Tag: Droplets

You And The Swine Flu: Knowledge That May Save You

You And The Swine Flu: Knowledge That May Save You

With this new strain of influenza running around, properly called Type A H1N1 swine influenza, but more popularly known as the swine flu, I think it would be nice to give people the 411 on the latest medical emergency that’s got the world’s attention.

Swine influenza came from pigs, hence the name, and pigs usually have regular outbreaks of this disease. The problem with it this time is that this strain of influenza has managed to jump the species and went over to us Homo sapiens and cased a bit of havoc.

Pigs don’t have to worry about it because most of them have built-in resistances to the diseases, mostly because of the constant evolutionary exposure to the disease. They like us when we receive the flu: a few chills, sniffles and a bit of bed rest and we’re right as rain. Problem with that is us humans don’t have this resistance to swine flu, mostly because we’re not pigs. The pigs would be in the same boat if a human strain had jumped into the porcine population.

The other problem with it is its virulence. The Center For Disease Control have determined that this strain of swine flu is contagious and can be passed to other people through the normal vectors: the virus can be transmitted when someone touches something that is contaminated and the puts it in his eyes, nose, or mout. It’s even airborne as microscopic droplets can travel through the air when someone sneezes. The CDC, however, is still a bit hazy on some other factors like incubation time and much contact is too much contact.

Another problem is that the swine flu has the same symptoms as regular human flu, just worse by an order of magnitude. High fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue can either mean you’ve been hit by the ordinary human flu and should take the usual cures or maybe you have the swine flu and need to go to the doctor immediately. Personally, it would be better to take no chances and just go to the doctor. Diarrhea and vomiting are the big warning signs though. Death by flue isn’t direct though. It just compounds with other diseases like pneumonia and makes it even worse. It can also kick any existing medical conditions you have like asthma up a notch.

So, the question on your mind now probably is: is there no hope or should I just run to the hills to avoid human contact? Thankfully, you don’t have to go that far. The CDC has recommended the use of several medicines to treat yourself with and to prevent the spread of the disease. Oseltamivir and zanamivir are viral inhibitors that make sure that the virus does not reproduce. More common antiviral drugs that are bought over the counter can also be effective. They make the symptoms milder and help your body heal itself faster. They can also stop some of the higher level complications that can happen when you are infected, if you take them early enough.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. To avoid getting infected, try to avoid close contact with sick people and wash your hands on a regular basis, especially before you eat. If you have the unfrotunate luck of getting sick, isolate yourself and check your symptoms. Immediately consult with your doctor if your sickness persists more than usual.

The swine flu is just the latest in a long line of diseases that have endangered the human race. No matter how frightening it is, it’s still pretty survivable. All you need to have is the right knowledge to win the battle.

Swine Flu: What You Need To Know

With the new strain of influenza running around, I think everyone should know a few things. The thing is with any disease, even the swine flu, is it’s not the disease that really kills you. It’s ignorance that does it. You have to know enough to take care of yourself.

One of the things you have to remember is that influenza is spread via germs, and germs are spread via contact with contaminated items then contact with either your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs can’t get through the pores of your skin and need a convenient opening to get into. Don’t give them that opening. There’s a simple and easy way to do it: just wash your hands regularly, especially before eating anything or touching anything that you want to eat – like that tasty sandwich you’re about to have for a snack

It may seem rather simplistic but the regular act of rinsing and disinfecting your hands can help make sure that you never get infected with the swine flu. Another way to avoid infection is to avoid close contact with sick people. Remember germs can also be transmitted by air though microscopic droplets that are released when a person coughs or sneezes. Standing around sick people increases the chance of infection so try to avoid doing that, mostly because you can’t avoid touching stuff that they’ve sneezed on and those germs can go directly into your nose and mouth when you inhale.

So what if you suddenly get the sniffles? Is it time to hie off to the doctor for a consult? The smart thing to do is to just stay at home first and monitor your condition. The problem with identifying the swine flu is that it shares many of the same symptoms as the normal run-of-the-mill human flu: coughs, colds, fevers and the whole nine yards. Take the usual medicine at first and see if you settle down after that.

The over-the-counter antiviral drugs aren’t as effective on swine flu as human flu but they can make you feel a whole lot better and rev up you immune system to deal with your infection. You should also try your best to limit the infection to yourself. Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing so as to prevent the spread of germs in your environment.

If your symptoms are taking too long to cure, you might be infected. Note that swine flu is like the normal flu in that it manages to weaken your immune system for other respiratory diseases like pneumonia and bronchitis to spread. It can also worsen any conditions that you might currently have, like asthma. If you start vomiting or start suffering from diarrhea, it’s time to have the doctor drop by immediately.

Although it has caused a few deaths, the swine flu is nothing to worry about. As long as it has been caught early, there is treatment available in the form of antiviral inhibitors that help stop the virus from reproducing, which should help make you feel a whole lot better.

The current situation may all seem a bit frightening, but the swine flu is just a disease. All you need to protect yourself from it is to act smart and be prepared. Hopefully, this information can help a bit and act as theat ounce of prevention so you won’t have to use that pound of cure.