What is the flu and what is its danger?
Influenza is an infectious disease that anyone can fall ill with. The causative agent of influenza is a virus that from infected people enters the nasopharynx of others.
Most people get the flu for only a few days, but some get more serious, possibly a serious illness, including death.
When the flu exacerbates existing chronic diseases, in addition, the flu has an extensive list of possible complications:
- Pulmonary complications (pneumonia, bronchitis). It is pneumonia that causes the majority of deaths from the flu.
- Complications of the upper respiratory tract and ENT organs (otitis media, sinusitis, rhinitis, tracheitis).
- Complications of the cardiovascular system (myocarditis, pericarditis).
- Complications of the nervous system (meningitis, meningoencephalitis, encephalitis, neuralgia, polyradiculoneuritis).
In order to avoid possible complications, it is important to timely prevent the flu and properly treat the disease itself.
Usually the flu begins suddenly. Influenza pathogens, viruses of types A and B, are aggressive and have an extremely high reproduction rate, so within a few hours after infection, the virus leads to deep damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, opening up the possibility for bacteria to enter it.
Among the symptoms of influenza are fever, temperature 37.5–39 ° C, headache, pain in muscles, joints, chills, fatigue, cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat.
Influenza can be confused with other diseases, so a doctor must make a clear diagnosis, he also prescribes treatment tactics.
What to do with a flu?
At the first symptoms, the patient himself needs to stay at home so as not only not to infect others, but also to start treatment on time, for which you must immediately consult a doctor. To prevent the further spread of infection, the patient must be isolated from healthy individuals, it is advisable to allocate a separate room.
Important!
Parents! In no case do not send sick children to kindergarten, school, or cultural events. With influenza, it is extremely important to observe bed rest, as with the disease, the load on the cardiovascular, immune and other body systems increases.
Self-medication for the flu is unacceptable, and it is the doctor who must make the diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment appropriate to the condition and age of the patient.
For proper treatment, it is necessary to strictly comply with all the recommendations of the attending physician and take medication in a timely manner. In addition, a heavy drink is recommended - it can be hot tea, cranberry or cranberry juice, alkaline mineral water. You need to drink more often and as much as possible.
Important!
At a temperature of 38 - 39 ° C, call the local doctor at home or the ambulance team.
When coughing and sneezing, the patient should cover his mouth and nose with a handkerchief or napkin.
The room where the patient is located should be regularly aired and wet cleaned as often as possible, preferably with the use of disinfectants acting on viruses.
Communication with sick flu should be limited and use a medical mask or gauze bandage when caring for it.
How to protect yourself from the flu?
According to the position of the World Health Organization, the most effective remedy against influenza is vaccination, because it is the vaccine that provides protection against those types of influenza virus that are most relevant in this epidemiological season and are part of it.
The introduction of a vaccine into the body cannot cause the disease, but by producing protective antibodies, it stimulates the immune system to fight infection. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine is incomparably higher than all non-specific medications that can be taken during the winter months, such as immunomodulators, vitamins, homeopathic remedies, traditional medicine, and so on.
Vaccination is recommended for all population groups, but it is especially indicated for children from 6 months old, people suffering from chronic diseases, pregnant women, as well as people from occupational groups - medical workers, teachers, students, service and transportation workers.
Vaccination should be carried out 2-3 weeks before the onset of an increase in the incidence of infection; vaccination can only be done in a medical facility by specially trained medical personnel, and a doctor’s examination is required before vaccination.
There are few contraindications to flu vaccination. The vaccine against influenza can not be done in acute febrile conditions, during an exacerbation of chronic