There is no cure for the flu, which is caused by the influenza virus. However, a healthy body will be able to fight the flu virus successfully. The illness is most dangerous for people who are hospitalized, immune-compromised or are very young or very old. Physicians are able to offer supportive care in the hospital and have several anti-viral medications that have been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. Individuals also have home remedy options that can help support their fight against the flu virus.
Types
Home remedies fall into two categories. The first home flu treatments are taken through the gastro-intestinal tract and include chicken soup, hydration, juice therapy and anti-fever medications, according to Mayo Clinic and HolisticOnline.com. The second group of home treatments works outside of the gastro-intestinal tract and includes nasal spray, sinus washes, rest, smoking and alcohol cessation, salt water gargling, and warming the joints and feet, according to FamilyDoctor.com and MotherNature.com.
Time Frame
Flu treatments generally are more effective when administered early in the illness rather than later. According to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, anti-viral medications must be given within the first 48 hours of the onset of symptoms to be effective. Hydration, good nutrition, chicken soup, anti-fever medications and nasal saline spray will all help the body to thin mucus, reduce fever and improve the way an individual feels as his body fights the flu.
Effects
According to doctors at Mayo Clinic, chicken soup that has been used for decades by parents and grandparents now has been proven through research to be an anti-inflammatory that temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus and reduces the amount of time the virus is in contact with the lining of the nose. The use of hydration, salt water gargling, saline nasal spray and saline sinus wash also can thin the mucus and reduce the amount of time the virus is in contact with the upper respiratory tract.
Misconceptions
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Company's news division, there are several misconceptions about the flu virus that negatively impact the way in which the illness is treated. Unless an individual is severely compromised, she can only get the flu once in a season because the body produces antibodies to the virus after exposure that protects against infection from that virus again. The influenza virus changes each year, which is why the flu shot, designed to protect against the seasonal virus, will also change and must be received at the start of each season. No one gets the flu from the shot, although it can produce a flu-like reaction for a short time. And, contrary to popular belief, vomiting and diarrhea are not generally symptoms of the influenza virus, a respiratory illness.
Warnings
Young, healthy individuals do not usually experience heightened symptoms from the influenza virus, but may still feel miserable. However, according to doctors from Mayo Clinic, people who have underlying medical conditions or are immuno-compromised can develop bacterial sinusitis, pneumonia, encephalitis and bronchitis. The pneumonia and encephalitis can be deadly, and the sinusitis can become chronic.
