Influenza: Nasal irrigation is an alternative approach

 

Definition
Influenza is an acute infection of the respiratory tract caused by an influenza virus.

Influenza, in short, Flu, is hard to differentiate from common cold at the beginning of the infection. For Flu prevention and treatment, there are flu vaccines and anti-flu viral drugs. However, if in case these flu vaccines and flu drugs are lack of efficacy, the treatment of a cold and flu will be similar. The new approach, best be the evergreen method for treating flu and cold, must be developed.

Viral Causes
There are three types of seasonal influenza – A, B and C. Type A influenza viruses are further typed into subtypes according to different kinds and combinations of virus surface proteins H and N. Among many subtypes of influenza A viruses, influenza A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) subtypes are circulating among humans in 2011. Influenza viruses circulate in every part of the world. Type C influenza cases occur much less frequently than A and B. That is why only influenza A and B viruses are included in seasonal influenza vaccines.

Symptoms and signs
Influenza is characterized by a sudden onset of sore throat, high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), and runny nose. Most people recover from fever and other symptoms within a week without requiring medical attention. But influenza can cause severe illness or death in people at high risk (see below). The time from infection to illness, known as the incubation period, is about two days.

Who is at risk?
Yearly influenza epidemics can seriously affect all age groups, but the highest risk of complications occur among children younger than age two, adults age 65 or older, and people of any age with certain medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung, kidney, liver, blood or metabolic diseases (such as diabetes), or weakened immune systems. However, some young adults who had the strongest immunity had severe disease in 2009 started in Mexico.

Transmission 
Influenza viruses spread easily and can sweep through schools, nursing homes or businesses and towns. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, infected droplets get into the air and another person can breathe them in and be exposed. The virus can also be spread by hands infected with the virus when the hand to touch the nose. To prevent transmission, people should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing, sneezing and wash their hands regularly, as well as irrigate their nasal cavities to rinse these viruses out of the body.

Treatment
Antiviral drugs for influenza are available in some countries and effectively prevent and treat the illness. There are two classes of such medicines, 1) adamantanes (amantadine and remantadine), and 2) inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (oseltamivir and zanamivir). Some influenza viruses develop resistance to the antiviral medicines, limiting the effectiveness of treatment.

Nasal irrigation

Nasal irrigation is a non-drug and non-vaccine approach. When the drug or vaccine are not working, nasal irrigation may become the first line for your protection.


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