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Person to Person People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. When Flu Spreads People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Period of Contagiousness You may be able to pass on flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
People with flu are most contagious in the first days after their illness begins. People often feel the achiness and fatigue first, before their respiratory symptoms develop. Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter OTC pain relievers such as acetaminophen Tylenol or ibuprofen Advil, Motrin may help you manage your symptoms. To relieve your symptoms faster, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug such as oseltamivir Tamiflu , peramivir Rapivab , zanamivir Relenza , or baloxavir Xofluza.
Also, antiviral drugs can cause side effects such as nausea , vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, call your doctor right away if you have any of the more serious flu symptoms, such as trouble breathing or dizziness. Common colds are caused by many different viruses. These viruses spread through the air, just like influenza. Treat your cold by taking it easy. Drink water and other non-caffeinated fluids and get as much rest as you can. You can also take an OTC cold remedy.
Some of these drugs come in multi-symptom cold, cough, fever varieties. Decongestant nasal sprays relieve congestion. However, if you use a certain type for more than three days, it could give you a rebound stuffed nose. Some of these drugs can also cause an increase in blood pressure or a rapid heartbeat.
If you have high blood pressure , an irregular heart rhythm , or heart disease , talk to your doctor before you use a decongestant. Antihistamines can also help clear up a stuffy nose, but older ones such as diphenhydramine Benadryl can make you sleepy.
Colds are usually mild, but they can sometimes lead to complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Shop for nasal decongestant sprays. Your sneezing, sniffling nose, and watery eyes might not be contagious at all. If they happen at certain times of the year like spring and they stick around for a few weeks or months, you could have allergies. Allergies can be triggered by irritants in your environment such as:.
Shop for antihistamines. Most respiratory infections clear up within a few days. Stay home until you feel better. Also, hold off on returning to work if your treatments are causing side effects such as excessive drowsiness. You might have a bacterial infection that needs treatment with an antibiotic. It depends on your specific condition. In order to protect others, you need to develop healthful habits while dealing with a viral infection such as the cold.
Stick to a healthy diet, increase your intake of water, and get as much rest as you possibly can. You should limit your interaction with others and give your body ample time to clear the infection. Here are some other steps to take to protect others from becoming infected:. You can certainly take some steps to keep others from becoming infected, but it is always better to stay at home until you are no longer contagious.
Taking rest will also help you recover quickly. You have to pay attention to your symptoms to decide if you should stay home or you are ready to resume work.
It is usually fine to go back to work when you have a stuffy nose and a tickle on the back of your throat. These are allergy symptoms and are usually not contagious. However, you should not socialize with others when you are sneezing and coughing and feeling miserable.
While at home, you should take plenty of rest and drink fluids to help recover quickly. Even when your fever and other symptoms have resolved, you should still stay home for at least 24 hours. This will ensure that you do not end up spreading the virus to others. It depends on how long your cold lasts. You usually do not need any medical intervention for a cold, but you may have to deal with those symptoms for at least a week or so.
Cough may last longer, but after a week, the cough is usually not contagious. You are no longer contagious and are cured of cold when you do not have any cold symptoms and signs.
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