Medication
The best fluids to drink are:
- clear liquids, such as water and broth
- over-the-counter preparations like Pedialyte (good choice for any age)
- sports drinks, which can help with electrolyte replacement (this should be reserved for older children and adults)
Self-care
What antiviral drugs are recommended this flu season?
- oseltamivir phosphate (available as a generic version or under the trade name Tamiflu®),
- zanamivir (trade name Relenza®)
- peramivir (trade name Rapivab®), and
- baloxavir marboxil (trade name Xofluza®).
Nutrition
- Wash your hands. Thorough and frequent hand-washing is an effective way to prevent many common infections. ...
- Contain your coughs and sneezes. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. ...
- Avoid crowds. Flu spreads easily wherever people congregate — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and public transportation. ...
What is the best over the counter flu remedy?
Who is most at risk?
- Children. Children’s immune systems are still developing. ...
- Seniors. Seniors are more likely to have immune systems that may not be able to effectively fight off infection.
- Pregnant women. Expecting moms experience changes to the immune system, heart, and lungs. ...
- Medical conditions. ...
- Obesity. ...
What are the best medications to treat the flu?
How do you treat flu at home?
Why is the flu so dangerous?
See more
What is the best treatment for flu?
Usually, you'll need nothing more than rest and plenty of fluids to treat the flu. But if you have a severe infection or are at higher risk of complications, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug to treat the flu.
How can the flu be treated or cured?
Antiviral drugs can help treat flu illness: Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. Flu antivirals are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, intravenous solution, or an inhaled powder) and are not available over the counter. Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick.
Do you need treatment for the flu?
CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have flu or suspected flu and who are at higher risk of serious flu complications. Learn what to do if you are sick and what steps you should take to protect others. Prescription medications called “antiviral drugs” can be used to treat flu illness.
Is Tamiflu over-the-counter?
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is a brand-name prescription drug that treats flu symptoms, such as a stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, fever or chills, body aches, and fatigue. It may also be used to prevent the flu virus, influenza. Tamiflu is not available over-the-counter.
How do you cure the flu quickly?
Here are 12 tips to help you recover more quickly.Stay home. Your body needs time and energy to fight off the flu virus, which means that your daily routine should be put on the backburner. ... Hydrate. ... Sleep as much as possible. ... Ease your breathing. ... Eat healthy foods. ... Add moisture to the air. ... Take OTC medications. ... Try elderberry.More items...
Do antibiotics help the flu?
Antibiotics Won't Help When you have flu, antibiotics will not help you feel better. Antibiotics won't help you, and their side effects could cause harm. C. diff infection, which causes severe diarrhea that can lead to severe colon damage and death.
How long can flu last?
The flu typically lasts three to seven days, according to the CDC. Serious complications of the flu, such as pneumonia, can take longer to recover from. Some symptoms, such as a cough, can persist for more than two weeks.
Can doctors do anything for the flu?
Yes. There are drugs your doctor may prescribe for treating flu called “antivirals.” These drugs can make you better faster and may also prevent serious complications.
What to do if you have the flu?
CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have flu or suspected flu who are at high risk of serious flu complications, such as people with asthma, diabetes or heart disease.
What is the name of the medication that is prescribed to treat the flu?
There are prescription medications called “antiviral drugs” that can be used to treat flu illness. What are antiviral drugs? Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, an inhaled powder, or an intravenous solution) that fight against flu in your respiratory tract. Antiviral drugs are not sold over the counter.
What is an antiviral?
Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. Flu antivirals are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, intravenous solution, or an inhaled powder) and are not available over the counter. Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They also can prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia, ...
Why is it important to take antiviral medicine early?
It’s very important that antiviral drugs be used early to treat people who are very sick with flu (for example, people who are in the hospital) and people who are sick with flu and have a greater chance of getting serious flu complications, either because of their age or because they have a high risk medical condition.
How long does it take for antiviral drugs to work?
Studies show that flu antiviral drugs work best for treatments when they are started within 2 days of getting sick. However, starting them later can still be helpful, especially if the sick person has a high-risk health condition or is very sick from flu (for example, hospitalized patients).
How to keep from getting sick?
While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Can you buy antiviral medication over the counter?
Antiviral drugs are not sold over the counter. You can only get them if you have a prescription from your doctor or health care provider. Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections.
How to help a person with the flu?
If you do come down with the flu, these measures may help ease your symptoms: Drink plenty of liquids. Choose water, juice and warm soups to prevent dehydration. Rest. Get more sleep to help your immune system fight infection. You may need to change your activity level, depending on your symptoms.
What to take for achiness from influenza?
Consider pain relievers. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), to combat the achiness associated with influenza.
How long should you stay home with a fever?
To help control the spread of influenza in your community, stay home and keep sick children home until fever has been gone for 24 hours. Avoid being around other people until you're feeling better, unless you're getting medical care. If you do need to leave your home and get medical care, wear a face mask.
Can you take zanamivir with asthma?
Oseltamivir is an oral medication. Zanamivir is inhaled through a device similar to an asthma inhaler and shouldn't be used by anyone with certain chronic respiratory problems, such as asthma and lung disease.
Do you need to be tested for influenza?
During times when influenza is widespread, you may not need to be tested for influenza. Your doctor may diagnose you based on your signs and symptoms. In some cases, your doctor may suggest that you be tested for influenza. He or she may use various tests to diagnose influenza. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is becoming more common in many ...
What are the other drugs used to treat flu?
Two other drugs, rimantadine (Flumadine®) and amantadine (Symmetrel®), were used to treat flu infection in the past. They worked by disrupting ion channels in the wall of the virus, preventing the virus from replicating during the initial stages of infection, soon after its been taken inside a human cell. However, rimantadine and amantadine are only effective in treating Influenza A, and several strains of flu have already developed resistance to them. Thus, the two medicines are no longer recommended in the United States for treating the flu.
Why are antiviral medications important?
Antiviral medicines are an important tool in both controlling influenza by treating the patient’s infection and helping to prevent severe illness that can result from flu, including bacterial pneumonia.
When was Peramivir approved?
For example, NIAID supported the initial Phase 1 clinical studies of peramivir, which was approved in 2014 by the Food and Drug Administration to treat flu infection in adults.
Which treatments should I take for flu symptoms?
The flu treatment you should take depends on your symptoms. For example, if you have nasal or sinus congestion, then a decongestant can be helpful.
Which treatment should I use for nasal congestion?
If you need immediate relief for swollen, congested nasal passages, you may get relief with an over-the-counter decongestant nasal spray. It is important to stop using decongestant nasal sprays after three days to avoid the development of rebound congestion.
Is it safe to take a decongestant if I have high blood pressure?
Decongestants can increase blood pressure and heart rate. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are oral decongestants commonly available in over-the-counter products. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about safety.
Which flu treatment works best for my cough?
An occasional cough may clear the lung of pollutants and excess phlegm. A persistent cough should be diagnosed and treated specifically. On the pharmacy shelf, you'll find numerous cough medicines with various combinations of decongestants, antihistamines, analgesics/antipyretics, cough suppressants, and expectorants.
Which flu treatment should I take to lower my fever and body aches?
Children under 19 should avoid aspirin. Acetaminophen ( Tylenol) or medicines like ibuprofen ( Advil, Motrin) and naproxen ( Aleve) are over-the-counter options for fever and pain relief. Each medication has risks. Check with your doctor or pharmacist as to which medication may be suitable for you.
Which flu treatment is best for my sore throat?
Drinking lots of fluids and using salt water gargles (made by combining a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of salt) can often be helpful for easing the pain of a sore throat. Over-the-counter pain relievers and medicated lozenges and gargles can also temporarily soothe a sore throat.
Is an antiviral drug a commonly used flu treatment?
Antiviral flu drugs are taken to decrease the severity and duration of flu symptoms. In some cases they may be used to prevent flu. They include baloxavir marboxil ( Xofluza ), oseltamivir ( Tamiflu ), peramivir ( Rapivab ), or zanamivir ( Relenza ).
What is the CDC's recommendation for treating a flu?
CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have flu infection or suspected flu infection and who are at high risk of serious flu complications, such as people with asthma, diabetes (including gestational diabetes), or heart disease.
What is the best antiviral for the flu?
What antiviral drugs are recommended this flu season? 1 oseltamivir phosphate (available as a generic version or under the trade name Tamiflu®), 2 zanamivir (trade name Relenza®) 3 peramivir (trade name Rapivab®), and 4 baloxavir marboxil (trade name Xofluza®).
How long does zanamivir last?
To treat flu, oseltamivir or inhaled zanamivir are usually prescribed for 5 days, or one dose of intravenous peramivir or oral Baloxavir for 1 day. Oseltamivir treatment is given to hospitalized patients, and some patients might be treated for more than 5 days. Top of Page.
How often is zanamivir given?
Oseltamivir and zanamivir are given twice a day for 5 days. Peramivir is given once intravenously by a health care provider and is approved for early treatment of flu in people 2 years and older. Baloxavir is a pill given as a single dose by mouth and is approved for early treatment of flu in people 12 years and older.
How long should you take antiviral medication for a child?
For treatment, influenza antiviral drugs should ideally be started within 2 days after becoming sick and taken for 5 days.
What are the symptoms of the flu?
Flu signs and symptoms can include feeling feverish or having a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs to treat your flu illness.
Do you need antiviral medicine for flu?
Although other people with mild illness who are not at high risk of flu complications may also be treated early with antiviral drugs by their doctor, most people who are otherwise healthy and not at high risk for flu complications and who get flu do not need to be treated with antiviral drugs.
