You already know the feeling: you wake up one morning with a stuffy nose and a fever that makes you feel hot and cold at the same time. These are two of the most common symptoms of a viral infection, a disease caused by a virus. When you have a viral infection, it is important to give the body what it needs to heal. Read on to learn how to recover as quickly as possible and prevent infections in the future.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Allowing the Body to Heal
Step 1. Get plenty of rest
When the body becomes infected with a virus, it has to work harder to maintain normal vital functions and at the same time fight the infection. For this reason, it is important to rest; take a couple of days off work or school and do low-energy activities, like watching a movie (or even sleeping all day, which is even more likely). By resting you allow your body to focus on fighting the virus. Other activities that require little effort and that you can do if you can't sleep are:
Read a book, watch your favorite TV show, listen to music in bed, and call someone on the phone
Step 2. Drink plenty of fluids
Viral infections typically lead to dehydration, and if you're dehydrated, your symptoms get worse. You should therefore get out of this vicious circle and drink plenty of fluids. Drink water, tea, natural fruit juice, and electrolyte drinks to stay hydrated.
Do not drink alcohol or caffeinated beverages, as they will further dehydrate you
Step 3. Try to avoid being around people for a couple of days
Viruses are contagious, which means you can pass them on to someone else, who can also get sick. If you stay with people you also risk exposing yourself to other microorganisms such as bacteria, which could make your situation even worse.
Take at least two days off from work or school to prevent other people from getting sick
Step 4. See a doctor if you have any other pre-existing health conditions that could make the infection worse
While viral infections are generally not too dangerous, they can be too dangerous for people who already have a weakened immune system. If you have cancer, diabetes or another immune disorder, you should consult a doctor immediately if you develop a viral infection.
Part 2 of 4: Eat Specific Foods to Get Back to Health
Step 1. Any food rich in vitamin C is great
Vitamin C has long been considered one of the most powerful elements for fortifying the immune system. For this reason, it is necessary to integrate it into your diet when you have a virus infection. In addition to taking it in the form of supplements:
- Eat fruits with high amounts of vitamin C, such as grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries, lemon, lime, blackberry, oranges, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit, and raspberries.
- Eat vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, onions, garlic, and radishes. You can also make yourself a vegetable soup if you don't like eating raw vegetables.
Step 2. Get some chicken stock
If you have ever wondered why people always give their babies chicken broth when they are sick, know that it is because it is a great food for healing from viruses. Not only is it packed with vitamins that can strengthen the immune system, it also hydrates and its warmth helps to unclog clogged sinuses.
Add some onions, garlic, and other vegetables to the soup to boost the vitamins and minerals
Step 3. Increase the amount of zinc you take each day
Zinc controls the body's enzymes that activate different parts of the immune system which, in turn, fight infections. Most people choose to take a 25 mg zinc supplement every day before a meal, but you can also include foods that are rich in zinc in your diet. These foods include spinach, mushrooms, beef, lamb, pork or chicken, and cooked oysters.
- You can also buy sucking tablets that contain zinc. These and other supplements are easily found in pharmacies.
- Do not take zinc supplements if you are taking antibiotics (such as tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones), penicillamine (a drug used in Wilson's disease) or cisplatin (used in cancer), as zinc reduces the effectiveness of these. medications.
Step 4. Consume more echinacea
This is a plant that is often used for herbal tea or taken as a supplement. Its intake increases the number of leukocytes (white blood cells that enhance the immune system) and other immune cells in the body. You can consume echinacea by drinking herbal tea or fruit juice extracted from the plant, or through supplements that you can buy at pharmacies or health food stores.
Step 5. Try Indian echinacea
This is another plant that helps strengthen the immune system. It is used to treat stomach pain, diarrhea, sore throat, cough, as well as other flu and common cold symptoms. You can find it in the form of supplements at health food stores.
Talk to your doctor before taking Indian Echinacea if you are taking immunosuppressants, because if you have an autoimmune disease, or are taking blood pressure lowering medications (Captopril, Enalapril, Valsartan, Furosemide, and others) know that this plant has the same effectiveness
Part 3 of 4: Taking Medication for Serious Infections
Step 1. Take over-the-counter medications to combat pain and fever caused by an ordinary viral infection
If you have a cold or the flu, your symptoms are likely to be fever and headache. Paracetamol and aspirin are effective in reducing pain and lowering fever. You can find these drugs at any pharmacy.
- The normal dose of acetaminophen for adults is 325-650 mg in tablets, one tablet every four hours. Read the leaflet to find out the exact dosage, even for children.
- The normal dose of aspirin for adults is 325-650 mg, one tablet every six hours until symptoms go away.
Step 2. Get a prescription for nucleoside analogues
Most FDA-approved antiviral drugs are similar to nucleosides. These viral enzymes block viral reproduction which allows the virus to spread. Talk to your doctor if you think you should be taking any of these medications.
- Aciclovir: is prescribed in the treatment of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and Varicella Zoster Virus (HHV-3) infections.
- Ganciclovir: It is taken to fight cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, which cause retinitis, esophagitis and pneumonia in AIDS patients.
- Adefovir and cidofovir: cidofovir is used to stop the replication of Papillomavirus and Polyomavirus, as well as Adenovirus and Poxvirus. Adefovir, on the other hand, is recognized as effective in treating the hepatitis B virus.
- Ribavirin: This drug is administered as an aerosol for children with severe respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia (RSV) and is also used for various hemorrhagic fevers (including Congo-Crimean, Korean, Lassa, Rift Valley fever).
Step 3. Take flu medications
These are taken in combination with the vaccine to control flu outbreaks. They are usually only taken in the treatment of people with acute flu, but without complications. Relenza and Tamiflu are the two main antiviral drugs for fighting the flu.
Step 4. Start medication if you have HIV
Protease inhibitors, as the name suggests, ensure that the protease enzyme does not trigger viral replication. There is actually a combination of protease inhibitors, which are generally recommended and include Ritonavir, Indinavir, Amprenavir and Nelfinavir.
These drugs are taken together with others that fight HIV, such as Azidothymidine and Lamivudine
Step 5. Know what immunomodulators are prescribed for
IFN-alpha is one of the main ones in this category of drugs. It is used to fight many viral infections, but in particular hepatitis A, B, and C. Another immunomodulator is Imiquimod, which binds to the body's viral receptors to create an immune response that fights warts caused by the papillomavirus..
Part 4 of 4: Preventing Future Viral Infections
Step 1. Get the vaccine
Talk to your doctor to see if this solution is right for you. Although there are no vaccines for all viruses, one can still vaccinate against the common cold and HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Know that getting vaccinated involves one or two injections. However, this should not discourage you, as the short period of discomfort caused by the administration is well rewarded by the effectiveness.
Step 2. Wash your hands often
When you touch things you come into contact with all the microorganisms that are deposited there. For this reason, it is really important to wash your hands as much as possible. Use warm soapy water for optimal cleaning. You should wash your hands after:
Having traveled on public transport, been to the bathroom, sneezed or coughed, and touched raw meat
Step 3. Do not share things that have come into contact with your eyes, mouth or nose with anyone
If you want to avoid a viral infection, don't share anything that might contain viruses. This means not drinking from the same soda bottle with your co-worker who has suspected rhinorrhea. Avoid sharing:
Food or drink someone else touched with their lips, bath, pillows, towels, and cocoa butter
Step 4. Don't get stuck in the big crowds
The more you stay in touch with people, the more likely you are to expose yourself to viruses as well. While this shouldn't stop you from living your life, you need to be aware of the risk.
