It is pretty common to catch the flu every year during the months of winter and fall; in fact, people that don’t get the flu during those seasons can consider themselves lucky. 5% to 20% of Americans get affected by flu every year, and from 12000 to 61000 people die from flu-related reasons each year. So, when someone gets affected by the flu, it is really important to take care of the person and do everything possible to keep them comfortable.
Even though most people just choose to do nothing as they think the flu will just wear off itself, it is the wrong thing to do. The death count tells us otherwise. Also, the symptoms of flu can cause a lot of problems if they are not dealt with properly. So, it is paramount to go through measures that will help ease the symptoms of flu. Here are some things that you can do to ease flu symptoms-
Staying Home and Getting Enough Rest
Whenever you come in contact with the flu virus and get sick, you must stay home as the flu happens to be highly contagious. If you start to notice the symptoms of flu in you, make sure to let your workplace or institution know that you won’t be able to make it for a few days as you have caught the flu. Otherwise, you will endanger others that work or study with you. During this time, make sure to get plenty of rest, and make yourself feel relaxed. Enough rest will help you recover soon and properly. Also, make the best of your sick leave by enjoying the well-deserved rest from work!
Consuming the Proper Amount of Fluids
After you catch the flu and become aware of it, one of the things that you need to make sure of is consuming the proper amount of fluid items per day. And consuming fluids doesn’t just mean drinking water. While keeping yourself hydrated is really important during the flu, it is also important to consume other fluid items with nutrition, such as fruit juice and hot soups made with tomato, chicken, mushrooms, etc. Consuming enough fluids will properly keep your respiratory system hydrated and help turn the mucus liquid thin so that it can be spat out or coughed up.
Taking Care of the Coughing
Various over-the-counter medications can be of huge help with the coughing a person faces while suffering from the flu. You can also try an expectorant to take care of your coughing, as it turns the mucus in your throat into liquids so that you can easily cough that out. But these medications should be taken with proper precautions, and they must not be given to any children under the age of 4.
Treating Aches and Fever that Come with the Flu
Suffering from mild to a more severe fever is normal when someone gets the flu, so there is no need to worry about that. It happens due to the amplified heat production your body is causing to fight the virus. And when you suffer from this fever, it is normal that you might feel uncomfortable and also face some pains in your body. You can go for numerous over-the-counter medications that offer immediate remedies for these problems. But it’s best to consult your doctor so that you can know which medication is perfect for you.
Using Nose Drops
You can easily find nose drops that contain saline and spray at almost all the drug stores and even grocery stores. These nose drops are really safe to use, and they work really well in keeping your nostrils from getting blocked with mucus. Just pouring several drops of the liquid substance in one nostril and then gently blowing out both the mucus and saline and repeating the same for your other nostril will keep the nostrils unblocked. It is really helpful to help you breathe normally during the flu.
Using Light Therapy
Light therapy is one of the most effective forms of therapy, and it has gained immense popularity due to the manifold benefits it provides to its users. Light therapy devices try to mimic sunlight by emitting a strong light, and light of different colors such as red, blue, amber, white, yellow, etc., are used. Each different color has a different set of advantages.
Light therapy can help you with various issues such as skin problems, sleeping problems, weight loss, muscle building, various types of pain and wound, and mental health problems such as seasonal affective disorder, depression, anxiety, etc. Most importantly, light therapy can also help alleviate the symptoms of flu. You will just need to expose yourself to the strong light emitted by a light therapy device, and the light will penetrate your skin, muscles, and bones and work on a cellular level to generate the necessary chemical reactions and hormones to deal with your symptoms.
It is really important to remain relaxed and comfortable when you have the flu, and light therapy can provide you with that. Light therapy can also help you get enough sleep which is important for your recovery. So, light therapy can help in these ways, too, regarding your flu.
Using a Humidifier
You can try using a mist humidifier at your house if you feel like the air is a bit dry. It will help moisten the air of your house, which can potentially help to ease your congestion and coughs.
Final Words
If you don’t take proper measures to ease the symptoms of your flu, they can worsen with time and cause real trouble for you. Things can get out of hand pretty quickly, so make sure to go through these above-mentioned measures to ease your symptoms and recover from the flu as soon as possible.
