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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 clear broth to prevent dehydration. Drink enough to have clear or pale yellow urine.
- Rest. Get more sleep to help your immune system fight the infection.
- Take over-the-counter medication to reduce symptoms. Follow package directions for taking acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) to reduce fever and aches. Read package labels to be sure any product you give to a child or adolescent does not contain aspirin. Children and teens should not take aspirin because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Swine influenza in pigs and people. Accessed April 28, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/brochure.pdf
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Swine flu questions and answers. Swine flu and you. Accessed April 27, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Investigation and Interim Recommendations: Swine influenza (H1N1). Accessed April 27, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/HAN_042509.pdf
- World Health Organization. Swine flu illness in the United States and Mexico —Update Accessed April 27, 2009. http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_26/en/print.html
- CDC. Swine flu—general info. Accessed April 27, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu
- CDC. Interim guidance on antiviral recommendations for patients with confirmed or suspected swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and close contacts. Accessed April 27, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/recommendations.htm
- World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic. Statement to the press by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_pandemic_phase6_20090611/en/index.html. Accessed June 11, 2009.