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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you come down with any type of flu, these measures may help ease your symptoms:
- Drink plenty of liquids. Choose water, juice and warm soups to prevent dehydration. Drink enough so that your urine is clear or pale yellow.
- Rest. Get more sleep to help your immune system fight infection.
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Consider pain relievers. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), cautiously. Also, use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, in such children.
Remember, pain relievers may make you more comfortable, but they won't make your symptoms go away any faster and may have side effects. Ibuprofen may cause stomach pain, bleeding and ulcers. If taken for a long period or in higher than recommended doses, acetaminophen can be toxic to your liver.
- Thorner AR. Epidemiology of pandemic H1N1 influenza ('swine influenza'). http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- H1N1 (Originally referred to as Swine Flu). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.flu.gov/types/h1n1/index.html. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- Key facts about human infections with variant viruses (swine origin influenza viruses in humans). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/keyfacts-variant.htm. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- What you should know about antiviral drugs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/whatyoushould.htm. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- Thorner AR. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of pandemic H1N1 influenza ('swine influenza'). http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- Thorner AR. Treatment and prevention of pandemic H1N1 influenza ('swine influenza'). http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- Jefferson T, et al. Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in healthy adults and children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-3.5.1a/ovidweb.cgi?&S=MJGAFPPDAFDDBDDBNCALFHGCMLDJAA00&Complete+Reference=S.sh.15%7c1%7c1. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- The flu: What to do if you get sick. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- Key facts about seasonal flu vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm. Accessed May 10, 2012.
- Vaccine selection for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccine-selection.htm. Accessed May 12, 2012.
- A guide to safe use of pain medicine. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095673.htm. Accessed June 5, 2012.
- CDC reports cases 18-29 of H3N2v virus infection; continues to recommend interim precautions when interacting with pigs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/h3n2v_us_cases.htm. Accessed Aug. 6, 2012.
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