dcb @109 and Ginger @ 117. I am not advocating Tylenol as much as warning against aspirin. There is a small, but very real, incidence of Reye's syndrome in adults. One reason it is rarely seen is due to the prevalent use of other over-the-counter NSAID's that are not aspirin.
I would strongly suggest that for either the cold or the flu, people limit all over-the-counter medications. It is always a good idea to read the ingredients of everything you take.
If you are otherwise healthy, something for fever/muscle aches--the smallest dose that works for you, and something to treat the upper respiratory symptoms that DOES NOT have any NSAID's--such as a nose spray, throat spray, or cough drops and ride it out. A healthy person's body can do an amazing job healing its self. The less unnecessary stuff we put in our bodies the better.
The saline nasal rinse is great. So are warm fluids to drink and a warm shower to unstuff the nose and soothe the muscle aches. Remember that sleep is your friend. Your body heals while it sleeps.
It should go without saying, but NEVER take someone elses prescription medication. NEVER use antibiotics that are "left over" from a previous illness. Antibiotics should all be taken, unless there is a specific instruction not to. Old prescription medications should NEVER be kept, unless they are taken regularly to treat a chronic
I hope everyone stays healthy this winter.
dcb @ 80,
adults can develop Reye's syndrome--a complication of taking aspirin with a viral infection, although is is very uncommon. If you are not taking aspirin for another reason, such as prescribed by your health care provider, skip the aspirin for treating symptoms of a viral infection and go with a different type on over-the-counter med such as Tylenol.
Lila @ 78, there is indeed a test to confirm the flu. There is a verified case in MN, and the it is a strain covered by this year's shot.
It's not to late to get your shot, folks.
Thank you for posting this. The flu season has on my mind too.
A couple of added points---never take aspirin with a viral illness (cold of flu) and make sure you increase your fluid intake. Coughing, sneezing, and sweating all increase your water loss. You can get dangerously dehydrated in a few hours.
As for vomiting (not caused by a cold or flu-they are respiratory illnesses)---follow the BRATT diet---bananas, rice, applesauce, tea and toast. In small amounts, as you can tolerate it. If you think you have food poisoning, be seen by a doctor. You may need IV hydration.
Your body is mostly water, and needs water to function properly. Don't fool around with serious vomiting.
Also, you won't feel like eating, so broth and soup are a great way to get fluids and some nutrition.
Stock up on easy to prepare, and easy to store stuff for the winter: Broth, soup, juice....
Abi @ 19, being enclosed on a bus/subway with lots of people is a good way to get sick, so bicycle commuting can keep you healthy---along with the benefits of exercise. being out in the cold or rain does not make you sick--you get sick from mainly viral or bacterial infections and, rarely, fungal infections.
I'm not a doctor, so make sure you get medical advice for your own specific illnesses.
My Dh and I were driving back from a relative's farm late Sunday night. We saw a car crash take place and were able to stop and help.
Both the car and the pickup truck were roll-overs. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. Both had some cuts, but no obvious life-threatening injuries.
There was glass everywhere, and coats, hats, papers and a couple of suitcases were scattered. The soft-sided suitcases were split open and mangled. That could have been the drivers' bodies, it they had not been seat belted.
We were in rural WI, and it was snowing. It took about 20 min to get both men into ambulances. I had a blanket for one guy, and someone else who stopped got a blanket for the other.
When you're driving in the winter, please keep your coat on. If you are in a crash, it can take a long time to get you out, especially if there are others more injured than you. The cold is dangerous.
NCLB = teach for the test.
My kids go to good suburban schools. Since NCLB, there has been a change in the school curriculum to "teach for the test" and you can see it in the test scores--they are very high. But that comes at a price. Many things that were taught before, and things the school made time for, are lost.
Example: in fifth grade at my youngest son's school, there has been the tradition of a three day environmental retreat. The kids, teachers and a few parents would go a couple of hours away by bus, and have an outdoor learning experience with wildlife biologists, environmental educators and others and these kids would come back ready to make some changes in their family, school and community. We now have corn-based "plastic ware" in the cafeteria, and a recycling program that includes composting cafeteria waste. We have water gardens, and in the spring, the kids plant a "pizza garden" of tomatoes, oregano, onions and peppers to make pizza the first week of school.
Because of NCLB, the environmental retreat has been cut. They need the class time to continue to improve out test scores. What a loss of life experiences for the kids, and a loss for the school and community of the projects that he kids won't start in the future.
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