Viral diseases - a list of common ailments and the most dangerous viruses. Treatment of a viral infection

IN modern world Many different troubles await us. But treating a viral infection with folk remedies at home can be done very easily. You can stop the disease at home initial stage, when symptoms such as weakness, weakness, unmotivated irritability using medicinal methods are still barely felt.

Therapy begins with the patient being put to bed. For viral infections, sweet tea is regularly given. You can apply a heating pad to your feet at home. Before falling asleep, a patient suffering from a severe viral infection can rub his feet with crushed garlic (about 10 cloves). After this, you need to put on wool socks. You can pour dry mustard into them. It is necessary to ensure that the patient drinks enough during treatment. This helps remove harmful toxins and metabolic products, which intensifies when the temperature rises. The disease gradually recedes. Fruit and vegetable juices or fruit drinks are perfect. And traditional tea with raspberries and lemon.

Herbal treatment for viral infection

Mix two tables. spoons of cognac with two identical spoons of milk. Give this mixture to drink 30 minutes before meals, three times a day. Soon, a patient with a severe viral infection will experience relief from symptoms.

This folk and simple remedy is also different good taste. One tablespoon of cognac (vodka) is mixed with the same amount of raspberry jam. Add half a lemon (squeeze) to the anti-infection mixture and pour the resulting mixture into a glass with hot water. The patient must drink this remedy, after two hours the procedure can be repeated. The viral disease will gradually recede.

Pass 50 grams through a meat grinder onions. Add 20 grams of vinegar, squeeze through cheesecloth, add 60 grams of honey to the liquid and mix. For a viral infection, take a teaspoon every half hour. Traditional treatment can be combined with tablets only after consultation with your doctor!

To alleviate the condition of a patient with viral disease for a sore throat and runny nose, take 400 grams of beets, pass through a grater, and drip the resulting juice into your nose. 2-3 drops, 2-3 times a day.

As an expectorant at home traditional treatment Honey with lemon and glycerin will do. Boil the lemon for 10 minutes. Squeezing its juice provides an excellent method of treating a patient who has a viral infection. Add 2 tablespoons of glycerin to it, add honey to a full glass. Take one teaspoon at night at home. At severe cough– a teaspoon three times a day.

A mixture made from honey is also good for treatment - 2 tsp. , to which add 2 yolks of fresh eggs, spoons of flour and 100g of butter. Mix thoroughly and take 1 tsp for viral and even rotavirus infections several times a day.

Traditional treatment with honey is very effective: compositions of aloe cut into pieces mixed with Cahors and honey work well. Let it brew for two weeks, and then squeeze out the mixture; in case of a viral infection, give three times a day for 1 hour. l.

Another composition can also be used: 4 tablespoons of anise seeds must be mixed with honey and added a pinch of salt. This mixture for a viral infection, fill with warm water and bring to a boil, leaving on low heat. We filter and take at home three times a day, the treatment will go very well.

Kalanchoe juice Effectively acts on the onset of a runny nose, smearing the nasal mucosa.

Japanese Kombucha - a proven remedy

Kombucha infusion has antiviral properties, so it is good for influenza and other complicated viral infections.

Kombucha infusion with honey and pepper

Required for treatment: 100 ml of 5-day infusion of kombucha, 1 teaspoon of honey, 0.5 teaspoon of ground red pepper. Preparation. Mix all ingredients and heat slightly. Take during viral therapy complex infection every 2-3 hours 1 tbsp. spoon.

Kombucha tincture

Required to create the composition at home: 2 parts of kombucha infusion, 8 parts of vodka. Preparation. Pour the infusion into a glass container and add vodka. Leave for 10 days in a cool, dark place. Strain folk remedy, store the composition for therapy viral disease in the refrigerator. Take 1 tbsp to treat infection. spoon 1 time per day.

Home therapy with Indian sea rice and chaga

Sea rice drink has a strong antiviral effect, so it is good not only for treatment, but also as a prophylactic from infection with acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections.

Prophylactic infusion

Required: 100 ml of rice infusion. The use of folk remedies. For viral infections, take 0.5 cups 2 times a day before meals. Treatment will proceed quickly.

Infusion for treatment

Required: 150 ml of rice infusion. Application. For traditional treatment, drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day 10 minutes before meals.

Chaga decoction and infusion help ease the course of viral flu and infection. They are widely used in alternative medicine as an antipyretic.

Oil mixture

Required: 2 drops of chaga oil, 1 tbsp. spoon of jojoba oil. Preparation. Mix the oils. Application for viral flu and similar infections. Apply the mixture to the forehead, sides of the nose, behind the ears and on the chest. Apply 3 times a day.

Aloe juice and chaga oil

Required: aloe juice, 1 teaspoon of chaga oil. Place 2 drops of juice into each nostril when treating a viral infection that does not go away for a long time, lubricate the wings of the nose with chaga oil. Massage popular composition With natural means 3 min.

Chaga oil infusion

Required: 3 drops oil infusion birch mushroom(mix 2.5 tablespoons olive oil from 1 tbsp. spoon of chaga infusion), 100 ml of water. Preparation for treatment. Combine ingredients and mix. Gargle for a patient with a viral infection that is very bothersome. The product softens muscle pain and helps lower the temperature.

A mixture of echinacea and chaga infusions

Required for the composition according to the folk recipe: 100 ml of infusion of the herb Echinacea purpurea (1 tablespoon of dry herb per 1 liter of water, pour boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain), 50 ml of infusion of birch mushroom. Combine ingredients and mix. Use for infection and viral disease. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day 35 minutes before meals.

Tibetan milk mushroom

When infected with an infection transmitted by airborne droplets, fermented kefir Tibetan mushroom milk can provide invaluable help, since with timely treatment, you can not only speed up recovery, but also avoid complications. To do this, at the first signs of the disease, it is recommended not only to choose proven folk remedies, but also to eat exclusively kefir and drink boiled or mineral water without gas (up to 2.5-3 liters per day). If the temperature rises due to a viral complicated infection, you must overcome the desire to wrap yourself up and cover yourself with only a sheet. In this case, it is necessary to apply compresses from a mixture of water and serum (1: 1) to the forehead, wrists, and ankles. This will be facilitated at home by microenemas of water and whey, taken in the same proportion and administered every 2 hours.

As soon as the temperature drops to 37 C, a patient suffering from a viral infection can cover himself with a blanket. Treatment in a hospital or at home is accompanied by drinking plenty of fluids.

Tonic

Required: 100 ml of “mushroom” kefir. Preparation. Warm the kefir slightly. Application. Take 0.5 cups 2 times a day.

At home, treating a viral infection with folk remedies should not lead to illness in the caregiver. Wear gauze bandage, rinse your nose with a weak solution of iodine (2 drops per cup of slightly salted water), eat more vitamins.

Acute respiratory viral infections are the most common childhood diseases. In some children they occur up to 8-10 times a year. It is precisely because of its prevalence that ARVI has become overgrown with a mass of prejudices and erroneous opinions. Some parents immediately run to the pharmacy for antibiotics, others believe in the power of homeopathic antiviral drugs. Authoritative pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky talks about respiratory viral infections and how to act correctly if a child gets sick.

About the disease

ARVI is not one specific disease, but a whole group similar friends on each other general symptoms ailments in which the airways become inflamed. In all cases, this is due to viruses that enter the child’s body through the nose, nasopharynx, and less often through the mucous membrane of the eyes. Most often, Russian children “catch” adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza, and reovirus. In total, there are about 300 agents that cause ARVI.

A viral infection is usually catarrhal in nature, but the most dangerous thing is not the infection itself, but its secondary bacterial complications.

Very rarely, ARVI is registered in children in the first months of their life. For this special “thank you” we should say to the innate maternal immunity, which protects the baby for the first six months from the moment of birth.

Most often, the disease affects children of toddler and kindergarten age and declines towards the end of primary school. It is by the age of 8-9 that the child develops a fairly strong immune defense from common viruses.

This does not mean at all that the child will stop getting ARVI, but viral illnesses will occur much less frequently, and their course will become milder and easier. The fact is that the child’s immunity is immature, but as he encounters viruses, over time he “learns” to recognize them and produce antibodies to foreign agents.

Today, doctors have reliably established that 99% of all diseases that are popularly called “colds” have viral origin. ARVIs are transmitted by airborne droplets, less often - through saliva, toys, common household items with the sick person.

Symptoms

On early stages development of infection, the virus that entered the body through the nasopharynx causes inflammation of the nasal passages, larynx, dry cough, sore throat, and runny nose. The temperature does not rise immediately, but only after the virus enters the blood. This stage is characterized by chills, fever, and a feeling of aching throughout the body, especially in the limbs.

High temperature helps the immune system give a “response” and send specific antibodies to fight the virus. They help cleanse the blood of foreign agents, and the temperature drops.

At the final stage of the acute respiratory viral infection, the affected airways are cleared, the cough becomes wet, and the cells of the epithelium affected by the viral agent are expelled with sputum. It is at this stage that secondary bacterial infection can begin, since the affected mucous membranes against the background of reduced immunity create very favorable conditions for the existence and reproduction of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. This can cause rhinitis, sinusitis, tracheitis, otitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, meningitis.

To reduce risks possible complications, you need to know exactly what pathogen is associated with the disease, and also be able to distinguish the flu from ARVI.

There is a special table of differences that will help parents at least roughly understand which agent they are dealing with.

Manifestations of the disease	Influenza virus (strains A and B)	Parainfluenza virus	Adenovirus	Respiratory syncytial virus
Beginning (first 36 hours)	Sharp, sharp and heavy	Acute	Gradual with transition to acute	Acute
Body temperature	39.0-40.0 and above	36,6 - 37,5	38,0-39,0	37,0-38,0
Duration of fever	3-6 days	2-4 days	Up to 10 days with alternating decrease and increase in fever	3-7 days
Intoxication	Strongly expressed	Absent	Smoothly increases, but overall quite moderate	Weak or absent at all
Cough	Unproductive dry, accompanied by chest pain	Dry, “barking” dry, hoarseness, hoarseness	Wet cough, the intensity of which increases gradually	Unproductive dry, breathing difficult
Lymph nodes	Increases with complications of influenza	Slightly enlarged	Noticeably enlarged, especially the cervical and submandibular	Virtually no increase
State respiratory tract	Runny nose, laryngitis	Severe rhinitis, difficulty breathing	Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, pharyngitis, severe runny nose	Bronchitis
Possible complications	Hemorrhagic pneumonia, hemorrhage in internal organs, myocarditis, damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.	Strangulation due to croup development	Lymphadenitis	Bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, pneumonia, development of bronchial asthma

It is quite difficult to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one at home, so laboratory diagnostics will come to the aid of parents.

If in doubt, you need to take a blood test. In 90% of cases, children experience a viral infection. Bacterial infections are very severe and usually require hospital treatment. Fortunately, they happen quite rarely.

Traditional treatment, which the pediatrician prescribes to the child, is based on the use of antiviral drugs. It is also provided symptomatic treatment: for a runny nose - drops in the nose, for a sore throat - rinses and sprays, for a cough - expectorants.

About ARVI

Some children get ARVI more often, others less often. However, everyone without exception suffers from such diseases, since universal protection against viral infections, transmitted and developing by respiratory type, No. In winter, children get sick more often because viruses are most active at this time of year. Such diagnoses are also made in the summer. The incidence of diseases depends on the condition immune system each individual child.

It is a mistake to call ARVI a cold, says Evgeny Komarovsky. A cold is hypothermia of the body. You can “catch” ARVI without hypothermia, although it certainly increases the chances of contracting viruses.

After contact with a sick person and the penetration of the virus, it may take several days for the first symptoms to appear. Usually incubation period ARVI - 2-4 days. A sick child is contagious to others for 2-4 days from the moment the first signs of the disease appear.

Treatment according to Komarovsky

When asked how to treat ARVI, Evgeniy Komarovsky answers unequivocally: “Nothing!”

The child’s body is able to cope with the virus on its own in 3-5 days, during which time the baby’s immune system will be able to “learn” how to fight the pathogen and develop antibodies to it, which will come in handy more than once when the child encounters this pathogen again.

The same goes for homeopathic medicines(“Anaferon”, “Oscillococcinum” and others). These pills are “dummy,” says the doctor, and pediatricians prescribe them not so much for treatment as for moral reassurance. The doctor prescribed (even knowingly useless drug), he is calm (after all homeopathic remedies absolutely harmless), the parents are happy (they are treating the child, after all), the baby drinks pills consisting of water and glucose, and recovers calmly only with the help of her own immunity.

The most dangerous situation is when parents rush to give antibiotics to a child with ARVI. Evgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that this is a real crime against the baby’s health:

1. Antibiotics are completely powerless against viruses, since they are created to fight bacteria;
2. They do not reduce the risk of developing bacterial complications, as some people think, but increase it.

Komarovsky considers folk remedies for treating ARVI to be completely useless. Onions and garlic, as well as honey and raspberries, are useful in themselves, but in no case affect the ability of the virus to replicate.

Treatment of a child with ARVI should be based, according to Evgeniy Olegovich, on creating the “right” conditions and microclimate. Maximum fresh air, walks, frequent wet cleaning in the house where the child lives.

It is a mistake to wrap up the baby and close all the windows in the house. The air temperature in the apartment should not be higher than 18-20 degrees, and the air humidity should be at the level of 50-70%.

This factor is very important to prevent the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs from drying out in conditions of too dry air (especially if the baby has a runny nose and breathes through the mouth). Creating such conditions helps the body cope with the infection faster, and this is what Evgeniy Komarovsky considers most the right approach to therapy.

In case of a very severe viral infection, it is possible to prescribe the only drug that acts on viruses, Tamiflu. It is expensive and not everyone needs it, since such a drug has a lot of side effects. Komarovsky warns parents against self-medication.

In most cases, it is not necessary to lower the temperature, because it fulfills an important mission - it promotes the production of natural interferons, which help fight viruses. Exception - children infancy up to a year. If the baby is 1 year old and has a fever above 38.5, which has not subsided for about 3 days, this is a good reason to give an antipyretic. Komarovsky advises using Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for this.

Severe intoxication is also dangerous. For vomiting and diarrhea, which may accompany fever, you need to give the child plenty of water, sorbents and electrolytes. They will help restore the water-salt balance and prevent dehydration, which is extremely dangerous for children in the first year of life.

Vasoconstrictor nasal drops for a runny nose should be used as carefully as possible.. Small children should not take them for more than three days, since these drugs cause severe drug addiction. For coughs, Komarovsky advises not to give antitussives. They suppress the reflex by affecting the cough center in the child’s brain. A cough during ARVI is necessary and important, since this is the way the body gets rid of accumulated phlegm (bronchial secretions). Stagnation of this secretion can become the beginning of a strong inflammatory process.

Without a doctor's prescription, no cough remedies, including folk recipes, are needed for a respiratory viral infection. If the mother really wants to give the child at least something, let it be mucolytic agents that help thin and remove mucus.

Komarovsky does not recommend getting carried away with medications for ARVI, since he has long noticed a pattern: the more tablets and syrups a child drinks at the very beginning of a respiratory viral infection, the more drugs he will then have to buy to treat complications.

Moms and dads should not be tormented by their conscience for not treating the baby in any way. Grandmothers and girlfriends can appeal to their conscience and reproach their parents. They should be adamant. There is only one argument: ARVI does not need to be treated. Reasonable parents, if their child is sick, do not run to the pharmacy for a bunch of pills, but wash the floors and cook dried fruit compote for their beloved child.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to treat ARVI in children in the video below.

Do I need to call a doctor?

Evgeniy Komarovsky advises that if you have any signs of ARVI, be sure to call a doctor. Situations are different, and sometimes there is no such opportunity (or desire). Parents should memorize possible situations in which self-medication is deadly. A child needs medical attention if:

• There is no improvement in the condition on the fourth day after the onset of the disease.
• The temperature increased on the seventh day after the onset of the disease.
• After the improvement, there was a noticeable deterioration in the baby’s condition.
• Appeared painful sensations, purulent discharge(from the nose, ear), pathological pallor skin, excessive sweating and shortness of breath.
• If the cough remains unproductive and its attacks have become more frequent and severe.
• Antipyretics have a short-term effect or do not work at all.

Urgent medical care required if the child has seizures, convulsions, if he loses consciousness, he has respiratory failure(inhalation is very difficult, wheezing is observed when exhaling), if there is no runny nose, the nose is dry, and against this background the throat hurts a lot (this may be one of the signs of a developing sore throat). An ambulance should be called if the child starts vomiting due to fever, a rash appears, or the neck is noticeably swollen.

Viral infections require not only etiotropic therapy, but also symptomatic and pathogenetic approaches. One universal drug All viruses do not exist.

Infectious diseases of a viral nature are the most common pathology in every corner of the globe. However, the answer to the question of how to treat a viral infection in adults and children should be sought from a specialist: an infectious disease specialist or a family doctor. There are many nuances that need to be taken into account, and attempts on your own can cause irreparable harm.

There are three main directions in the treatment of any viral infection. These include the following:

• etiotropic therapy – aimed at actually destroying the virus;
• pathogenetic – eliminates the most significant clinical syndromes;
• symptomatic – eliminates individual, most unpleasant symptoms for the patient.

In both children and adults, the etiotropic component is most important.

Drugs with an antiviral effect destroy the pathogen within a short time, and the development of the disease stops.

However etiotropic treatment has several features. Among them, the most important are the following:

• the choice of active substance is determined by the type of virus;
• early initiation of the drug provides more high efficiency his actions;
• The duration of treatment depends on the form of the disease and the pathological agent.

Modern medicine has truly reliable antiviral drugs only against certain microbial agents.

Most modern treatment protocols emphasize the need to use antiviral drugs as first-line drugs. However, the importance of pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy no less. In many cases, when reliable means antiviral action are absent, namely pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy infectious diseases helps the patient recover.

Means of etiotropic therapy

All active ingredients can be divided into 4 large groups:

• drugs with an antiviral effect;
• human and recombinant interferon;
• inducers of their own (endogenous) interferon.

Depending on the specific pathogen and the time when the infection occurred, one drug or a combination of drugs may be selected and used.

Agents with a direct antiviral effect

They have the property of damaging virus cells and destroying it. These medicines are quite specific, that is, they can quickly destroy the influenza virus, but do not have a significant effect on the hepatitis virus.

Currently in practical medicine the following are used:

• neuraminidase inhibitors (ingavirin, oseltamivir, zanamivir) – for the treatment of influenza;
• M2 channel blockers (amantadine, remantadine) – for the treatment of influenza and ARVI;
• daclatasvir, sofosbuvir, ribavirin – for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C;
• lamivudine, tebivudine, entecavir – for the treatment of acute and chronic hepatitis B;
• ganciclovir, valacyclovir, acyclovir - for therapy.

How to treat specific option viral infection in a certain person, the doctor decides. Only a specialist can assess the real need to use powerful antiviral agent, prescribe the correct regimen, take into account all the nuances of dosage and duration of use.

Self-administration, for example, of only ribavirin for hepatitis C can only worsen the course of the disease and contribute to the development of resistance to the pathogen.

A special question is whether it is possible to treat a viral infection in a child with the same means as in adults. There is no definite answer, since there are many features:

• in children, smaller dosages are used;
• many drugs can only be prescribed to a child over 12 years of age;
• The risk of side effects in children is slightly higher than in adults.

Obviously, in young patients, the prescription of antiviral drugs requires a balanced approach and solid justification. Should not be used antiviral drugs with every ARVI, since significant positive effect you may not see it.

Interferon preparations

A protein compound called interferon - main way protection human body from viral agents. In most cases, during an acute infectious process, it is produced in insufficient quantities.

Treatment with external interferon helps eliminate this deficiency and quickly destroy the pathogenic microbe.

There are currently two known variants of interferon:

• human (obtained from donor blood);
• recombinant (produced using genetic engineering methods).

The clinical effectiveness of both options is almost the same. Many brands allows you to choose the most suitable one, with financial point vision.

Interferons are not always well tolerated, which creates some restrictions on their use, for example, in chronic hepatitis C. On the other hand, interferons are available in various forms dosage forms(nasal spray, injections), so you can choose the most convenient option for the treatment of influenza and ARVI.

Interferons can be used not only in adult patients, but also in children.

Immunoglobulins

By their nature, these are antibodies, that is, compounds obtained from the blood of donors that neutralize the antigen (virus). They have 100% bioavailability, are evenly distributed in tissues, and cause virtually no side effects. Their important feature is the specificity of the action: anti-measles immunoglobulin does not have any effect, for example, on the hepatitis A virus. At the same time, the effectiveness of the effect on a specific microbial agent is quite high.

The following immunoglobulins are currently used:

Immunoglobulins can be used in children and adults. They are recommended as independent remedy treatment or as part of a combination of several active ingredients.

Inducers of endogenous interferon

Implemented in clinical practice only within countries former USSR, since in other countries the evidence of their effectiveness is not credible. The peculiarity of their action is the stimulation immune cells to the synthesis of its own interferon. As a result, the natural for the human body is activated defense mechanism. Inducers of their own interferon cause significantly fewer side effects and are better tolerated by adults and children.

On pharmacy shelves the following are presented:

• lycopid;
• polyoxidonium;
• cycloferon;
• ridostin;
• neovir;
• Lavomax;
• kagocel;
• amiksin.

Inducers of endogenous interferon can be used both for the treatment of viral infections and for their prevention.

Thus, it becomes clear that the answer to the question of how to treat a viral infection requires consultation with a specialist and a detailed consideration of the specific situation.

If you feel a little unwell and your body temperature has increased, most likely you have become infected with ARVI. It is the most pathogenic, therefore it is often the cause of hyperthermia and can lead to the development bacterial infection and associated complications (sinusitis or pneumonia may develop), which are difficult to cure. Therefore, it is important to take appropriate measures immediately. Consider the forms and symptoms of this disease and look for a way to get rid of it in as soon as possible.

Forms

Acute respiratory viral infections unite a large group similar diseases with the same type of symptoms and predominant damage to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, nose and paranasal sinuses. It includes:

• parainfluenza

Symptoms

Characteristics of a cold:

How to recover quickly?

Doctors warn: there is no panacea that can cure the ailment in a few days. If a person catches an infection, it will take some time to produce special cells that will stop its reproduction in the body and destroy it. The patient’s task is to help the body speed up the process.

If you suspect you need to call a doctor and take sick leave to maintain bed rest.

You cannot go to work to avoid complications and infect others. This is the most important condition effective and short-term treatment!

Next, the patient should be kept at rest. The body signals that it is time to take a break and lie down. Sometimes a few days of quiet time are enough to completely get rid of a mild cold.

If you expect a quick cure, drink more fluids, preferably alkaline water like Borjomi. Viruses are afraid acidic environment. Choose still water. Drinking plenty of fluids helps to quickly eliminate toxins produced by viral activity from the body. Except still water You should drink fruit drinks, rosehip infusion, tea with lemon.

Severe malaise, chills, and a temperature above 38 degrees indicate infectious intoxication. Then a proven folk remedy will come to the rescue - tea with raspberries. It is absolutely harmless, therefore it is recommended for everyone, even expectant mothers and small children. Making tea is simple: you need to dilute a few teaspoons of jam into a glass of freshly brewed tea. To prepare a drink from dried raspberries, pour a cup of boiling water over a spoonful of the fruit and let it brew for about a quarter of an hour. What other herbs and plants are needed, read.

How to prevent the development of ARVI at an early stage?

It is believed that for disease prevention must be accepted loading dose ascorbic acid. In the first three days you need to take 1000 mg several times a day. Then reduce the dose by 2 times.

Some doctors consider such a measure useless, others are completely justified. In any case, there is no harm in taking vitamin C!

For speedy recovery Doctors recommend taking hot foot baths. They are made simply: add 30 grams to a container of hot water. mustard powder. Scientists have noticed a connection between biologically active points feet and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, because the foot is a powerful reflexogenic area human body. That is why a person instantly gets sick when his feet get wet. To help the patient, it is necessary to ventilate the room where he is located well. Clean and cool air promotes speedy healing. The room where the patient is located should be kept at high humidity. Dry air helps dry out mucus, while on the contrary it is necessary to ensure its natural outflow.

If possible, purchase a humidifier. Otherwise, replace it with hanging wet sheets or place a bowl of water next to the bed. You can alleviate your condition with the help of remedies that you probably have at home. You can drip salt water into your nose by first dissolving half a teaspoon of salt in 1 tablespoon of warmed water. boiled water. This will allow the mucus to move away and the mucous membrane to remain moist.

Burying vasoconstrictor drops Helps prevent sinusitis and relieve swelling.

Uncontrolled use of vasoconstrictor drops can lead to chronic rhinitis And constant congestion nose

Especially for a runny nose and sore throat.

Important! Inhalations should be done only with a break of 1-1.5 hours.

Gargling with infusions will help get rid of a sore throat. medicinal herbs, for example, sage or chamomile. It is also good to gargle with baking soda. The main thing is to do it often. It is useful to massage the chest, back and neck (the area above the shoulder blades). It is also recommended to do inhalations with the addition of a few drops fir oil per one manipulation.

Remember! Small children should not do such inhalations!

What will the doctor prescribe?

He will probably prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or paracetamol. They will help relieve pain and reduce body temperature.

There is no need to try to reduce the temperature at the very beginning of the disease. With its help, the body fights the development and reproduction of viruses. But this does not apply to small children and patients with seizures!

The doctor may also prescribe antiallergic drugs that have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. They will help you cope with swelling of the mucous membranes and nasal congestion. Antihistamines new generation do not cause drowsiness. If you are tormented, the doctor will prescribe you the appropriate remedies that will help you cope with it. Main task cough treatment - make the sputum thin enough so that the patient can cough it up.

If expectoration is difficult, you can use special drugs - such as mucaltin, ACC and broncholitin.

Remember! Drinking warm liquids thins mucus, so drinking plenty of fluids will make coughing easier!

There is no need to self-medicate and self-prescribe medications that reduce the cough reflex, because this can lead to dangerous consequences.

You should not prescribe yourself antibiotics!

Antibacterial drugs are prescribed only in case of complications caused by bacteria. Antibiotics are useless against viruses. In addition, they can harm the body. Uncontrolled use can lead to the emergence of resistant bacteria.

Antiviral drugs - benefits and harms

Drug treatment of an acute viral infection without complications usually consists of symptomatic therapy, that is, relieving symptoms (as mentioned above). practically unproven. Arbidol is used in the treatment of ARVI only in the post-Soviet space.

Full-fledged clinical trials has not been conducted on this remedy. Judging by the advertising, you can quickly get rid of ARVI by using rectal suppositories Viferon. In fact, the substance only works when administered parenterally (by injection or inhalation), and it also has numerous side effects. Others similar to it - Cycloferon or Thymogen - also have few clinical trials, so it is advisable not to use them in the treatment of children. Remantadine and Tamiflu have been proven to be effective, but they are used only to fight the flu.

Everyone is familiar with the state of malaise when you wake up with a stuffy nose and a feeling of fever, which makes you feel either hot or cold. You may also be coughing, sneezing, or experiencing muscle pain and fatigue. These are the main symptoms of a viral infection. If you are sick, you need to do everything possible to get well as quickly as possible. In some cases, unfortunately, without medical supplies can't get by. After reading this article, you will learn how to cure a viral infection as soon as possible and prevent symptoms from recurring in the future.

Steps

Restoration of the body

Make sure you have enough time to rest. The body infected with a viral infection, in addition to its normal work, has to fight the infection. Therefore, he really needs rest. Take sick leave for 1-2 days. Spend time relaxing and doing quiet, low-effort activities, such as watching your favorite movies. Rest will allow your body to focus on fighting the virus. If you can't sleep, try the following activities:

• Read your favorite book, watch a TV series, listen to music, or call someone.
• Please note that antibiotics are not effective against viral infections. Therefore, you need to give your body as much rest as possible, thereby allowing it to fight the virus.

1. Drink plenty of fluids. Viral infections usually lead to dehydration (dehydration occurs due to fluid loss due to fever or sputum production). If the body is dehydrated, symptoms become more severe. This vicious circle can be broken by starting to drink large number liquids. Drink water, tea, natural juices, and drinks with electrolytes so that your body receives sufficient quantity liquids.

   Avoid contact with people for several days. If you have a viral infection, you are contagious, meaning you can pass the virus to another person. In addition, by communicating with other people, your body is exposed to other pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms that can aggravate your condition.

   Use a humidifier. Using a humidifier, especially in the bedroom, can help relieve nasal congestion and coughing. Thanks to this, you will sleep better. Good sleep- the key to recovery. Keep your humidifier clean. Clean the appliance regularly to remove mold. Otherwise, your condition may get worse. Clean your humidifier regularly, following the recommendations written in the operating instructions.

   Buy lozenges or gargle saline solution to relieve sore throat. If you are experiencing painful sensations sore throat, buy sore throat lozenges at the pharmacy. These lozenges contain substances that have an analgesic effect.

   • Gargle with saline solution (dilute 1/4 -1/2 tablespoon of salt in one glass of water). This is another way to relieve a sore throat.

2. Consult your doctor if you have other health problems whose symptoms may be worsened by a viral infection. Viral infections are usually not dangerous, but they pose a threat to people with weakened immune systems and those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. If you have cancer, diabetes or any other immune system disease, consult your doctor if you get a viral infection.

   Changing your diet

   1. Include foods with high content vitamin C. Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful immune modulators. Therefore, during illness, increase your intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C can be taken in tablets. You can also change your diet to increase your intake of this vitamin. Include in your daily diet following products:

      Include chicken soup in your diet. Have you ever wondered why children are given chicken noodle soup when they are sick? This is explained by the fact that chicken soup is an excellent assistant in the fight against the virus. Chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, it helps relieve nasal congestion.

      • Add onions, garlic and other vegetables to the soup. Thanks to this, you will increase the amount of vitamins and minerals that the body urgently needs during illness.

   2. Increase your zinc intake. Zinc regulates immune functions the body and helps it fight viruses. Most people take 25 mg of zinc daily. However, you can increase your zinc intake by including the following foods in your diet: spinach, mushrooms, beef, lamb, pork, chicken and boiled oysters.

      • Taking zinc is most effective at the onset of a cold or flu, in the first two to three days. Increase your zinc intake if you feel yourself getting sick.
      • You can also purchase lozenges that contain zinc. These lollipops can be purchased at a pharmacy.
      • Do not take zinc supplements if you take antibiotics (eg, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones), penicillamine (a drug used for Wilson's disease), or cisplatin (a drug used to treat cancer). Zinc reduces the effectiveness of the above drugs.

   3. Increase your echinacea intake. Echinacea is a plant that is often used to make tea. In addition, Echinacea is available in the form food additives. Echinacea increases the number of white blood cells (white blood cells) in the blood blood cells who are responsible for immune reactions) and other substances that allow the body to fight the virus. Echinacea can be consumed in the form of tea, juice, or tablets, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.

      • You can also include eucalyptus, elderberry, honey, reishi and shiitake mushrooms in your diet.

   Drug treatment

   1. Take over-the-counter medications that help relieve fever and pain caused by a viral infection. If you have a cold or flu, you are likely experiencing headache and your body temperature is elevated. Paracetamol and ibuprofen help reduce pain. Paracetamol also helps reduce fever. You can purchase the above-mentioned drugs at any pharmacy.

      Use a nasal spray. There are various types nasal sprays. Saline nasal sprays are safe and can be used by both children and adults. Saline nasal sprays reduce swelling and nasal discharge.

   2. Take cough syrup if you have a cough. When choosing cough syrup, pay attention to its composition. In particular, pay attention to whether the syrup you choose contains decongestants, antihistamines and/or analgesics. This is very important to do to avoid overdosing on one or another substance that is part of the syrup (for example, if an analgesic substance is part of a cough syrup, you should not take additional painkillers).

      • Over-the-counter medications are safe for use in adults. However, pay attention to the interaction of the syrup you choose with other medications you are taking.
      • Do not use cough syrup on children under two years of age.
      • At wet cough Mucolytic drugs are prescribed, and for dry cough, drugs that suppress the cough reflex.

   3. Get medical help if you have a serious viral illness. In some cases, professional medical attention may be required. Contact your doctor if you experience the following symptoms:

      • Increased body temperature (above 39.4 °C)
      • Deterioration of condition after short-term improvement
      • Duration of symptoms more than 10 days
      • Cough producing yellow or green mucus
      • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing