Are You Sick?

When to Call for Flu

Care Advice

Home Care Treatment for the Flu

1. What You Should Know:
   • For most healthy adults, the flu feels like a bad cold. People often confuse the flu and the common cold. People tend to get the flu only once every few years. It is common to have a couple of colds each year.
   • You do not have to see a doctor if you have the flu, unless you are very sick or at High Risk for problems.
   • Usually, you treat the flu in the same way you treat a common cold.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. For a Runny Nose - Blow the Nose:
   • Runny noses help to wash viruses and bacteria out of the nose.
   • Blowing the nose is all that is needed.
   • The skin around your nostrils may get irritated. You can rub a tiny amount of petroleum ointment on it 1 to 2 times a day.
3. For a Stuffy Nose - Use Nasal Washes:
   • Salt water washes are a good way to treat a stuffy nose. You can pour, spray, or squirt salt water into your nose. Then let the water run back out.
   • How It Helps: The salt water rinses out mucus, dust, and allergens. It also keeps the nose moist.
   • Methods : There are a few ways to do nasal washes. You can use a saline nasal spray bottle (sold over-the-counter), a rubber ear syringe, a medical syringe without the needle or a Neti Pot.
4. How to Do Nasal Washes:
   • Step 1: Lean over a sink.
   • Step 2: Gently squirt or spray warm salt water (saline) into one of your nostrils.
   • Step 3: Some of the water may run into the back of your throat. Spit this out. If you swallow the salt water it will not hurt you.
   • Step 4: Blow your nose to clean out the water and mucus.
   • Step 5: Repeat steps 1-4 for the other nostril. Do this 2 or 3 times a day if it helps you feel better.
5. How to Make Saline Nasal Wash:
   • You can make your own saline nasal wash.
   • Put 1 cup (8 oz; 240 mL) of water in a clean container. You should use bottled or previously boiled water.
   • Add ¾ teaspoon of non-iodized salt to the water.
   • Add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to the water.
6. Treatment of Other Flu Symptoms:
   • For muscle aches, headaches, or f ever (over 101°F; over 38.9°C): Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
   • Sore throat: Try throat drops, hard candy, or warm chicken broth.
   • Cough : Use cough drops.
   • Feeling dry and thirsty: Drink liquids. Stay well-hydrated.
7. Humidifier: If the air in your home is dry, use a cool mist humidifier.
8. No Aspirin: Do not use aspirin to treat fever or pain.
9. What to Expect:
   • Fever may last 2 to 3 days.
   • Runny nose may last 7 to 14 days.
   • Cough may last 2 to 3 weeks.
10. Return to School or Work:
    • Do NOT go to work, school, church, child care centers, or other public places while you still have a fever. Avoid close contact with others (hugging, kissing).
    • You can return to school and work after your fever has been gone for 24 hours.
11. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Trouble breathing
    • Fever lasts more than 3 days
    • Runny nose lasts more than 10 days
    • Cough lasts more than 3 weeks
    • You think you need to be seen
    • You get worse

Over-the-Counter Medicines for Cough, Runny Nose, and Stuffy Nose

1. Runny and Stuffy Nose Medicines:
   • Most cold drugs that are sold over-the-counter (OTC) are not helpful.
   • Antihistamines are only helpful if you also have nasal allergies.
   • If you still think you need medicine, try using a nasal decongestant.
2. Nasal Decongestants for a Very Stuffy or Runny Nose:
   • Nasal decongestants can help you breathe better. They reduce the amount of nasal drainage. They may be taken as pills by mouth or as a nasal spray.
   • Most people do NOT need to use these medicines. If your nose feels blocked, you should try using nasal washes first.
   • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed): This is sold over-the-counter (OTC), but it is kept behind the drug store counter. You will need to ask the pharmacist or clerk for it. Normal adult dose is two 30 mg tablets every 6 hours.
   • Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE): This is sold OTC in pill form. Normal adult dose is one 10 mg tablet every 4 hours.
   • Oxymetazoline Nasal Spray (Afrin): This is sold OTC. Blow your nose to clean out the mucus before using. Spray each nostril once. Wait one minute, and then spray a second time.
   • Phenylephrine nose spray (Neo-Synephrine) : This is sold OTC. Blow your nose to clean out the mucus before using. Spray each nostril once. Wait one minute, and then spray a second time.
   • Read the instructions and warnings on the package insert for all medicines you take.
3. Warning - Nasal Decongestants:
   • Do not take these drugs if you are pregnant.
   • Do not take these drugs if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, an enlarged prostate, or an overactive thyroid.
   • Do not take these drugs if you have taken a MAO inhibitor drug in the past 2 weeks. Very serious, harmful side effects can occur. Examples of MAO drugs include isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate).
   • Do not use nasal decongestants for more than 3 days.
   • Read the warnings on the package insert for all medicines that you take.
4. Cough Medicines:
   • Over-the-Counter (OTC) Cough Syrups: Some people find that cough syrups help decrease coughing. Dextromethorphan is the most common cough suppressant in OTC cough syrups. Often the letters "DM" appear in the name.
   • OTC Cough Drops: Cough drops can help a lot. They work best for mild coughs. They soothe the tickling feeling in the back of the throat. Cough drops are easy to carry with you.
   • Home Remedy - Hard Candy: Hard candy works just as well as OTC cough drops. People who have diabetes should use sugar-free candy.
   • Home Remedy - Honey: Honey has been shown to help decrease coughing at night. The adult dose is 2 teaspoons (10 mL) at bedtime.
5. OTC Cough Syrup - Dextromethorphan (DM):
   • Cough syrups with DM in them may help your cough. Cough syrups work best for coughs that keep you awake at night. They can help with a dry, hacky cough at the end of a cold or flu. They can be used along with cough drops.
   • Examples : Benylin, Robitussin DM, Vicks 44 Cough Relief
   • Read the instructions on the package insert for all medicines that you take.
6. Caution - Dextromethorphan (DM):
   • Do not try to stop coughs if you are coughing up phlegm. Coughing is helpful in bringing up mucus from the lungs. This helps keep you from getting pneumonia.
   • Research Notes: Some research shows DM helps a cough get better. Other research shows it has little to no effect.
   • Drug Abuse: DM has become a drug of abuse.
   • Do not take DM if you have taken a MAO inhibitor in the past 2 weeks. These include: isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate).
   • Do not take this drug if you are taking venlafaxine (Effexor).
7. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Over-the-Counter Medicines for Fever and Pain (Headache, Muscle Aches)

1. Fever and Pain Medicine:
   • For fever above 101° F (38.3° C) or pain you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
   • They are over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. You can buy them at the drugstore.
   • The goal for treating fever is to bring it down to a comfortable level.
   • Fever medicine usually lowers fevers by 2° F (1 - 1.5° C).
   • Use the lowest amount of a drug that makes your fever or pain feel better.
   • Acetaminophen is safer than ibuprofen in people over 65 years old.
   • Read the instructions and warnings on the package insert for all medicines you take.
2. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Prescription Antiviral Medicines for the Flu

1. What You Should Know:
   • There are antiviral drugs that can be used to treat influenza. These include baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza), oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).
   • To get the most benefit, these drugs must be started within 48 hours of when flu symptoms start.
   • The benefit of these drugs are limited in healthy adults. The may decrease the time you are sick by 1 to 2 days. They help reduce the symptoms, but do not make them go away.
   • The CDC recommends that antiviral drugs be used for people at High Risk for flu problems. They also recommend them for people with severe flu symptoms.
2. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

The Flu Vaccine

1. What You Should Know:
   • All adults should get a flu vaccine (nasal spray or shot) every year. Protect yourself and your family!
   • You should get it in the fall before the start of flu season. However, it is never too late.
   • It is especially important for people over 65 years old and people at High Risk for getting severe problems from the flu.
   • A Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for the flu vaccine shot is available from the CDC.
   • A Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for the flu nasal spray vaccine is available from the CDC.
2. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.