Knowing More About Influenza “Flu” Causes And Treatments!
Battling Influenza “Flu” Virus Summary:
Flu is a respiratory infection caused by a number of viruses. The viruses pass through the air and enter your body through your nose or mouth. Between 5% and 20% of people in the U.S. get the flu each year. The flu can be serious or even deadly for elderly people, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses.
Symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and are worse than those of the common cold. They may include, Body or muscle aches, Chills, Cough, Fever, Headache, Sore throat.
Is it a cold or the flu? Colds rarely cause a fever or headaches. Flu almost never causes an upset stomach. And “stomach flu” isn’t really flu at all, but gastroenteritis.
Most People,
with the flu recover on their own without medical care. People with mild cases of the flu should stay home and avoid contact with others, except to get medical care. If you get the flu, your health care provider may prescribe medicine to help your body fight the infection and lessen symptoms.
The main way to keep from getting the flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. Good hygiene, including hand washing, can also help.
2. Signs And Symptoms Of Flu:
Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who are sick with flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
- Fever or feeling feverish-chills
- Cough.
- Sore throat.
- Runny or stuffy nose.
- Muscle or body aches.
- Headaches.
- Fatigue (tiredness).
- Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
3. Complications:
Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.
Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu, while pneumonia is a serious flu complication that can result from either influenza virus infection alone or from co-infection of flu virus and bacteria.
Other possible serious complications triggered by flu can include:
- inflammation of the heart (myocarditis).
- brain (encephalitis) or muscle (myositis, rhabdomyolysis) tissues.
- and multi-organ failure (for example, respiratory and kidney failure).
- Flu virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body and can lead to sepsis, the body’s life-threatening response to infection.
- asthma attacks while they have flu and people with chronic heart disease may experience a worsening of this condition triggered by flu.
3. Causes of Flu:
You may at times wonder about the causes of flu. Flu Infections are usually caused by airborne transmission. To understand details on causes of flu you must first understand the basic flu facts. Knowing about the causes of flu can help you in preventing yourself from getting the flu and its symptoms. So, its very important to know about causes of flu and how they affect you and your loved ones.
Is It a Cold Or a Flu?
The flu is very different from a cold. A cold can be caused because of 100 different viruses but flu is caused only by the influenza virus. Later, we will give details of the types of influenza viruses, which is the only cause of this contagious disease.
Firstly,
- Flu is spread by inhaling a respiratory droplet from a flu-infected person.
- The flu virus gets an opportunity to enter into other individuals’ bodies when they breathe in infectious droplets expelled by the infected person while coughing or sneezing.
Secondly,
- Flu is spread through indirect contact with a contaminated object.
- The virus gets into the hands of the uninfected person while touching an object, which was earlier touched by an infected person.
- The flu virus enters into the body of an uninfected person by touching eyes, ears, nose, and mouth making him-her ill.
- Flu can also be caused by the items infected with respiratory secretions.
Influenza virus attacks your respiratory tract that as a result causes soreness and rashes. These viruses frequently change with time. Because of the constant change in viral RNA, it is able to avoid the resistant system in our bodies.
4. Types of Flu:
Flu virus was first identified in the 1930s. From that time onwards scientists have started classifying flu viruses into three categories namely Type A, Type B, and Type C. These flu viruses are sorted into different categories on the basis of their protein composition.
A. Type A:
This is the most prevalent type of flu that attacks every year. Influenza A virus is further divided into subtypes HA and NA, which is based on the two surface protein structures of the virus. Currently, there are about 16 HA and 9 NA known. Recent subtypes of Influenza A viruses found in humans are H1N1 and H3N2.
Type A or Influenza A flu virus is found in human beings and many different animals like “Ducks – Chickens – Pigs – Whales – Horses – Seals”. Influenza A is the most dangerous in comparison to the other two flu types.
B. Type B:
- This type of flu virus mostly revolves around us humans and is less severe than Type A influenza.
- Both Type A and Type B are responsible for the seasonal epidemic of flu.
- It can be a serious health hazard but basically, most of the cases are mild.
- Type B is not divided further into subtypes or subcategories.
C. Type C:
- This type of flu virus is common and is only found in humans, pigs, and dogs.
- Type C or Influenza C virus causes mild respiratory infections.
- People normally don’t become extremely ill from influenza type C viruses.
- Various flu vaccines and shots are available to protect you from the Type A and Type B viruses. For the Type C flu virus, no treatment or shots are available.
5. Risk Factors:
Who are at greater risk of getting infected by flu virus?
- People with chronic diseases.
- Poor immune systems.
- elders and small children are at a greater risk for coming in contact with the flu.
- Pregnant women are more likely to develop influenza complications, particularly in the second and third trimesters. Women who are up to two weeks postpartum also are more likely to develop influenza-related complications.
- People with a BMI of 40 or more have an increased risk of complications from the flu.
In a majority of cases, flu is mild but unpleasant. If the flu symptoms worsen then it can cause serious complications. Below are those that are most susceptible to severe consequences of the flu and flu complications:
- The elderly person (above 50 years of age).
- A newborn baby or a young child.
- Pregnant.
If You’re Suffering Form,
- A heart or cardiovascular disease.
- Suffering from Asthma or bronchitis.
- kidney disease.
- A diabetic.
If You Are,
- Using steroids
- Taking cancer treatment.
- Anemic.
- HIV positive.
- And last but not least, if your immune system is poor.
6. Treatments Options:
Prevention is the first step in flu treatment. You must take certain precautions so that you may avoid the flu infection. There is a famous saying ” prevention is better than cure” so we must take preventative actions like:
- Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing or coughing. After using the tissue throw it away and wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 15 seconds.
- Use antibacterial cleaners to clean hands and surfaces. You can also use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose, and mouth without cleaning your hands thoroughly and ensuring that your hands are germ-free. Dirty hands can easily transmit the virus from your hands into your body.
- Get your yearly flu shot, especially those people who have a poor immune system and other serious complicated diseases.
After taking all the precautions, if you still become ill then you must begin flu treatment. There is a long list of basic flu treatment, which you can take along with the physicians’ advice.
- The most important step for treating yourself is getting a lot of rest. Flu takes all your energy and you become weak and tired. Resting can help you in boosting up your immune system.
- Smoking, quit smoking when you are sick with flu.
- Take Antibiotics. It will help you in treating as well as preventing yourself from bacterial infections and other flu complications.
- Take a painkiller if you have a severe headache or body ache. Painkillers help you get some relief from the aches.
- Saline nasal irrigation is another effective flu remedy for flu treatment which can help to thin the mucus and reduce postnasal drip. Also.
- Warm moist compresses can be applied to the cheeks and sinuses for a headache and breathing complaints.
Pain Reliever,
- Such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), to combat the achiness associated with influenza. Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teens because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal condition.
- Antivirals help with reducing the length of time you are ill, relieving some of the symptoms, and in reducing the potential for serious complications.
- Cough Suppressants Indicated for people with the persistent dry hacking cough, but those with a productive cough should not suppress it.
7. Natural Flu Remedies And Prevention:
Most people get afflicted with the flu at least once a year. Some people can have flu several times in a year. This is a real stress on the immune system. What natural flu remedies are available to us?
1. Flush Out The Toxins:
Drinking hot fluids is beneficial because of their soothing effect on the throat and also the decongestion effect they have on the nasal passages. The time-tested chicken soup really helps! Caffeinated and carbonated beverages should be avoided because they may dehydrate you.
2. Protein Intake:
Lean meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, and nuts and seeds are good sources of protein. (Though dairy is a good source of protein, it has been found to aggravate symptoms like skin lesions, runny nose and chest congestion in some.) Your antibodies are made of protein.
So, if your body gets adequate protein, it can fight the infection better. Moreover, most of the protein foods contain good amounts of Selenium, zinc, Vitamins B6 and B12, which play a vital role in improving one’s immunity.
3. Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is popular for reducing the severity as well as the duration of cold and flu-like symptoms. Aim for at least 2 servings of citrus fruits like oranges, pineapple, sweet limes to stock up on this vitamin. These foods are high in flavonoids, too.
Flavonoids work very well in reducing the severity of the flu symptoms. Flavonoids are compounds found in fruits, vegetables, and certain beverages that have diverse beneficial biochemical and antioxidant effects.
4. Get High On Glutathione:
- This is the master anti-oxidant known to boost your body’s defense.
- Good sources of glutathione include watermelon, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards etc.
- You can either steam these veggies or consume them as hot, aromatic soups.
5. Stay Away From High-Fat And Sugary Foods:
- They are difficult to digest and may add on to your nausea and ‘sick’ feeling.
- Excess sugar has also been found to bring down your defenses and prolong your illness.
6. Get Your Sleep:
Let your body rest and recuperate as much as possible. If you are feeling anxious, then after dinner, do some mental relaxation, deep breathing exercises for ten minutes, so you can get sound sleep at night. Now, more than ever before, eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet will the best way to stay away from as well as recover from any infection.
7. Immune System:
With a strong internal defense system, one can prevent him-herself from these foreign invaders. If your immune system is strong then you are able to protect yourself from flu and other diseases.
8. Improve Digestive System:
In the fall and winter season, care of the digestive system should be taken because once the digestive system fails, the body will be affected. Regular exercise should be performed and foods that improve digestion should be consumed.
9. Maintain Hygiene:
Hands should be properly washed with soap. Use soap which is approved by the FDA or an alternative medical association. Avoid using any local brand soap. Avoid using common soap.
10. Vaccination:
In most of the cases of death due to flu, patients do not get their vaccines regularly. Flu can be prevented with regular vaccination. With Flu vaccination, one would be prevented against severe flu viruses like bird flu or swine flu.
Conclusion:
The flu symptoms can be cured with the help of vitamins, herbs, homeopathy, and some other foods. Natural flu remedies and other flu treatments can help you in reducing pain and suffering that comes along with the flu infection.
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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”
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