If You’re Suffering From These Symptoms, You May Have Winter Flu

Written by Chandrama Deshmukh

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Last Updated on Oct 1, 2024

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Winter flu can be quite a show-stopper when you want to enjoy the holiday season. When Christmas is around the corner, getting caught sneezing or shivering is the most unpleasant experience to undergo.After all, a runny nose and tired muscles aren’t a great thing to carry to the New Year party.As each winter progressively gets colder with each year, it provides ample leeway to bacteria for surviving outside the body for a longer period, hence causing infections to spread.

While it may not be possible for you to completely escape the winter-bug (unless you are super cautious), it is good to know the symptoms, remedies, precautions, and the ‘typical’ healing time, when one does get caught. Read on to know more about this type of flu and make sure you beat it this winter!

The Norovirus Bug

According to experts,norovirus is also referredto as the ‘winter vomiting bug’. It is highly contagious in nature and it can affect one’s health to an alarming extent. This virus was earlier termed as ‘Norwalk virus’, for the first spread of this virus was recorded in Norwalk, Ohio.

This virus is highly contagious in nature and spreads almost as fast as wildfire. Typical symptoms of catching this bug are vomiting, dehydration, and severe stomach cramps(1). With these kinds of symptoms, party hopping or cooking for those potluck parties and dressing up for the holiday season is unthinkable, isn’t it?
Fortunately, here are some things you must know to avoid catching this bug in the first place (best case scenario). Here we will also talk about things you must be aware of if you do happen to catch this bug (bad case scenario).

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Doctors say that this virus strikes when people consume outdated food or beverages.Undercooked oysters, fruits, and vegetables have also been found to be potent sources of this virus. It can also spread easily if you touch an object or person that is contaminated with the norovirus and then touch your mouth, eyes or nose.
Hence it is imperative for us to eat fresh and home cooked food. Additionally, it is also very important to keep your hands clean and sanitized always. One needs to be extra cautious about following this rule, especially when a family member has been affected by this virus (2).

Signs To Look For And The Treatment

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Most people having the winter bug suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, low-grade fever, shivering and fatigue. According to doctors, a stool test can help determine whether you have the virus or not, but in most cases, the above mentioned symptoms are sufficient indicators (3).

Norovirus is also like any other virus that refuses to respond to antibiotics.For healthy people, the effect of this virus goes away in a couple of days. For most people, this virus doesn’t leave behind any room for lifelong ailments. It is better to step up one’s fluid intake and pop a pill when the muscle ache goes beyond your tolerance threshold. It is also essential to give rehydration therapy to the aged and the children, so asto avoid serious health issues.

“Some people get listless, lethargic and are not acting like themselves, that could indicate compromised electrolyte balance from dehydration, and that requires medical attention,” says Dr. Edward Gaydos, a paediatrician at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic. “In most cases, you will get better on your own after 1 to 3 days. Call your doctor’s office if you have symptoms after 3 days,” he advises.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

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Most doctors agree that maintaining good hygiene is the best way to keep this evil at bay. Which is why it is a must to follow these simple precautionary measures that will help save a lot of trouble later:

Always wash hands with a good medicated soap and water. Make sure to wash them thoroughly for about 20 seconds each time you step into the washroom, head into the kitchen, or finish changing your baby’s nappy.

Dispose all contaminated items, such as soiled diapers, with utmost care.
Make sure to wash raw fruits and vegetables properly.
Cook oysters and shellfish before consuming.
Make sure that you clean and disinfect all surfaces once your loved ones affected by the bug feel all right.
God forbid, but if you are infected, then do not volunteer to cook till you feel hale and hearty. Last but nonetheless, do not consume the food cooked by someone who is already unwell. Give them that much-needed rest instead.

If winter is your favorite season and you are all starry-eyed about the costly dinners and stealing all the attention at the winter bash, make sure you take the necessary steps to stay on guard. We hope that once you read and practice this, winter will be all about long hours of sleep, smiles, hot chocolate, and good food. Happy winter to one and all!

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Chandrama Deshmukh