Showing posts with label flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flu. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Useful Information On Sore Throats

Useful Information On Sore Throats
Frequent and recurrent sore throats are common, especially in children between the ages

of 5 and 10. There is no evidence that removing the tonsils decreases this frequency;

therefore, tonsillectomy surgery is performed less commonly than in the past.



Sore throats can be caused by either viruses or bacteria. The majority of sore throats

are caused by viruses; therefore, treating all sore throats with antibiotics (which can't

cure viruses and can be unnecessarily expensive) would needlessly expose people to the

risks of adverse reaction to the drugs.



The group A streptococcus bacterium is responsible for most cases of streptococcal

illness.



Some of the major syndromes associated with group A strep infection are streptococcal

pharyngitis or "strep throat" and scarlet fever, most often preceded by a sore throat.



Strep Throat



The signs and symptoms of strep throat are red, sore throat with white patches on

tonsils, swollen lymph nodes in neck, fever, and headache. Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal

pain more common in children.



The illness is spread by direct, close contact with patients via respiratory droplets

(coughing or sneezing). Casual contact rarely results in transmission. Rarely,

contaminated food, especially milk and milk products, can result in outbreaks. Untreated

patients are most infectious for 2 - 3 weeks after onset of infection. Incubation period,

the period after exposure and before symptoms show up, is 2 - 4 days. Patient is no longer

infectious within 24 hrs. after treatment begins.



Antibiotic treatment will reduce symptoms, minimize spread (transmission), and reduce

the likelihood of complications. Treatment consists of penicillin (oral drug for 10 days;

or single intramuscular injection of penicillin G). Erythromycin is recommended for

penicillin-allergic patients. Second-line antibiotics include amoxicillin, clindamycin,

and oral cephalosporins.



Scarlet Fever (Scarlatina)



Scarlet fever is a streptococcal infection that occurs most often in association with a

sore throat and rarely with impetigo or other streptococcal infections. It is

characterized by sore throat, fever and a rash over the upper body that may spread to

cover almost the entire body.



Persons with scarlet fever have a characteristic rash that is fine, red, rough-textured

and blanches upon pressure. Scarlet fever also produces a bright red tongue with

"strawberry" appearance. The skin often "desquamates," or peels, after recovery, usually

on tips of fingers and toes.



The illness is spread by the same means as strep throat.



Other than the occurrence of the rash, the treatment and course of scarlet fever are no

different from those of any strep throat.



Infectious Mononucleos



Known popularly as "mono" or "the kissing disease" -- has been recognized for more than

a century. An estimated 90 percent of mononucleosis cases are caused by the Epstein-Barr

virus (EBV), a member of the herpesvirus group. Most of the remaining cases are caused by

certain other herpesviruses, particularly cytomegalovirus.



Symptoms may take between two and seven weeks to develop after exposure to the virus

and can last a few days or as long as several months. In most cases, however, they

disappear in one to three weeks. In fact, mononucleosis symptoms may be nonexistent or so

mild that most people are not even aware of their illness.



Symptoms may include a general complaint of "not feeling well," headache, fatigue,

chilliness, puffy eyelids, and loss of appetite. Later, the familiar triad of symptoms

appears: fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands, especially at the side and back of

the neck, but also under the arm and in the groin. A fever of 101F to 105F lasts

for a few days and sometimes continues intermittently for one to three weeks. (High fever

late in the illness suggests bacterial complications.) The swollen lymph glands, varying

in size from that of a bean to a small egg, are tender and firm. Swelling gradually

disappears over a few days or weeks. The spleen is enlarged in 50 percent of mononucleosis

patients, and the liver is enlarged in 20 percent. Tonsillitis, difficulty in swallowing,

and bleeding gums may accompany these symptoms.



Usually, mononucleosis is an acute, self-limited infection for which there is no

specific therapy. For years, standard treatment was bed rest for four to six weeks, with

limited activity for three months after all symptoms had disappeared. Today, doctors

usually only recommend avoiding strenuous exercise. One real hazard of uncomplicated

mononucleosis is the possibility of damaging one's enlarged spleen. Therefore, the patient

should avoid lifting, straining, and competitive sports until recovery is complete. A

person should limit other activity according to symptoms and how he or she feels.



Treatment of the acute phase of the illness is symptomatic and nonspecific because

there is no specific drug treatment for mononucleosis. Rest, plenty of fluids to guard

against dehydration, and a well-balanced diet are recommended. Antibiotics are ineffective

against viruses, and they should not be prescribed for mononucleosis itself. Some patients

with mononucleosis also develop streptococcal (bacterial) throat infections, which should

be treated with penicillin or erythromycin. Ampicillin (a form of penicillin) should not

be used.



Flu



Influenza, or flu, is an acute respiratory infection caused by a variety of influenza

viruses. Viruses that cause flu spread primarily from person to person, especially by

coughing and sneezing (via airborne droplets of respiratory fluids). Flu viruses can enter

the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth. After a person has been

infected with the virus, symptoms usually appear within 2 to 4 days. The infection is

considered contagious for another 3 to 4 days after symptoms appear.



Flu is usually signaled by headache, chills, and dry cough, which are followed rapidly

by body aches and fever. Typically, the fever starts declining on the second or third day

of the illness. It is then that the upper respiratory symptoms become noticeable - nasal

congestion and sore throat.



Once a person has the flu, treatment usually consists of resting in bed, drinking

plenty of fluids, and taking medication such as aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve fever

and discomfort. Children with flu should not take aspirin. Antibiotics are not effective

against flu viruses.



The Common Cold



Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose - everyone knows the first signs of a cold,

probably the most common illness known. Although the common cold is usually mild, with

symptoms lasting a week or less, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and of school and

job absenteeism.



Symptoms of the common cold usually begin two to three days after infection and often

include nasal discharge, obstruction of nasal breathing, swelling of the sinus membranes,

sneezing, sore throat, cough, and headache. Fever is usually slight but can climb to 102o

F in infants and young children. Cold symptoms can last from two to 14 days, but

two-thirds of people recover in a week. If symptoms occur often or last much longer than

two weeks, they may be the result of an allergy rather than a cold.



Only symptomatic treatment is available for uncomplicated cases of the common cold: bed

rest, plenty of fluids, gargling with warm salt water, petroleum jelly for a raw nose, and

aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve headache or fever. Many people are convinced that

taking large quantities of vitamin C will prevent colds or relieve symptoms.



Cancer



Between 90 and 95 percent of all oral cancers arise from the cells that line the mouth.

Most of the sores, lumps and red or white patches seen or felt in the mouth are not

cancer. However, the signs and symptoms of oral cancer are the same as conditions commonly

found in the mouth. These signs are easy to see and feel, and easy to watch. If

irritations do not heal within a couple of weeks, they should be looked at by a dentist or

health care practitioner. Symptoms of persistent sore throats, sores under dentures,

difficulty chewing or swallowing or a lump on the neck also require medical

evaluation.



Cancer cells growing at these sites may spread to the neck's lymph nodes and the jaw

bones if left undetected. Oral cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect.



Approximately 75% of oral cancer cases are caused by smoking or prolonged use of

smokeless tobacco. The combination of regular alchohol consumption and smoking is also a

factor. Four times as many smokers as opposed to non-smokers die from oral cancer. Pipe

and cigar smokers have an increased risk of cancer of the lip. When tobacco users also use

alchohol regularly, their chance of developing oral cancer is greater.



Participate in your own care! Cancer can be beaten!



Pharyngitis and Tonsillitis



The causes of acute pharyngitis is almost always infection. Of course, trauma or injury

due to chemicals (lye) or radiation can also cause inflammation of the pharynx. For

definition sake, the tonsils, which are lymphatic glands, are located within the

anatomical oropharynx. Thus, tonsillitis is a subset of pharyngitis. For example, even if

one has had his tonsils removed, one can still develop pharyngitis.



The most common symptom of pharyngitis or tonsillitis is sore throat. Dysphagia (pain

with swallowing) is also a common symptom of these conditions. Examination of the

oropharynx with a pen light will usually show exudate, erythema (redness), mucosal

congestion and enlargement of the tonsils (if they are present.)



Bacterial causes of sore throat are usually treated with antibiotics. Penicillin

derivatives, cephalosporins, and erythromycin can all be utilized to treat suspected

bacterial pharyngeal infections. A course of antibiotics must be fully completed to help

prevent the development or resistant strains.



Naturaral Treatment and Comfort Measures



Gargle with warm salt water. It help soothe the irritated throat and reduces swelling

in the tissues. This is the safest, least expensive and probably the most effective

treatment of a sore throat. Mix 1/2 tsp. of salt to an 8 oz. cup of warm water. Dissolve

it completely. Gargle every 3 - 4 hours.



Sipping warm liquids like hot tea or hot chicken soup broth
can soothe the throat, and the heat increases the circulation to the
throat to promote healing. The saltiness of the soup also helps to
reduce swelling, much like a salt water gargle.



Hard candy can also soothe and lubricate your throat.



Rest your voice. Avoid using your voice for long periods, and refrain from screaming or yelling.



Stop smoking or at least cut down. Cigarette smoking may cause a sore throat, or may

aggravate your symptoms by causing further throat irritation.



Humidity will keep your throat moist and more comfortable. It can relieve a raw, dry,

scratchy sore throat. Hot, dry air will aggravate it. So, turn down the thermostat, use a

vaporizer if you have one, place a pan of water by the heat vent, or turn on a hot shower

to create steam.



Cherry sore throat lozenges contain Benzocaine which numbs the throat tissues

temporarily and make swallowing easier.



The following Combinations are those recommended for a sore throat:-



Vitamins :- A, C (frequent large doses)



Minerals :- Nat Mur (Dry throat), Zinc Lozenges, Potassium Chloride & Iron Phosphate



Food Supplements :- Acidophilus, Propolis, Rutin + Bioflavonoids, Liquid Chlorophyll



Herbs :- Fenugreek, Horseradish, Slippery Elm Lozenges, Echinacea, Golden Seal, Garlic



Time is the most important healer for sore throat pain. If the sore
throat is caused by a virus, it will clear up on its own. Cold liquids
and over-the-counter pain medications are effective in treating the
pain. Aspirin should be avoided in children under 15 years old (because
of the risk of Reye's syndrome). Home remedies such as gargling salt
water, or drinking honey or lemon tea may help. Analgesic sprays and
lozenges may be administered; however, they may make the pain of strep
throat worse instead of better.



The
nutrients mentioned above reflect the major nutritional supplements
that may help the condition. Please do remember however that
nutritional supplementation is an adjunct to medical treatment and in
no way replaces medical treatment.






Common Flu, Influenza

Common Flu, Influenza
Influenza, or flu, is an acute respiratory infection caused by a variety of influenza
viruses. The most familiar aspect of flu is the way it can "knock you off your feet" as it
sweeps through entire communities, usually during the winter. Flu differs in several ways
from the common cold, a respiratory infection also caused by viruses.


Outbreaks of flu usually begin abruptly. As the disease spreads through communities,
the number of cases peaks in about 3 weeks and subsides after another 3 or 4 weeks. Twenty
to fifty percent of a population may be affected, with the highest incidence in 5 to
14 year olds. Schools are an excellent place for transmission of flu viruses, so that
families with school-age children have a higher rate of infection than other families,
with an average of one-third of the family members infected each year.


Besides the rapid onset of the outbreaks and the large numbers of people affected, flu
is important because of the seriousness of the complications that can develop. Most people
who contract the disease recover within a week (although they may tire easily for awhile).
However, for elderly people, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses,
flu and its complications can be life-threatening.


Viruses that cause flu spread primarily from person to person, especially by coughing
and sneezing. Flu viruses can enter the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes,
nose, or mouth. After a person has been infected with the virus, symptoms usually appear
within 2 to 4 days. The infection is considered contagious for another 3 to 4 days after
symptoms appear.


The greatest risk of infection is in highly populated areas, where people live in
crowded conditions, and in schools. Isolating people with flu symptoms is not an effective
means of disease control because flu can be spread by someone whose symptoms are not yet
apparent.


Flu is usually signaled by headache, chills, and dry cough, which are followed rapidly
by body aches and fever. Typically, the fever starts declining on the second or third day
of the illness. It is then that the upper respiratory symptoms become noticeable-nasal
congestion and sore throat. Flu almost never causes gastrointestinal symptoms; the illness
that people often call "stomach flu" is not influenza.


Once a person has the flu, treatment usually consists of resting in bed, drinking
plenty of fluids, and taking medication such as aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve fever
and discomfort. Children with flu should not take aspirin. Antibiotics are not effective
against flu viruses.



The drug rimantadine can be used to treat influenza type A virus infections in adults.
It has no effect on influenza type B infections. When taken within 48 hours after the
onset of illness, it reduces the duration of fever and other symptoms and allows flu
sufferers to return to their daily routines more quickly.


Rimantadine is a derivative of the drug amantadine, which also can prevent and treat
flu infection. Amantadine, however, is more likely to cause side effects such as
lightheadedness and inability to sleep more often than is rimantadine.


Flu complications (which can either accompany or follow the illness) generally result
from bacterial infections in the lower respiratory tract. The ensuing pneumonia usually is
caused by pneumococcal bacteria, but infections with staphylococci, streptococci, and
Haemophilus influenzae type b can occur.


Symptoms of complications usually appear after the flu patient starts feeling better.
This brief period of improvement is followed by the sudden onset of high fever, shaking
chills, chest pain with each breath, and coughing that produces thick,
yellow-greenish-colored sputum. Although most people with pneumonia recover after
treatment with antibiotics, some pneumonia-causing organisms are resistant to these drugs.


A neurologic disease known as Reye's syndrome sometimes develops in a small number of
children and adolescents who are recovering from flu. Reye's syndrome usually is signaled
by the onset of nausea and vomiting, but the progressive mental changes (such as confusion
or delirium) cause the greatest concern. The syndrome is associated with the use of
aspirin, which often is used in medications for relieving the pain or fever of flu.
Although fewer than 3 children per 100,000 with flu develop Reye's syndrome, one should
consult a physician before administering aspirin or aspirin-containing products to
children. Use of acetaminophen is not associated with Reye?s syndrome.


The first flu virus was identified in the 1930's. Since then, scientists have
classified flu viruses into types A, B, and C. Type A is the most prevalent and is
associated with the most serious epidemics. Type B outbreaks also can reach epidemic
levels, but the disease it produces generally is milder than that caused by type A. Type C
viruses, on the other hand, never have been connected with a large epidemic.


Unlike antigens of other viruses, the surface antigens of flu viruses change
periodically. These changes circumvent antibodies and complicate vaccine development.


The hemagglutinin molecules of flu viruses are highly unstable and often mutate during
replication. These periodic changes result in new strains of viruses with altered surface
antigens. Persons with antibodies stimulated either by previous infection or vaccination
are not protected from infection with new strains of flu virus.


Slight changes in flu virus antigens are referred to as antigenic drifts. Every few
years, at unpredictable intervals, a major change, or antigenic shift, occurs. Shifts have
been observed only in influenza A viruses.



Pandemics are the result of antigenic shifts and are associated with severe illness and
significant mortality on a global scale. Within this century, at least five pandemics and
numerous epidemics (regional outbreaks involving fewer people) have occurred. For example,
antigenic shifts were evident in the 1957 outbreak known as the Asian flu, which affected
huge numbers of people, and in the 1968 outbreak of the virulent Hong Kong strain.


Each year, scientists formulate a new vaccine made from inactivated (killed) influenza
viruses. The preparation is based on the strains in circulation at the time, yet includes
those A and B viruses expected to circulate the following winter. Sometimes, an
unpredicted new strain may appear after the vaccine has been manufactured and distributed,
resulting in infection even among those who received flu vaccine. Usually, however, the
disease is milder because the vaccine will provide some protection.


Since the immune system takes time to respond to vaccination, the inactivated vaccine
should be given 6 to 8 weeks before flu season begins in order to stimulate enough
antibodies to prevent infection or reduce the severity of the illness. The vaccine itself
cannot cause flu, but someone could become exposed and infected soon after vaccination,
before antibodies develop.


The vaccine, however, may cause side effects, especially in children who previously
have not been exposed to the flu virus. The most common side effect in children and adults
is soreness at the site of the vaccination. Others include fever, tiredness and sore
muscles that may begin 6 to 12 hours after vaccination and may last for up to 2 days.


Viruses for vaccine production are grown in chicken eggs and then inactivated with a
chemical so that they are no longer infectious. People who are allergic to eggs should not
receive flu vaccine since some egg protein may be present in the vaccine.


Certain herbs have anti-viral benefits:



  • Echinacea

  • Goldenseal

  • Garlic

  • Elderberry