Common flu remedies, such as Antigrippine, Benegrip and Sinutab, are used to reduce flu symptoms such as headache, sore throat, runny nose or cough, for example.
However, there are medications that are purchased at the pharmacy and can be used according to the symptoms that the person presents and some of them are:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines: to decrease inflammation of the throat such as Ibuprofen, Aspirin or Diclofenac;
- Analgesic and antipyretic medicines: to decrease pain in the body, sore throat, head or ears like Paracetamol or Novalgina;
- Antiallergic medicines : to decrease allergic cough, sneezing and runny nose, such as Loratadine , Desloratadine or Fexofenadine;
- Antitussive medicines : to treat dry cough such as Atossion, Levodropropizine or Hytós Plus;
- Expectorant Remedies: to help release secretions such as Bisolvon, Mucosolvan or Vick 44 E.
In addition, your doctor may prescribe Tamiflu to prevent or fight against influenza in adults and children over 1 year, decreasing their symptoms. This medicine is not a substitute for the flu vaccine.
Flu remedies should always be used under medical supervision and therefore, when an individual has flu-like symptoms such as a cough and runny nose, he or she should see a general practitioner to begin appropriate treatment. Get to know more flu symptoms in: Flu symptoms.
Generally, the doctor indicates the use of several drugs simultaneously, such as an antipyretic and an expectorant, for example, and the use of drugs is usually done for at least 5 days, which is when the symptoms decrease.
In addition to using medicines to treat the flu, it is important to rest, avoiding cold places, smoke or differences in temperature, drink 2 liters of water a day and clean the nose with saline solution. Learn more about treatment in: What to do if you have the flu.
Home remedy for flu
To treat the flu without taking medicines bought at the pharmacy you can take a tea of lemon, echinacea, linden or elderberry, because these plants have properties that help the body to cure the disease. Learn more at: Home Remedy for Flu.
Here's how to prepare some of these teas in the following video:
In addition, you can also drink orange juice, acerola and pineapple, as it is rich in vitamin C, very important to strengthen the immune system.
Flu Remedies for Pregnancy
During pregnancy it is important to avoid the use of medicines purchased at the pharmacy as they can cause delay in the growth and development of the baby and therefore, when the pregnant woman has symptoms of influenza, should go to the doctor to cure the disease as soon as possible .
Generally, analgesics based on paracetamol and vitamin C are the only remedies that the pregnant woman can take to cure the flu, as well as rest, maintain a good diet and drink lots of fluids. Read more in: Cold remedy for pregnancy.
In addition, when the woman is breastfeeding she should also avoid using these medicines as they can pass to the baby through the milk and so before you should go to the doctor to know the best treatment.
