Flu
Flu
21 Remedies to Beat the Bug
Do you feel like a truck ran over you—repeatedly? Are you so sick you're afraid you'll die? More to the point, are you so sick you're afraid you won't die?
If your head throbs, your muscles ache, and your brow's on fire, you've probably been bitten by the flu bug. And it will continue to bite until it's good and ready to stop.
This insidious virus might better be called the beast of a thousand faces. Although there are just three main types (influenza A, B, and C), they have unlimited ability to mutate into different forms. So while it's true that a bout with one strain gives you immunity to that particular virus, its mutant offspring can lay you low next year—or even later this season.
Is there no escape? It depends. Yes, there are some precautions you can take to lessen future susceptibility (see "Outsmart the Flu Bug" on page 272). But no, when the flu's got you in its clutches, you're down for the count.
If you're counting on antibiotics for relief, you're out of luck. That's because the flu is a viral infection, and antibiotics simply can't kill viruses. The best you can do is ease your misery. Here's how.
Cold Facts about the Flu How can you tell a cold from the flu? This isn't a riddle. Or maybe it is. Although similarities exist between the two illnesses—and their treatment—they're caused by entirely different organisms. The worst part of a cold might last longer, but the flu generally causes more discomfort. Here, according to Ohio Northern University pharmacology and toxicology professor Thomas Gossel, Ph.D., is a comparison of common symptoms and the differences between them, depending on whether they are caused by a cold or the flu. Fever. With flu, it's characteristic and comes on suddenly; with a cold, it's rare. Headache. It's a prominent symptom of flu but rare with a cold. General aches. In flu, aches are usual and often severe; in a cold, they're slight. Fatigue. Fatigue is extreme in flu and can last two to three weeks; a cold leaves you mildly fatigued. Runny nose. Sometimes you'll have a runny nose with flu, but it's common with a cold. Sore throat. A sore throat sometimes accompanies flu; it's a common symptom of a cold. Cough. It's common with flu and can become severe; a cold brings a mild to moderate hacking cough. |
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Stay home. The flu is a very infectious disease that spreads like wildfire, says Pascal James Imperato, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn College of Medicine. So don't be a workaholic or a martyr. Stay home from work—and anywhere else—until at least one day after your temperature has returned to normal. And keep your children home from school until they have fully recovered.
Outsmart the Flu Bug Individual immunity and the particular strain of flu virus circulating in a given year play a large role in determining who will knuckle under to the flu. Still, there are steps you can take to reduce your susceptibility to this virulent bug. Get a flu shot. Every year, scientists develop a vaccine against the most recently circulating strain of the virus. "So the best thing you can do to protect yourself against flu is to be vaccinated in the fall or very early winter," says epidemiologist Suzanne Gaventa. She particularly advises shots for residents of nursing homes, those with chronic conditions such as heart or lung diseases, anyone over 65, and most medical personnel. In cases where the shot doesn't prevent the flu, it considerably lessens the disease's severity. Don't wait until the flu's in town before acting, because the vaccine takes about two weeks to work. And don't get a flu shot at all if you're allergic to eggs—the vaccine is made from them. Avoid crowds. Because the virus spreads easily, stay away from movies, theaters, shopping centers, and other crowded places during an epidemic, says Pascal James Imperato, M.D. And keep your distance from people who are sneezing or coughing, even if it means getting off an elevator or giving up a seat on the bus. Come in from the cold. Prolonged exposure to wet and cold weather lowers your resistance and increases your risk of infection. Give up bad habits. Smoking and alcohol can also impair your resistance. Smoking, in particular, injures the respiratory tract and makes you more susceptible to the flu, Dr. Imperato says. Kiss at your own risk. Kissing is one of the most efficient ways for the flu to spread. And just sleeping in the same room with a sick spouse is asking for trouble. So, if possible, move to another room for the duration, he advises. Keep up your strength. Don't get tired or run-down. Paint the living room, clean the attic, or build a basement playroom some other time, not during flu season. |
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Get some rest! You shouldn't have much trouble following this advice, since you're probably too sick to do much else. Bed rest is essential, says Dr. Imperato, because it lets your body put its energy into combating the flu infection. Being active while you're still quite ill weakens your defenses and leaves you open to possible complications.
Drink up. Liquids are especially important if you have a fever because dehydration can occur. In addition, fluids can provide needed nutrients when you're too sick to eat. Thin soups are good, as are fruit and vegetable juices. Nutrition counselor Eleonore Blaurock-Busch, Ph.D., president of Trace Minerals International in Boulder, Colorado, favors beet juice and carrot juice, both of which are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Jay Swedberg, M.D., an associate professor of family practice at the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences, recommends that you dilute fruit juice half and half with water. "A little sugar provides necessary glucose, but too much can cause diarrhea when you're ill," he says. "Also dilute ginger ale and other sugar-sweetened soft drinks. And allow them to go flat before drinking because their bubbles can create gas in the stomach and make you more nauseated."
Reach for pain relief. Aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen can reduce the fever, headache, and body aches that so often accompany the flu. Take two tablets every 4 hours, says Virginia corporate-health consultant Donald Vickery, M.D., an assistant clinical professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Because symptoms are often most pronounced in the afternoon and evening, he says, take the medication regularly over this period.
Do not give aspirin to children. Be sure not to give aspirin or medications that contain aspirin to anyone under 21 who has the flu, says epidemiologist Suzanne Gaventa of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. Studies have shown that aspirin increases a flu-stricken child's risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a life-threatening neurological illness. Give children acetaminophen as directed by your doctor.
Think twice about other drugs. Over-the-counter cold medicines might give you some temporary relief of symptoms, says Dr. Imperato. Those with antihistamines, for instance, can dry up a runny nose. But be careful—these drugs may suppress your symptoms to the point where you have a false sense of recovering. Prematurely resuming your normal activities can bring on a relapse or trigger serious complications.
Gargle with salt water. A sore or scratchy throat is apt to accompany the flu. Get some relief—and wash out any secretions that are collecting in your throat—by gargling with a salt-water solution, says Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, nurse clinician Mary Ann Pane, R.N. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 pint of warm water. This concentration approximates the pH level of body tissues and is very soothing, she says. Use as often as needed, but try not to swallow the liquid because it's so high in sodium.
Do something sweet. Sucking on hard candy and lozenges can also keep your throat moist so it will feel better, says Pane. In addition, these products contain calories that your body can use at a time when you're probably not eating much.
Humidify the air. Raising the humidity of your bedroom will help reduce the discomfort of a cough, sore throat, or dry nasal passages. "A humidifier or vaporizer may also be helpful if there is chest congestion or nasal stuffiness," says Calvin Thrash, M.D., founder of Uchee Pines Institute, a nonprofit health education facility in Seale, Alabama.
Pamper your nose. If you've been blowing your nose a lot, it's probably pretty sore. So lubricate your nostrils frequently to decrease irritation, says Pane. A product such as K-Y Jelly is preferable to petroleum jelly, which dries out quickly.
Take some heat. One characteristic of the flu is tired, achy muscles. Warm them and ease their pain with a heating pad, says Pane.
Warm your feet. Soaking your feet in hot water may help if you have a headache or nasal congestion, says Dr. Thrash.
Breathe fresh air. Make sure your sickroom has a good supply of fresh air at all times, says Dr. Thrash. But avoid a draft. And prevent chills by using warm, close-fitting bedclothes.
MEDICAL ALERT
Don't Underestimate the Flu Influenza can be as deadly today as it was in 1918, when the Spanish flu killed over 20 million people worldwide. So, advises Pascal James Imperato, M.D., see a doctor if: - Your voice becomes hoarse.
- You develop pains in your chest.
- You have difficulty breathing.
- You start bringing up yellow- or green-colored phlegm.
Also be aware that prolonged vomiting can lead to dehydration, which is especially serious in the very young and in elderly people, says Mary Ann Pane, R.N. And abdominal pain can be the sign of another problem, such as appendicitis. If the pain or vomiting don't subside after a day, see a doctor. |
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Get rubbed the right way. A back rub may help activate the immune system to fight the flu, says Dr. Thrash. And it's very comforting.
Eat lightly and wisely. During the worst phase of the flu, you probably won't have an appetite at all. But when you're ready to make the transition from liquids to more substantial fare, put the emphasis on bland, starchy foods, says Dr. Swedberg. "Dry toast is fine. So are bananas, applesauce, cottage cheese, boiled rice, rice pudding, cooked cereal, and baked potatoes, which can be topped with yogurt." For a refreshing dessert, peel and freeze very ripe bananas, then puree them in a food processor.
PANEL OF ADVISERS
Eleonore Blaurock-Busch, Ph.D., is president and director of Trace Minerals International, Inc., a clinical chemistry laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. She is also a nutrition counselor specializing in the treatment of allergy and chronic diseases at the Alpine Chiropractic Center there, and is the author of The No-Drugs Guide to Better Health.
Suzanne Gaventa, is an epidemiologist in the Division of Viral Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.
Thomas Gossel, Ph.D., R.Ph., is a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Ohio Northern University in Ada and chairman of the university's Department of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences. He is an expert on over-the-counter products.
Pascal James Imperato, M.D., is professor and chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn College of Medicine. He is the editor of the New York State Journal of Medicine and author of What to Do about the Flu. He has served as New York City's Commissioner of Health.
Mary Ann Pane, R.N., is a nurse clinician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is affiliated with Community Home Health Services, an agency catering to people who require skilled health care in their homes.
Jay Swedberg, M.D., is an associate professor of family practice at the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences in Laramie.
Calvin Thrash, M.D., is the founder of Uchee Pines Institute, a nonprofit health education facility in Seale, Alabama. He is also coauthor of Natural Remedies: A Manual.
Donald Vickery, M.D., is president of the Center for Corporate Health Promotion in Reston, Virginia. He is also assistant clinical professor of family medicine and community medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and associate clinical professor of family medicine at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He is the author of Life Plan for Your Health and coauthor of Take Care of Yourself.
