a source of infection, his own body, weakened by the disease, experiences serious overload, which aggravates the course of the disease, prolongs ill health and contributes to the development of complications. The influenza virus is by no means harmless, since it not only causes a runny nose and fever, but also damages blood vessels and negatively affects the nervous system. Doctors say that most people hospitalized with a severe form of the flu or its complications, as well as those for whom the disease was fatal, found themselves in this situation precisely after trying to habitually endure a “cold” on their feet.

Drink plenty of fluids

The importance of drinking regime during a viral disease cannot be overestimated. When you have the flu, you should drink a lot; the formula “drink whenever you want” does not apply here: you need to drink more liquid than you want. It is advisable to keep a mug with drink within reach and fill it as soon as it is empty. As for drinks, it can be pure water (both with and without gas), tea with lemon, compote, fruit juice. The use of pharmaceutical solutions for rehydration (for example, Regidron) is encouraged, but this is not essential. The fluid entering the body helps remove toxins from it and creates optimal conditions for the functioning of the immune system, mobilized to fight the virus.

Treating the nose with saline solution

During respiratory infections, the nasal mucosa is the most vulnerable place; it is the entrance gate of infection. In order for the defense mechanisms to function correctly, the mucous membrane needs to be hydrated. Saline solution copes with this task perfectly. In addition, it helps to cleanse the nose well and helps improve nasal breathing. The solution can be instilled with a pipette or injected with a spray; if it is necessary to cleanse the nasal passages, they are washed with a small rubber bulb. Any saline solution will do. Pharmacy sprays Aqua Maris, Marimer and the like work great, but they are very expensive, so they can easily and without loss of effect be replaced with a pharmaceutical saline solution (it is ten times cheaper). You can prepare a saline solution at home using sea salt or even regular table salt: dissolve 1/3 teaspoon of salt in 1 glass of boiled water.

Taking an antipyretic

Unlike other acute respiratory viral infections, which rarely cause hyperthermia, influenza is almost always accompanied by fever. Antipyretics should not be taken at temperatures below 38 °C, since an increase in body temperature has an important therapeutic effect: it activates the body's defenses to fight infection. If the temperature rises above 38.5 °C, you can bring it down by taking paracetamol, or ibuprofen, or any other drug based on the ones mentioned (Nurofen, Bonifen, Dolgit, Tylenol, Calpol, Panadol, etc.). If you have the flu, you should not use acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) or medications containing it, since during a viral infection this medicine can cause severe (in some cases even fatal) complications, and children are especially vulnerable in this regard.

Light food

It is difficult to say where the myth that a sick person needs increased nutrition comes from. Probably from those times when most diseases were associated with exhaustion and forced starvation. In fact, a modern person who knows about famine only from history books does not risk dying from lack of food within a few days. With the flu, appetite decreases, sometimes even disappears completely, and this is the same protective mechanism as an increase in body temperature. The body directs all its forces to fight the disease, without spending them on digesting and assimilating food. That is why food should be light, easy on the digestive system and in smaller quantities than usual. During this period, fruits, vegetables, fermented milk and dairy products, light soups and porridges are useful. Fatty, fried, high-calorie foods should be avoided. Nothing bad will happen if during the most acute period of the flu, which lasts two to three days, a person does not eat at all. There is no need to be afraid of excessive weight loss, because after illness the weight is quickly restored. Let us focus on the fact that this advice does not apply to drinking: you must definitely drink more liquid.

Maintaining optimal indoor humidity

Viruses thrive best in dry climates. That is why it is very important that the room where the sick person is located has sufficient humidity - at least 50%. The usual air humidity in a heated room in winter, during seasonal epidemics, does not exceed 30%, and this is not enough. To maintain the required humidity and optimal microclimate, the room should be frequently ventilated, daily wet cleaning should be carried out, and small vessels with water should be placed near the central heating radiators. You can use a special electrical device - an air humidifier.

In conclusion, we note that influenza is an acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI), and the rules for its treatment are true for all ARVIs.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, specialty "General Medicine".

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Doctor's archive: health and illness

It is useful to know about diseases

Do's and Don'ts for the flu

Influenza is a severe viral infection that affects people regardless of gender or age. This is an acute disease, which is characterized by severe toxicosis, catarrhal symptoms in the form of rhinitis, nasal congestion and cough with damage to the bronchi.

Influenza epidemics occur every year, usually during the cold season, and affect up to 15% of the world's population. Influenza and ARVI make up 95% of all infectious diseases in the world.

The first mention of influenza was made many centuries ago by Hippocrates. The first documented pandemic (global epidemic) of influenza, which claimed many lives, occurred in 1580.

The causative agent of the disease, the influenza virus, was discovered in 1931. The influenza A virus was first identified by English virologists in 1933. Three years later, the influenza B virus was isolated, and in 1947, the influenza C virus was isolated.

Influenza A virus causes moderate to severe illness. It affects both humans and animals. It is influenza A viruses that are responsible for the emergence of pandemics and severe epidemics.

Influenza B viruses do not cause pandemics and usually cause local outbreaks and epidemics, sometimes affecting one or more countries. Influenza B viruses circulate only in the human population (more often causing illness in children).

Influenza C virus infects only humans. Symptoms of the disease are usually very mild or do not appear at all. It does not cause epidemics and does not lead to serious consequences.

The influenza virus is very easily transmitted. The most common route of infection transmission is airborne droplets. A household route of transmission, for example through household items, is also possible. When coughing, sneezing, or talking, particles of saliva, mucus, and sputum with pathogenic microflora, including influenza viruses, are released from the nasopharynx of a patient or virus carrier. An infected zone with a maximum concentration of aerosol particles forms around the patient. Their dispersion range usually does not exceed 2 - 3 m.

The flu usually begins acutely. The incubation period usually lasts 2 - 5 days. Then the period of acute clinical manifestations begins. The severity of the disease depends on the general state of health, age, and whether the patient has been in contact with this type of virus before. Depending on this, the patient may develop one of four forms of influenza:

In the case of mild (including erased) forms of influenza, body temperature remains normal or does not rise above 38°C, symptoms of infectious toxicosis are mild or absent.

In the case of a moderate form of influenza, the temperature rises to 38.5 - 39.5 ° C, which is accompanied by classic symptoms of the disease:

  • Intoxication (profuse sweating, weakness, joint and muscle pain, headache).
  • Respiratory symptoms (damage to the larynx and trachea, painful cough, chest pain, runny nose, hyperemia, dry mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and pharynx).
  • Abdominal syndrome (abdominal pain, diarrhea) is observed in rare cases and, as a rule, serves as a sign of other infections. What is known as the “stomach flu” is not caused by the influenza virus.

With the development of a severe form of influenza, the body temperature rises to 40 - 40.5 ° C. In addition to the symptoms characteristic of a moderate form of influenza, seizures, hallucinations, nosebleeds, and vomiting appear.

During epidemics, the level of hospitalizations increases 2-5 times. The greatest victims of influenza are among older groups of the population suffering from chronic diseases.

Death with influenza can occur from intoxication, cerebral hemorrhages, pulmonary complications (pneumonia), heart or cardiopulmonary failure.

Influenza can cause dangerous complications such as Reye's syndrome, meningitis and encephalitis.

Common complications after influenza are also rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, otitis, exacerbation of chronic diseases, and bacterial superinfection. A bacterial infection (pneumococcal, hemophilic, staphylococcal) is often associated.

If the flu proceeds without complications, the febrile period lasts 2–4 days and the illness ends within 5–10 days. After suffering from the flu, symptoms of post-infectious asthenia persist for 2–3 weeks: weakness, headache, irritability, insomnia.

The clinical picture of influenza and acute respiratory diseases caused by various viruses has many similarities. The terms acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections cover a large number of diseases that are largely similar to each other. All of them are caused by viruses that enter the body along with inhaled air through the mouth and nasopharynx, and are characterized by the same set of symptoms. The patient has a fever, sore throat, cough and headache for several days.

However, it is incorrect to call all acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections influenza. Influenza is caused directly by the influenza virus, which belongs to the orthomyxovirus family.

When the first symptoms of influenza occur, the following remedies are indicated:
  • drink plenty of fluids (hot tea, fruit juice, Borjomi with milk);
  • antipyretics (paracetamol, Panadol, Coldrex);
  • topical vasoconstrictors to facilitate nasal breathing;
  • mucaltin, licorice root, marshmallow tincture and other means for thinning and removing phlegm;
  • antitussives (pertussin, broncholithin, bromhexine, breast milk);
  • in the first days of illness, steam inhalations with infusions of chamomile, calendula, mint, sage, St. John's wort, wild rosemary, and pine buds are recommended;
  • ascorbic acid, multivitamins;
  • antihistamines (tavegil, suprastin);

Antiviral drugs alleviate the clinical symptoms of influenza and reduce the duration of the disease by an average of 1.5 to 3 days. Treatment with these drugs is effective only if taken within the first 48 hours after the onset of the disease. In this case, the disease does not develop further, possible complications are prevented, and the likelihood of infecting others is reduced.

Intranasal leukocyte interferon 5 drops in the nose 5 times a day, influenza 2-3 drops 3-4 times a day for the first 3-4 days.

Anti-influenza immunoglobulin is administered to patients suffering from immunodeficiency.

Rimantadine is not recommended for children under 12 years of age, pregnant women, or people suffering from chronic liver and kidney diseases. Treatment lasts 3 days.

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) – treatment should begin on the first day of illness. The advantage of oseltamivir is that it can be prescribed to children under 12 years of age. The course of treatment is 3 – 5 days.

What is possible and recommended for flu:

The main method of prevention against influenza is active immunization, vaccination, when a particle of an infectious agent is introduced into the body. The virus contained in the vaccine stimulates the body to produce antibodies that prevent viruses from multiplying and infecting cells. Thanks to this, the disease is prevented even before it begins.

It is best to vaccinate in the fall, since influenza epidemics typically occur between November and March. The high titer of antibodies caused by vaccination lasts for several months and begins to fall 6 months after vaccination. Therefore, vaccination too early is also not recommended.

If vaccination has not been carried out, prophylactic use of antiviral drugs is advisable. Rimantadine is taken daily at the same time at a dose of 50 mg for no more than 30 days. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is also effective at a dose of 75 mg 2 times a day for 6 weeks.

One of the most common and accessible means of flu prevention is a cotton-gauze bandage (mask).

Additionally, it is necessary to take ascorbic acid and multivitamins, which help increase the body's resistance. The largest amount of vitamin C is found in sauerkraut, cranberries, lemons, kiwi, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruits.

For prevention during flu epidemics, you can take 2 – 3 cloves of garlic daily. It is enough to chew a clove of garlic for a few minutes to completely cleanse your mouth of bacteria.

If you have the flu, it is recommended to carry out regular nasal toileting - washing the anterior sections of the nose with soap twice a day. This removes germs that enter the nasal cavity with inhaled air. It is useful to rinse the nasal cavity with an infusion of onion and honey (sugar) using a pipette. (Pour 1 tablespoon of mashed onion into a pulp with 1 glass of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the infusion and rinse the nasal cavity and pharynx with this mixture 5-6 times a day).

It is recommended to gargle with solutions of potassium permanganate, furacillin, soda or chamomile, as well as inhalation: boil 300 grams of water, add 30 - 40 drops of eucalyptus tincture, or 2 - 3 tablespoons of potato peel, or 1/2 teaspoon of soda.

Warm foot baths with mustard (5-10 minutes) are very helpful, after which the feet are rubbed with some warming ointment.

In addition to the medications prescribed by your doctor, you can use tasty non-medicinal remedies, such as rosehip decoction, tea with raspberries and honey, and linden tea. Raspberry juice with sugar is a good refreshing drink at high temperatures.

For influenza, acute respiratory infections, ARVI, bronchitis and other colds, fir oil is used, combining rubbing and massage with inhalations. Rub the oil into the collar area of ​​the back, chest, massage the feet along the reflex zones 4 - 5 times a day. After each procedure, the patient is wrapped in compress paper, put on woolen socks, covered with a warm blanket and given a diaphoretic infusion from a collection of herbs to drink. For inhalation, add 3-4 drops of oil to an enamel pan with boiling water and inhale the medicinal vapors, covering your head with a towel. For a runny nose, you can drop one drop of oil into each nostril. Fir oil also relieves severe coughing attacks. Pure oil is dropped from a pipette onto the root of the tongue, 3 to 5 drops in the morning and evening.

For severe coughs, the following method helps a lot. Cut the raw radish into thin slices, sprinkling them with granulated sugar. Take a tablespoon of the sweet juice that appears every hour. Grate the radish and squeeze out the juice through cheesecloth. Mix 1 liter of juice with liquid honey and drink 2 tbsp. spoons before meals and in the evening before bed.

Grated garlic mixed with honey helps a lot. Take a tablespoon of this mixture at night with boiled water.

For a runny nose and flu: pour a little freshly squeezed lemon juice into your palm and suck it into your nose, then blow it back out, and so on several times in a row. A few minutes after this, dilute 1/2 tsp in 100 ml of warm water. table salt, soak a tampon in this solution and insert it into each nostril one by one - salt relieves swelling of the nasal mucosa.

Brew 1 cup boiling water 1 tsp. (with top) crushed black currant leaves, leave, wrapped, for 3-4 hours and strain. Take 1/2 cup 4-5 times a day.

Brew 1 cup boiling water 1 tbsp. l, mint herbs, leave, wrapped, 30 minutes. and add 1 tbsp. l. honey Drink 1/3 glass 3-4 times a day.

Instill 3-5 drops of aloe juice into each nostril 4-5 times a day, tilting your head back and massaging the wings of the nose after instillation.

During a flu epidemic, be sure to eat onions, and at the first signs of illness, you need to cut a large onion and inhale the vapors with your mouth wide open, repeating this procedure 3-4 times a day.

For the purpose of prevention, it is useful for adults to hang a gauze bag with finely chopped garlic around their necks, and for young children to tie this bag near the crib.

Tie white cabbage leaves lightly beaten with a kitchen hammer to your neck and wrap a warm scarf on top. Change leaves every 2 hours. Stops the inflammatory process in the throat.

What is prohibited and not recommended for flu:

Self-medication for the flu is unacceptable, especially for children and the elderly. After all, it is impossible to predict the course of the flu, and complications can be very different. A complication such as acute pneumonia often develops from the very first days, and sometimes even from the first hours of influenza.

There is a misconception that vaccination is contraindicated after the outbreak of an epidemic. However, if for some reason the vaccination was not done on time, then it can be done even after the start of the flu epidemic. However, if the vaccination is given when a person is already infected with the influenza virus, then the vaccine may be ineffective.

It must be remembered that the infection is easily transmitted through dirty hands. Special observations have shown that hands come into contact with discharge from the nose and eyes and saliva up to 300 times a day. When shaking hands, through door handles, or other objects, viruses pass to the hands of healthy people, and from there to their nose, eyes, and mouth. So, at least for the period of epidemics, it is recommended to refuse handshakes. It is important to wash your hands frequently, especially when you are sick or caring for someone who is sick.

To prevent influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections, it is important to reduce the number of contacts with sources of infection, which is especially important for children. It is not recommended to actively use city public transport and go on visits.

It is necessary to walk as much as possible: it is almost impossible to get the flu in the fresh air.

Swine influenza is the conventional name for a disease in humans and animals caused by strains of the influenza A virus (A/H1N1, A/H1N2, A/H3N1, A/H3N2 and A/H2N3). Swine flu is common among domestic pigs in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, Kenya, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other Asian countries. In this case, the virus can circulate among people, birds and other species.

Transmission of the virus from animal to human is rare and properly cooked (heat-treated) pork cannot be a source of infection. When transmitted from animals to humans, the virus does not always cause disease and is often detected only by the presence of antibodies in human blood. People who work with pigs are at risk of contracting the disease, yet only about 50 such cases have been reported since the mid-1920s.

The 2009 outbreak of a new strain of influenza virus, known as “swine flu,” was caused by the H1N1 subtype of virus, which is most genetically similar to the swine flu virus. The origin of this strain is not precisely known. However, the World Organization for Animal Health reports that epidemic spread of the virus of the same strain could not be established among pigs. Viruses of this strain are transmitted from person to person and cause illness with symptoms common to the flu.

Clinically, the course of this disease generally coincides with the course of the disease when infected with other strains of the influenza virus. A reliable diagnosis is established by serotyping the virus.

Treatment of a disease caused by strains of the swine flu virus does not differ from the treatment of the so-called “seasonal” flu.

For relatively mild cases of the disease, doctors in post-Soviet countries recommend arbidol, despite the fact that it is a drug with unproven effectiveness, and the WHO does not consider it at all as an antiviral drug.

Treatment of severe and moderate cases is aimed at preventing primary viral pneumonia, which is usually severe and causes hemorrhage and severe respiratory failure, and at preventing the addition of a secondary bacterial infection that causes the development of pneumonia.

The prognosis for the course of the disease is conditionally favorable; with adequate immune status in persons not included in the risk group, the duration of the disease does not exceed 2 weeks and ends with complete recovery.

With reduced immunity, as well as in people at risk, severe, life-threatening complications may develop.

It should be noted that the mortality rate when infected with this virus does not exceed the mortality rate when affected by other strains of the virus.

Source: http://ftiza.info/chto-mozhno-i-nelzya-pri-grippe/

What should you not do if you have the flu?

The very first thing you should not do when you have the flu is to get treatment. Are you surprised? It’s not worth it - if you have the flu, it’s forbidden to treat yourself on your own, but on the recommendation of a doctor, you can and should. The fact is that self-medication for the flu can create many more problems for your body than if you had not been treated at all. For example, provoke complications in the form of deafness, breathing problems, kidney and liver dysfunction. What else can't you do if you have the flu?

What happens when flu is not treated correctly?

If you use the wrong drugs to fight the flu or treat the flu incorrectly, complications may certainly develop in the form of poor functioning of vital systems and organs. Therefore, the doctor must first carefully assess the patient's condition in order to treat him correctly. For example, literally from the first days, if the flu is not treated correctly, a person can develop a disease such as pneumonia (pneumonia). Therefore, the doctor may prescribe antiviral or antibacterial drugs (depending on the causative agent of the flu).

If diagnosing the disease is difficult, the doctor may recommend additional examination methods. For example, a chest x-ray or an electrocardiogram.

It is unfortunate that few people immediately go to the clinic if they have serious flu symptoms. Such patients, according to doctors, are only 10%. And therefore, undiagnosed and untreated patients may develop a condition that requires urgent hospitalization due to serious complications. There are about 30% of such people in the country, especially during the flu season.

In order not to fall into a risk group with subsequent hospitalization, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately at the first symptoms of the flu. If up to 6 days pass after the onset of the disease and during this time the condition does not improve, it means that you were treated incorrectly. From now on, every day counts.

Is it possible to vaccinate during the peak of the flu?

Many people support the opinion that there is no need to take vaccines in the midst of an epidemic. It is not right. If you haven't gotten sick yet, getting a flu shot can help you stay healthy or significantly reduce complications from the flu if you do get it.

Although, if a virus has settled in your body and you were given a flu vaccine at the same time, it may not have any effect on the body. True, it is worth knowing that the virus in latent form can lurk in the body for a period of 1 to 5-6 days.

Are antibiotics prohibited for the flu?

Antibiotics do not help against viruses, so in case of a viral infection, injecting or drinking them is useless. And it’s even harmful, because with such self-medication a person misses out on other methods to cope with the flu. In addition, improperly used medications with a general weakening of the body can cause allergic reactions with skin rashes, shortness of breath, and dysbacteriosis. But on the contrary, it is necessary to take antibiotics in any form for bacterial infections. But only if recommended by a doctor.

Is it necessary to disinfect the house if a person is already infected with the flu?

Yes, and not only is it possible, but it is also necessary. Scientists have calculated that a person touches different parts of his face up to three hundred times throughout the day, in particular the nose and mouth, through which infections are transmitted. And the contents that remain on his hands (droplets with infected microflora) are transmitted through unwashed hands.

Therefore, if you have a sick person in your home, you need to periodically disinfect door handles and wash the floors with a disinfectant solution every day. You also need to constantly wash your hands with soap and wash your face.

What drugs should not be taken for the flu?

If a child gets the flu, you should not treat him with drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid. This applies not only to young children, but also to those who have not yet turned 16 years old. If you overdo it with acetylsalicylic acid, the child may develop Reye's syndrome, which can result in severe vomiting and coma.

On the recommendation of a doctor, it is better to give preference to antiviral drugs that significantly alleviate the symptoms of influenza. When used correctly, the disease can stop three days earlier. True, when choosing these drugs, you need to take into account what kind of influenza virus struck you.

We know that there are at least three most popular types of flu. These are influenza types A, B and C. Of these, only type C influenza causes mild illness or is asymptomatic. But this cannot be said about influenza B and A viruses - they can cause complications and conditions in these types of influenza that are quite severe.

You should not buy even the most advertised drugs without a doctor’s recommendation, because they can cause adverse reactions to one or another component. In addition, you need to be treated within the first two days after you feel unwell. If you start using medications at the height of the flu, there is a high probability that they will be ineffective.

So, now you know what is prohibited during the flu, and what is advisable to use immediately. This knowledge will help you cope with this disease faster and more effectively.

Medical Expert Editor

Portnov Alexey Alexandrovich

Education: Kiev National Medical University. A.A. Bogomolets, specialty - "General Medicine"

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