Your Flu Risk May Spike When You Do These 4 Things
The U.S. is facing one of the worst flu seasons in a decade, and these common mistakes could increase your risk of getting sick.
Read more →What are the best ways to get rid of a bad, dry cough or shorten a cold's duration? From flu shot reactions to cough remedies while pregnant, managing cold and flu involves targeted nutrition and mucus clearance.
The U.S. is facing one of the worst flu seasons in a decade, and these common mistakes could increase your risk of getting sick.
Read more →Ugh. The [dreaded flu](https://www.livestrong.com/article/1011708-cold-flu/). Influenza (the scientific name for the flu) is an upper respiratory infection that can result in symptoms like a dry cough, sore throat, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
Read more →Troublesome coughing attacks can often be interrupted with short-term remedies, such as hot tea, honey or cough lozenges.
Read more →If the odds of winning the lottery were 1 in 5, the line for tickets would be long indeed. In fact, as many as 1 in every 5 Americans get the flu each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These high odds could be decreased if more Americans took advantage of influenza immunization.
Read more →Tamiflu is an antiviral prescription medication used to treat influenza type A and type B found in the human body. The generic drug is known as oseltamivir phosphate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Tamiflu isn't a substitute for the flu vaccine.
Read more →With more than 30 million Americans suffering from congestion, decongestants are a popular over-the-counter medication, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pseudoephedrine, or Sudafed, and phenylephrine, or Sudafed PE, are the two most common oral decongestants available OTC.
Read more →Smokers who go cold turkey will undergo withdrawal symptoms, both physically and mentally. The body is used to its regular dose of nicotine and craves it when you suddenly give up the habit. The ex-smoker may suffer from anxiety, frustration and impatience. This is a major reason many people go back to smoking.
Read more →Humidifier filters are subject to mineral deposit buildup over time, especially if you use hard water in the humidifier. These deposits can make the humidifier run less efficiently. This can cause a problem for those who need to avoid dry air because of illness or allergies.
Read more →Many over-the-counter medicines pose dangers to children, and the Food and Drug Administration warns that children younger than 2 should never take decongestants. Honey, however, is an excellent natural remedy for coughing for children older than 1.
Read more →Garlic, an herb with a pungent flavor, has been used medicinally since ancient times, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, and is a popular home remedy for a variety of conditions in 2011.
Read more →The influenza virus primarily infects the respiratory tract, causing sore throat, coughing, fever and muscle aches. But influenza can also cause digestive symptoms. A December 2015 "Virology Journal"
Read more →The vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches and low-grade fever that generally accompany the stomach flu can leave a child in misery for days. Symptoms of the stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, can last for up to 10 days, although some children luck out and feel better after one or two days.
Read more →Influenza type B is one of three types of flu virus, the other two being type A and type C. Of the three, types A and B cause seasonal flu and can lead to epidemics. Between November and April, the time period known as flu season, is when most flu epidemics occur, according to Nemours Foundation.
Read more →A cough occurs when a childβs body is responding to irritants in airways. This usually occurs due to an upper respiratory infection. During the first two years of life, more kids get upper respiratory infections than any other illness, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Read more →Vicks produces a line of humidifiers designed to treat the air in uncomfortably dry environments; these devices are also capable of filling a room with medicinal vapors that may soothe the symptoms of a cold, flu or allergies.
Read more →If you have a congested cough, also known as a wet cough, seek relief in natural expectorants. These substances thin out and break up the mucus stuck in your lungs, making it easier to breathe and your cough more productive. Remember to spit out any mucus that's dislodged, rather than swallowing it.
Read more →More than 200 viruses can cause the common cold, according to MedlinePlus. Colds are prevalent during the winter, and symptoms can be quite uncomfortable, especially at night. Sneezing, stuffy nose and sore throat are common features.
Read more →Coughing is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A productive cough is one that produces mucus, or phlegm. A continuous, or chronic, productive cough is not normal and may indicate a disorder of the lungs.
Read more →If you purchase an over-the-counter expectorant, the active ingredient is almost certain to be guaifenesin. Guaifenesin thins secretions in the lungs and nasal passages, makes it easier to cough up phlegm and eases lung congestion. Guaifenesin has few side effects when taken at recommended dosages.
Read more →A humidifier transforms water into airborne moisture to help add humidity to the air surrounding it. This can have several benefits to your health, including relieving irritated respiratory systems, eyes and skin caused by excessively dry air. But using a humidifier is not without its potential cons and drawbacks.
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