Most Effective Tips to Treat Cold and Flu

What is influenza?

Influenza is a commonly occurring viral disease that generally effects people between the months of November and April. It lasts for about 3 to 5 bad days and can be accompanied by weakness and fatigue for another week or so. More often it causes painful muscles aches and joints, cough, fever and headaches with a mild temperature rise.

Influenza has all the potential to become a much more brutal illness, leading to problems like pneumonia, brain and nerve damage and some times even death (That’s where your supposed to get more serious about my Hub), but such complications are very rare and are often caused by negligence toward the treatment.

Now like every other viral infection flu virus it cannot be treated with antibiotics. It turns out that this bugger can also live in crystalline form. The best remedy is keeping your self hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. We’ll get to remedies and cure part later.

Prevention is better than Marilyn Manson (I made it up catchy isn’t it!).There is also an option for the flu vaccination, which is particularly sensible for the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases.

In the UK vaccination is offered to:

• “Everyone over 65 years old”.
• “Anyone with conditions such as asthma, heart or kidney disease”.
• “Anyone who may otherwise be at increased risk”.

How is flu spread?

Influenza or flu is a disease caused by virus; it’s an airborne disease which means that it is passed from one person to another through the air. This disease infects the nose, throat and lungs. Most commonly it spread by people to people interaction. It breaks out as a pandemic which rapidly spreads from one place to another. Typically, a region can have epidemic conditions for a time span of three to five weeks.

How long can flu last?

Typically, flu lasts for about 3 to 5 days. If the symptoms continue for more than a week or if the symptoms are very severe, you should consult a doctor.

A severe case of influenza has the potential to grow into a serious condition like sinus or pneumonia and in exceptional cases it can cause death.

People who are severely affected by flu?

Influenza can be hazardous to the elderly people, particularly those who live in small homes where there is a high risk of getting infected by the virus through contact with other people. People under radio therapy are also under increased danger of getting flu.

Lung and heart diseases are more likely to become complicated due flu attack. Those at risk are advised to get annual vaccination.

Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the Natural and Medicinal Way.

Hello people this is your flu doctor Mr. Good for Nothing and ill be advising you on controlling influenza also known as flu. That’s right; I said controlling not curing, flu can’t be cured is can be controlled making it less irrigative.

What causes flu?

Flu is caused by virus, magnificent little thingies which are recognized as living or nonliving things depending upon there state. Tricky little creatures they are. So, for now there is no medical cure for flu virus; I would advice gargling with liquid nitrogen but it will also kill you.

With no treatment in sight for the cold or the flu, existing treatments can at best bring symptom relief or shorten the period of those annoying symptoms.

First of all to treat something you must have it; compare your condition against the checklist below.

Symptoms.

• Headache.
• Fever (38o to 40oC).
• Aching muscles and joints.
• Chest pains.
• Lack of appetite.
• Fatigue and weakness.
• A runny nose and sore throat.
• Dry cough.
• Restless sleep.
• Chills and shivering.
• Indigestion.
• Vomiting or diarrhea.

Blow Your Nose Often -- and the Right Way

It's vital to blow your running nose on a regular basis when you have cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. Although it’s considered cool if you sniff mucus back and then through it out, kind of old school gangster style. When you blow like a rhino, pressure can affect your ear and cause an earache. The most efficient way to blow your nose: Press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other. Make sure no ones watching or standing next to you. Wash your hands for at least 20 sec to avoid spreading it to others. Or just rub your hand to your best friend so he gets it too.

Rest and relax.

Resting during any viral infection is very vital. Resting helps your body directs its force toward the immune system. If you have fevers with flu consult a doctor. Do not self medicate its harmful and some time it even worsens the disease.

Gargle

You should also gargle more frequently. Gargling moisturizes a painful throat and brings short-term relief. Although there are many good gargling liquid available but if you want a good home made gargling liquid use salty warm water. Add some salt to warm water and gargle with it. To reduce the tickle in your throat, try an astringent gargle such as herbal tea that contains tannin to squeeze the membranes. You can also use a thick, viscous gargle liquid made with honey, frequently used in traditional medicine. Make the magic juice by adding one tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice in two cups of hot water; mix with one teaspoon of honey. Do not drink boiling hot liquid it will not burn your flu, it make your tongue and throat miserable. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling.

Drink Hot Liquids

Drink as much hot stuff as you can. Coffee, teas, chocolate milk any thing. Hot liquids ease nasal clogging; helps prevent dehydration, and can soothe the uncomfortably swollen membranes that line your throat and nose.

Have some steam

Market is filled with steam makers get some steam on your face it will make you feel much better. If it’s cold out there you should also try hot steamy bath. Make sure you don’t deep fry your self. We are curing flu here not Shish Kababing it.

Boil some water then fill a bowl with that steaming water, add a few drops of Eucalyptus Oil, cover your head with a towel and lean over the steam. Inhale the steam for ten minutes or so. It should make your breathing easier by unblocking your blocked nose.

Use a Salve Under Your Nose

Mentholated salve provides a quick relief and it has no side effects, unless you put it in your eyes. Applying salve under your nose can open nasal passages and help relieve the aggravated skin at the bottom of your nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild freezing ingredients that may help relieve the ache of a nose.

Apply Hot or Cold Packs around Your Sinuses

Either hot or cold packs may help you feel more relaxed. You can buy reusable hot or cold packs at any drugstore. Or make your own. Take a damp washcloth and heat it for 55 seconds in a microwave. Or add some ice cubes to a rubber bag and use it. Or take a little bag of frozen peas to use as a cold pack.

Drainage of nasal passage

This will help with the drainage of nasal passages. If the angle is too awkward, try placing the pillows between the mattress and the box springs to make a steadier slope.

Avoid unnecessary stress

Try to avoid any stress; stress can weaken your immune system making you venerable to infection. Don not travel unless it is very important; Try to relax for few days. Adding stress to your already stressed-out upper respiratory system can produce some ill-effects. Taking an airplane ride with flu already riding you can hurt your eardrums as a result of pressure changes during landing and takeoff. If you must fly, use a decongestant and carry a nasal spray with you to use just before takeoff and landing.

Chew Garlic

Eating or chewing raw garlic can make you better; it helps your blocked nose and sore throat and gives you a bad breath but for a very short period. Garlic is also known as a very effective immune booster, therefore helping to treat, cure and prevent the flu.

Aspirin or Parestamol will decrease muscle aches and fever. (Aspirin must not be given to children under sixteen years of age, unless advised by a doctor.) Ibuprofen can also be a good option it will also relieve any flu symptoms. Some of these painkillers are also created by merging them with medicines such as nasal decongestants in various flu and cold remedies. You should also avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. Smoking weed is also prohibited.

Remember, serious conditions can masquerade as the common cold and a mild infection can evolve into something more severe. If you have severe symptoms or are feeling sicker with each passing day you should consult a doctor.

Flu Facts:

Flu and Cold are caused by a virus but the symptoms of influenza are generally quite severe.

Influenza cannot be cured by taking antibiotics.

Getting wet or going out in cold or having cold drinks cannot cause flu. You need to catch a virus to get infected. However, abrupt changes in temperature may cause the symptoms to emerge more rapidly.

If you get infected once and get cured you won’t be getting flu again from same type of virus because body develops resistance within two or four weeks. If you think you’re safe you’re wrong because the influenza virus continuously mutates into a little different versions of itself, it’s like changing a password to keep your self secure. This is one reason why vaccination is occasionally ineffective.

Homeopathy does not provide any significant solution to influenza and influenza-like syndromes. Symmetrel can condense the duration by a single day, making this an uncertain treatment for a self-limiting viral disease.

Regardless of puzzling number of remedies for 'flu', it’s still incurable, and the number of active ingredients in any flu medicine is quite small. People taking other medicine should check with the pharmacist before taking a flu medication in case of interaction between medicines.