We’re deep in the depths of winter now, and HMPV and influenza have been running rampant in the UK. The outbreak of flu even caused two Scottish hospitals to block any new admissions and banned visitors late last week.
Peterhead Community Hospital and Chalmers Hospital in Banff both suspended visitors and halted new patient admissions after outbreaks of influenza. Peterhead Hospital’s health board – NHS Grampian – said enhanced cleaning regimes are now in place due to a major flu outbreak after several cases of the illness were reported.
While most people will recover from flu in a few days, some groups are at higher risk of falling seriously ill. People over 65, pregnant people, or those with a weakened immune system are more at risk of becoming very unwell from influenza.
But advice is available. If you find yourself caught up in this outbreak, there are ways to treat the flu at home. Here’s the ultimate guide for getting over a flu, according to the NHS.
Common flu symptoms to look out for
The NHS states the following as symptoms of flu:
- a sudden high temperature
- tiredness and weakness
- a headache
- general aches and pains
- a dry, chesty cough
- sore throat
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or tummy pain
- feeling sick and being sick
- chills
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
How to treat the flu at home
Rest
Ensuring your body is able to recover is important for getting over a flu. If you’re ill with influenza, you should stay home from work, cancel your plans and focus on recovering. This will also prevent the spread of the illness and slow down outbreaks.
Get plenty of sleep
When you have the flu, getting plenty of sleep will help your body fight off the disease and lead to a quicker recovery. Taking a few days to focus on your sleep and rest is crucial in order to bounce back as soon as possible.
Keep warm
While you may find yourself with a temperature or hot and cold shivers, it’s important to keep your body warm. Cosy up with plenty of blankets and turn the heating on to ensure you’re not letting yourself freeze.
Drink lots of water
Every doctor’s catchphrase advice for fighting a cold is “drink plenty of fluids”. Avoiding dehydration is vital when wrestling with the flu, and it’s important to flush out the illness.
Take paracetamol or ibuprofen
As well as helping with the aches and pains associated with a bad flu, taking ibuprofen or paracetamol can help lower your temperature. However it’s vital that you don’t take other flu remedies that contain paracetamol after taking it on its own.
Stay off work or school until you feel better
While this may seem obvious, many of us will be aching to get back into routine after suffering from a bad flu. But it’s important not to rush back to school or work in case your body still has some recovering to do.
While you’ll probably feel better within a week, the NHS says you may have a lingering cough or still feel very tired for a few weeks after contracting the illness. If symptoms continue to persist, contact your GP.
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