There are several things that you can do to reduce the severity of symptoms and possibly shorten the duration of your illness, including over-the-counter (OTC) therapies, prescription drugs, and lifestyle changes. These may be especially important if you are at high risk for serious complications.
Over-the-Counter Therapies
The symptoms of swine flu are the same as those of the seasonal flu, and they can be managed with the same OTC medicines. There are dozens of choices to help you deal with flu symptoms.
OTC medications can treat pain, fever, cough, congestion, sore throat, and more. Focusing on the symptoms that are bothering you the most is often the safest way to use OTC therapies.
Common choices for reducing your flu symptoms include multi-symptom remedies that combine pain relievers and fever reducers with decongestants, antihistamines, and sometimes cough suppressants or expectorants.
Dosing
Make sure you follow the instructions for dosing and don’t take more than what’s advised. Also, be sure to talk to your pharmacist about all OTC and prescription medications that you’re taking so you can avoid additive side effects or harmful drug interactions.
If you choose to use a multi-symptom medicine, it’s important to pay attention to the ingredients in the medicines you are taking so that you won’t take duplicates of medications that have the same actions.
Prescription Options
There are some prescription medicines that can help with H1N1 swine flu. These are known as antiviral medications. The same antivirals that are used to fight seasonal flu can be used against H1N1 swine flu.
Tamiflu
Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) is the most commonly prescribed antiviral medicine for the flu.
Other antivirals include Relenza (zanamivir), Rapivab (peramivir), and Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil). Tamiflu is taken orally as a pill or liquid suspension. Relenza is an inhaled powder, Rapivab is an IV (intravenous) medicine, and Xofluza is taken orally.
Home/Lifestyle Remedies
Self-care goes a long way when you get sick with H1N1 swine flu. Make sure you get enough rest so your body can fight the virus and heal. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids—water and electrolyte drinks are the best options to stay hydrated.
Running a humidifier can help make your breathing a little easier if you are congested or if you have a cough or a sore throat.
Although it is difficult, time is the best remedy for any type of flu. Because it is caused by a virus, it can’t be cured and must run its course.
Stay home from work or school for as long as you have a fever. H1N1 swine flu is contagious as early as 24 hours before symptoms start and as long as your symptoms are present. It typically lasts for about a week, but it can last longer.
Complementary Medicine
There are many alternative medicine supplements that people use to fight or prevent the flu. Although there is little convincing evidence for their efficacy, some of the most popular are:
Echinacea Elderberry Vitamin C Cinnamon and Honey Oscillococcinum
Although some of these are promising, all of these supplements need to be studied further to determine whether they are effective in treating or preventing the flu. It’s also important to remember that they can have side effects even though they are “natural.”
If you have any type of chronic medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking any supplements or herbal remedies to be sure they will not negatively affect your health or interact with any of your regular medicines.
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