Seasonal flu is a commonly experienced respiratory infection that affects the lung and air passages. Though many individuals that contracted the flu would show recovery within seven to ten days, yet there might be others at risk of flu-related complications and rather grave sicknesses. Such a category of people even has a greater likelihood of hospitalization. Those at risk are kids below five years of age, expectant mothers, individuals suffering from medical problems, and individuals over sixty-five years of age.
Those at augmented risk and are experiencing flu-similar symptoms must visit their physician at the earliest as he/she would advise intake of antivirals that could lower chances of complications arising, allay symptoms and curtail span of sickness when taken within two days of inception of these symptoms.
Antiviral medicine therapy is deployed for treating the flu, however, they do not immunize you from the flu viral form. The flu virus would infect cell presence in lung and air passages. Antivirals function by thwarting the flu virus from affecting healthy cells all through the body and generally advised for individuals:
- At the risk of suffering from flu-related complications.
- Kids, infants.
- Experiencing acute sickness (individuals that have acute symptoms like respiratory issues, breathlessness, high-grade fever, chest pains, blood-filled or color-tinged sputum, abrupt giddiness or feeling confused, blueness or grey-toned skin, projectile vomiting, or relentless puking.
Research has shown that for individuals in otherwise good health, intake of antiviral medicines could lower the span of the sickness by nearly 1 ½ days and among those in the risk category by nearly 2 ½ days. Antiviral flu treatment is not apt for all people and one should be discussing with a physician what type of antiviral could be taken for treating flu straightaway.
Flu treatment Options
1). Intake of plentiful fluids.
2). Resting properly.
3). Take medicines for particular symptoms like:
- Pains and fevers could be allayed by the use of paracetamol/ ibuprofen. ASA (Acetylsalicyclic acid) is even a choice for the adult populace though not for kids below eighteen due to its links with Reye’s syndrome (a grave disorder that affects the liver, nervous system).
- Cough suppressants for treating coughing though avoid offering cough drugs for kids below six.
- Throat soreness can be cured by the use of spray or lozenge that contains constituents like benzocaine, hexylresorcinol, or dyclonine.
- The congested nose could be cured by orally taking decongestant medicines like phenylephrine, pseudoephedrine/ nose spray decongestants like xylometazoline/oxymetazoline. People are advised not to use any nasal spray for more than three to five days since protracted usage could translate to a worsening condition.
Flu treatment has maximum effectiveness when commenced earlier on when symptoms have been noticed.
