Monsoon flu- ‘Tis the season!’

“Dr. Tarun Sahni, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi”

New Delhi, July 19, 2018:

The much awaited monsoon season in India also brings with it the much dreaded monsoon flu. From children to adults everyone falls prey to this sickness at least once during the season. The hot and humid weather acts as the perfect incubator for various influenza strains to flourish. Fluctuating temperatures also have an adverse effect on the body in such a situation.

Though flu infection is not fatal, critical complications can develop in high risk people such as young children, elderly persons and people with weak or compromised immune systems.

Watch out for these symptoms-

Monsoon flu clears up within a couple of weeks, but the symptoms caused by infection can make a person bed-ridden for quite some time. High fever, cold sweats, shivering, persistent cough, running nose, body ache, skin rash are just a few of the symptoms which a flu patient has to suffer through.

Prevent the infection in the first place-

Trying to avoid getting infected with the seasonal flu is a tough bullet to dodge. The pathogens are on most surfaces of the places people frequently touch. The respiratory droplets in the air also carry these germs. But if one is vigilant about few things every day, then the chances of getting the flu lessen significantly.

• The old adage of washing hands before eating has more merit to it than it is given as these pathogens are transmitted by physical contact.
• One needs to exercise regularly so that immunity stays strong.
• One should drink plenty of water to stay appropriately hydrated and eat healthy, nutritious meals and foods which boost immunity.
• While there is vaccine available for influenza strains to prevent seasonal flu, it is only needed for high risk individuals mentioned above.

If you are already infected, what to do-

• Over-the-counter drugs can be taken to reduce fever and body aches.
• Lozenges (cough drops) also help in dealing with unrelenting cough but if the symptoms worsen then one should check with a doctor to recover faster.
• Secondary infections can also develop due to the monsoon flu. In such cases, it is vital that one goes to a doctor for expert opinion instead of consuming medicine on advice of friends or internet.
• Take plenty of rest, sleep soundly for at least 8 hours a day and let your body heal from the trauma it goes through when it gets inflected by monsoon flu.