How to Get Over the Flu? 5 Quick Tips!

In the flu season, it is as important to recover quickly after getting sick as it is to protect yourself from the flu.

In the flu season, it is as important to recover quickly after getting sick as it is to protect yourself from the flu. ENT specialists at Anadolu Health Center provide 5 simple recommendations for recovering quickly from the flu, which is a contagious illness, in addition to ways to prevent it.

Changes in temperature invite the flu. The flu causes significant loss of workforce and school attendance in children. If rest is not taken, the treatment process is prolonged, and the risk of side effects caused by the illness increases. As is well known, the flu is a contagious disease that spreads through environments where infected individuals are present, through sneezing, coughing, and contact with virus-contaminated hands. After catching the flu, we can recover from the illness quickly and healthily with 5 simple actions.

What should be done to protect against the flu?

Hand hygiene is extremely important to protect against the flu. Avoid touching your mouth or nose with dirty hands, and be diligent about keeping your hands clean. If your job requires frequent handshakes, you can use hand sanitizers. The temperature in the environment should not be too high, and the space should always be ventilated. To strengthen the body’s defense system against germs, regular exercise is necessary.

Speed Up the Flu Recovery Process

Here are 5 simple tips for those who want to recover from the flu quickly:

Do not skip your treatment: Follow the treatment prescribed by your doctor without interruption. Do not self-diagnose and use medications randomly. Antibiotics, especially those taken for treatment, are more harmful than beneficial. The prescribed medications for the flu are not directly aimed at the infection but are meant to alleviate symptoms, make the illness easier to pass, and prevent complications. Antibiotics should not be used. Instead, fever reducers, nasal sprays to ease breathing, throat gargles and lozenges for pain and irritation, and vitamins to boost the immune system should be used as prescribed by your doctor.

Rest when you have the flu: Even if the patient is not in bed, they should absolutely avoid exhausting or strenuous physical activities and rest for several days. The flu causes significant loss of workforce and school attendance among children. Without rest, both the treatment process is prolonged, and the risk of side effects from the illness increases. Another advantage of resting is that sick individuals will not spread the disease and infect others at their workplace or school.

Get enough sleep: Sleep regulation is one of the most important details for the body’s health. During sleep, especially in children, cells regenerate, and the hormone melatonin is secreted. Getting an average of 7 hours of sleep per night will strengthen the immune system.

Do not reduce your fluid intake: Drink plenty of water. Herbal teas, such as linden, rosehip, raspberry, jasmine, chamomile, and blackberry, are also beneficial. However, as with everything, excessive fluid intake should be avoided.

Eat well: Since vitamin C strengthens the body’s immune system, consume fruits, especially citrus fruits. Consuming dark leafy vegetables frequently will also help boost your body’s resistance.

Is the flu vaccine necessary?

The flu vaccine is mainly administered to prevent serious complications and deaths caused by the disease. Patients with weakened immune systems, diabetics, those with chronic diseases such as heart, lung, kidney, and rheumatic diseases, and individuals over 65 years old should get vaccinated once a year in the fall. It is especially beneficial for elderly people living in nursing homes to get vaccinated. Pregnant women in the first 3 months should not be vaccinated, but if the risk is very high, vaccination can be done after 3 months (between December and March). People aged 50-64 can get the flu vaccine after their medical risks are evaluated. There is no harm in giving the vaccine to breastfeeding mothers.

What is the difference between the flu and the common cold?

There are significant differences between the flu and the common cold. The flu usually comes with a higher fever and can last longer. If untreated, it can lead to pneumonia, ear infections, or meningitis. The common cold, on the other hand, does not cause a high fever. It primarily manifests with a runny nose.