With the holiday season also comes influenza. It is commonly thought to be benign, but nothing could be further from the truth. In 1918, a strain of the flu started in a Kansas Army barracks and then spread throughout North America and Europe killing approximately 20M people. It was called the "Spanish Flu."
Influenza comes in many varieties. Type A is the most common, but there are more virulent types such as the Swine and Avian (HxNx) strains. Contracting the virus is usually by contact, such as kissing, shaking hands, or touching contaminated surfaces that are infected. It can be transmitted by air, but contact is the most common mode. Public door handles, shopping cart handles, and gas pump handles are especially notorious.
Incubation can take as little as 36 hours and starts as a low grade fever with body aches headache, chills, nausea, diarrhea, and congestion. These symptoms progress until the infected person can no longer engage in daily activities and is confined to bed.
Before vaccines, antibiotics and antivirals, the mortality rate was as high as 25% in some parts of the world. Most of the people that died were the very young, elderly, or medically compromised. However, post-secondary infections, such as pneumonia can kill a healthy person.
Bed rest, adequate hydration, nutrition, anti-emetics and something for fever and body aches is usually sufficient. It can take up to 3 weeks to be completely asymptomatic. If you get worse, such as running a fever over 102 or have violent gastrointestinal symptoms see your doctor immediately.
Vaccinations are questionable because they are produced each year for the expected dominant strain. With the vaccine controversy, unless you are high risk, you might want to discuss the matter with your doctor.
During the Swine Flu scare in the mid 70's, a significant number of people developed Gullian-Barre syndrome which is an autoimmune neurological disorder. The spike in cases was traced back to the vaccine. Antivirals such as Tamiflu and Relenza can mitigate symptoms, but only if taken within 48 hours after exposure.
Your best way to deal with the flu is prevention. This means washing your hands frequently and avoiding large crowds in closed-in buildings. If a family member has the flu, avoid unnecessary contact if possible and wear a mask and gloves if you are the caretaker.
Be sure to get adequate rest, nutrition, sunlight, and avoiding stress can help keep your immune system in optimal condition helping you to deal with the flu and other respiratory and gastrointestinal seasonal illnesses.
Influenza comes in many varieties. Type A is the most common, but there are more virulent types such as the Swine and Avian (HxNx) strains. Contracting the virus is usually by contact, such as kissing, shaking hands, or touching contaminated surfaces that are infected. It can be transmitted by air, but contact is the most common mode. Public door handles, shopping cart handles, and gas pump handles are especially notorious.
Incubation can take as little as 36 hours and starts as a low grade fever with body aches headache, chills, nausea, diarrhea, and congestion. These symptoms progress until the infected person can no longer engage in daily activities and is confined to bed.
Before vaccines, antibiotics and antivirals, the mortality rate was as high as 25% in some parts of the world. Most of the people that died were the very young, elderly, or medically compromised. However, post-secondary infections, such as pneumonia can kill a healthy person.
Bed rest, adequate hydration, nutrition, anti-emetics and something for fever and body aches is usually sufficient. It can take up to 3 weeks to be completely asymptomatic. If you get worse, such as running a fever over 102 or have violent gastrointestinal symptoms see your doctor immediately.
Vaccinations are questionable because they are produced each year for the expected dominant strain. With the vaccine controversy, unless you are high risk, you might want to discuss the matter with your doctor.
During the Swine Flu scare in the mid 70's, a significant number of people developed Gullian-Barre syndrome which is an autoimmune neurological disorder. The spike in cases was traced back to the vaccine. Antivirals such as Tamiflu and Relenza can mitigate symptoms, but only if taken within 48 hours after exposure.
Your best way to deal with the flu is prevention. This means washing your hands frequently and avoiding large crowds in closed-in buildings. If a family member has the flu, avoid unnecessary contact if possible and wear a mask and gloves if you are the caretaker.
Be sure to get adequate rest, nutrition, sunlight, and avoiding stress can help keep your immune system in optimal condition helping you to deal with the flu and other respiratory and gastrointestinal seasonal illnesses.
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