How to deal with a viral infection. Treatment of a viral infection

Human body at any age is capable of being exposed to various infectious diseases. The most common among them is a viral infection. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets, so any virus is easy to pick up and get infected. The person feels lethargic and his temperature rises. Without timely intervention, the virus can lead to complications, and the disease can become chronic.

Causes of the disease

In spring and autumn period viruses spread twice as fast. Staying for a long time in rooms where there are many people is main reason infection. This can happen at work, in public transport, in supermarkets, shops, schools and kindergartens. The respiratory tract is the first to suffer, so if nasal congestion begins and appears, do not hesitate to visit a doctor.

The causative agents of the disease are bacteria and viral infections. Antibiotics on initial stage infections are not usually used, so microorganisms and bacteria are not killed immediately. It is for this reason that treatment is delayed and difficult to respond to medication. Antibiotics are prescribed only if the pathology worsens and leads to other health problems.

The most common causative viruses are adenoviruses. Concerning bacterial infection, then it is caused by category A streptococci and pneumococci.

It is also easy to get infected if you do not follow the rules of hygiene, eat unwashed foods, do not wash your hands with soap after the street or the bathroom.

Symptoms of a viral infection

To distinguish a common cold from a viral infection, you need to pay attention to the characteristic symptoms.

Here are some typical symptoms, characteristic of this condition:

watery runny nose
inflammation of the larynx (sometimes mucus discharge may be present)
temperature rises, no more than 38 degrees
lethargy, weakness and muscle soreness
drowsiness
poor appetite

When the condition is neglected, the symptoms worsen. In this case, the signs are:

temperature above 38 degrees
nasal discharge acquires a mucous consistency, when blown out, purulent accumulations come out
inflammation of the tonsils, pus accumulates in the back of the larynx
wet cough
dyspnea
severe long-term headaches
pain in the abdominal area

You should not wait for viruses to cause complications. The sooner treatment is started, the faster recovery will occur.

Types of viruses

There are different viral infections. Before appointment medicines the doctor must make sure that the diagnosis is correct, because not all viruses are treated equally.

The next type is rhinovirus infection. Characteristic for this disease symptoms are: liquid discharge from the nasopharynx, sneezing, lacrimation. The bronchi, lungs and trachea will be clean. The maximum temperature is 37.4 degrees Celsius. At timely treatment visible improvements will occur in 5 days.

The third type is adenovirus infection. This disease already has a more complex degree of development; pathogens affect not only respiratory system, and also spread to the entire lymphoid part. The disease is manifested by profuse mucous nasal discharge, tonsillitis may develop and enlarge The lymph nodes. Severe cough and fever from the temperature can last up to twelve days. Intoxication will not be expressed even at very high temperatures. To prevent complications, it is important to take timely antiviral drugs.

The fourth type is respiratory syncytial infection. The infection is often severe lower section respiratory tract. Concomitant diseases are, and if a child is infected, then bronchiolitis. In a neglected state, pneumonia can begin. Pneumonia can even be fatal.

Coronavirus infection - infection occurs upper organs breathing. This type of viral infection most often affects young children and adults in very rare cases.

Any type requires specialist consultation and correct diagnosis.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis first of all includes passing all tests:

finger blood test
vein blood test

They may be asked to provide sputum for examination. laboratory conditions or undergo fluorography. This is carried out if the doctor detects intoxication and murmurs in the lungs.

Urine and blood will help identify the antigen viruses that cause this ailment.

First aid rules

There are certain steps through which you can independently provide first aid in the fight against the virus.

First you need to sit at home, no trips to work. Visiting crowded places will bring complications, and there is also a chance that you yourself will infect someone.

Bed rest. The more the patient sleeps and rests, the more strength the body will have to produce antibodies and immunity against this infection.

Also get well soon promotes drinking plenty of fluids. Very good to drink not only clean water, but also Polyana Kvasova and Borjomi, where there is more alkali. Required amount liquid will quickly remove the harmful toxins created by the viral infection. If the patient cannot drink a lot of plain water, you can drink rosehip decoction, lemon tea and drink fruit drinks made from various fruits and berries.

If severe intoxication has occurred, the patient suffers from a high temperature, is feverish and shivering, then in this case ordinary raspberries will help. Raspberries can be used to make tea. This folk remedy is healthy and tasty at the same time, ideal for treating young children. You can make a drink from fresh, dried and frozen berries. You can use raspberry jam. Sugar should not be added, as it is still a medicine.

Treatment methods

Treating viral infections is not difficult, especially if you start treatment on time. Primarily used symptomatic therapy, this includes the following:

IN modern world We are in for a lot of trouble. But treating a viral infection with folk remedies at home can be done very easily. At home, you can stop the disease on initial stage, when symptoms such as weakness, weakness, unmotivated irritability using medicinal methods are still barely felt.

Therapy begins with the patient being put to bed. With a viral infection, sweet tea is regularly given. You can apply a heating pad to your feet at home. Before falling asleep to a patient suffering from a viral severe infection, you can rub your feet with crushed garlic (about 10 cloves). After that, you need to put on woolen socks. You can pour dry mustard into them. It is necessary to ensure that the patient drinks enough during treatment. This helps remove harmful toxins and metabolic products, which intensifies when the temperature rises. The disease gradually recedes. Perfect for fruit and vegetable juices or morses. AND traditional tea with raspberries and lemon.

Herbal treatment for viral infection

Mix the two tables. spoons of cognac with two identical spoons of milk. Give this mixture to drink 30 minutes before meals, three times a day. Soon, a patient with a severe viral infection will experience relief from symptoms.

This folk and simple remedy is also different good taste. One tablespoon of cognac (vodka) is mixed with the same amount raspberry jam. Add half a lemon (squeeze) to the anti-infection mixture and pour the resulting mixture into a glass with hot water. The patient must drink this remedy, after two hours the procedure can be repeated. The viral disease will gradually recede.

Pass 50 grams through a meat grinder onions. Add 20 grams of vinegar, squeeze through cheesecloth, add 60 grams of honey to the liquid and mix. For a viral infection, take a teaspoon every half hour. Traditional treatment can be combined with tablets only after consultation with your doctor!

To alleviate the condition of a patient with a viral disease with a sore throat and runny nose, take 400 grams of beets, pass through a grater, and drip the resulting juice into the nose. 2-3 drops, 2-3 times a day.

As an expectorant at home suitable for treatment honey with lemon and glycerin. Boil the lemon for 10 minutes. Squeezing its juice provides an excellent method of treating a patient who has a viral infection. Add 2 tablespoons of glycerin to it, add honey to a full glass. Take one teaspoon at night at home. At strong cough– a teaspoon three times a day.

A mixture made from honey is also good for treatment - 2 tsp. , to which add 2 yolks of fresh eggs, spoons of flour and 100g butter. Mix thoroughly and take 1 tsp for viral and even rotavirus infections several times a day.

Traditional treatment with honey is very effective: compositions of aloe cut into pieces mixed with Cahors and honey work well. Let it brew for two weeks, and then squeeze out the mixture; in case of a viral infection, give three times a day for 1 hour. l.

Another composition can also be used: 4 tablespoons of anise seeds must be mixed with honey and added a pinch of salt. Pour this mixture against a viral infection warm water and bring to a boil, leaving on low heat. Strain and take at home three times a day, the treatment will work Very good.

Kalanchoe juice Effectively acts on the onset of a runny nose, smearing the nasal mucosa.

Japanese Kombucha - a proven remedy

Infusion kombucha has antiviral property, therefore it helps well with influenza and other complicated viral infections.

Kombucha infusion with honey and pepper

Required for treatment: 100 ml of 5-day infusion of kombucha, 1 teaspoon of honey, 0.5 teaspoon of ground red pepper. Preparation. Mix all ingredients and heat slightly. Take during viral therapy complex infection every 2-3 hours 1 tbsp. spoon.

Kombucha tincture

Required to create the composition at home: 2 parts of kombucha infusion, 8 parts of vodka. Preparation. Pour the infusion into a glass container and pour vodka. Leave for 10 days in a dark cool place. Strain the folk remedy, store the composition for therapy viral disease in a refrigerator. Take for the treatment of infection for 1 tbsp. spoon 1 time per day.

Home Therapy with Indian Sea Rice and Chaga

Sea rice drink has a strong antiviral effect, so it is good not only for treatment, but also as a prophylactic from infection with acute respiratory infections and SARS.

Preventive infusion

Required: 100 ml of rice infusion. The use of folk remedies. Take from a viral infection 0.5 cup 2 times a day before meals. Treatment will be fast.

Infusion for treatment

Required: 150 ml of rice infusion. Application. Drink at folk treatment 0.5 cup 3 times a day 10 minutes before meals.

Decoction and infusion of chaga help to alleviate the course of viral flu and infection. They are widely used in alternative medicine as an antipyretic.

Oil Blend

Required: 2 drops of chaga oil, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of jojoba oil. Preparation. Mix oils. Application for viral flu and similar infections. Apply the mixture to the forehead, sides of the nose, behind the ears and on the chest. Apply 3 times a day.

Aloe juice and chaga oil

Required: aloe juice, 1 teaspoon of chaga oil. Place 2 drops of juice into each nostril when treating a viral infection that does not go away for a long time, lubricate the wings of the nose with chaga oil. Massage popular composition With natural means 3 min.

Chaga oil infusion

Required: 3 drops of oil infusion birch mushroom(mix 2.5 tablespoons olive oil from 1 st. spoon of chaga infusion), 100 ml of water. Preparation for treatment. Combine ingredients and mix. Gargle for a patient with a viral infection that is very bothersome. The product alleviates muscle pain and helps lower temperature.

A mixture of echinacea and chaga infusions

Required for the composition according to the folk recipe: 100 ml of infusion of the herb Echinacea purpurea (1 tablespoon of dry herb per 1 liter of water, pour boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain), 50 ml of infusion of birch mushroom. Combine ingredients and mix. Use for infection and viral disease. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day 35 minutes before meals.

Tibetan milk mushroom

When infected with an infection transmitted by airborne droplets, fermented kefir Tibetan mushroom milk can have invaluable help, since with timely treatment, you can not only speed up recovery, but also avoid complications. To do this, at the first signs of the disease, it is recommended not only to choose proven folk remedies, but also to eat exclusively kefir and drink boiled or mineral water without gas (up to 2.5-3 liters per day). If the temperature rises due to a viral complicated infection, you must overcome the desire to wrap yourself up and cover yourself with only a sheet. In this case, it is necessary to apply compresses from a mixture of water and serum (1: 1) to the forehead, wrists, and ankles. This will be facilitated at home by microenemas of water and whey, taken in the same proportion and administered every 2 hours.

As soon as the temperature drops to 37 C, a patient suffering from a viral infection can cover himself with a blanket. Treatment in a hospital or at home is accompanied by drinking plenty of fluids.

Tonic

Required: 100 ml of "mushroom" kefir. Preparation. Kefir slightly warm. Application. Take 0.5 cup 2 times a day.

At home, treating a viral infection with folk remedies should not lead to illness in the caregiver. Wear gauze bandage, wash your nose weak solution iodine (2 drops per cup of slightly salty water), eat more vitamins.

Acute respiratory viral infections are the most common childhood diseases. In some children they occur up to 8-10 times a year. It is precisely because of its prevalence that ARVI has become overgrown with a mass of prejudices and erroneous opinions. Some parents immediately run to the pharmacy for antibiotics, others believe in the power of homeopathic antiviral drugs. Authoritative pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky talks about respiratory viral infections and how to act correctly if a child gets sick.

About the disease

ARVI is not one specific disease, but a whole group of similar ones general symptoms ailments in which the airways become inflamed. In all cases, viruses are “to blame” for this; they enter the child’s body through the nose, nasopharynx, and less often through the mucous membrane of the eyes. Most often, Russian children “catch” adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza, and reovirus. In total, there are about 300 agents that cause ARVI.

A viral infection is usually catarrhal in nature, but the most dangerous thing is not the infection itself, but its secondary bacterial complications.

Very rarely, ARVI is registered in children in the first months of their life. For this special “thank you” we should say to the innate maternal immunity, which protects the baby for the first six months from the moment of birth.

Most often, the disease affects children of toddler and kindergarten age and declines towards the end of primary school. It is by the age of 8-9 that the child develops a fairly strong immune defense from common viruses.

This does not mean that the child stops getting ARVI, but viral diseases he will experience them much less frequently, and their course will become milder and easier. The fact is that the child’s immunity is immature, but as he encounters viruses, over time he “learns” to recognize them and produce antibodies to foreign agents.

To date, doctors have reliably established that 99% of all diseases that are popularly called “colds” are of viral origin. SARS are transmitted by airborne droplets, less often through saliva, toys, common household items with the sick person.

Symptoms

On early stages development of infection, a virus that entered the body through the nasopharynx causes inflammation of the nasal passages, larynx, a dry cough, perspiration, and a runny nose appear. The temperature does not rise immediately, but only after the virus enters the bloodstream. This stage is characterized by chills, heat, a feeling of ache all over the body, especially in the limbs.

High temperature helps the immune system give a “response” and send specific antibodies to fight the virus. They help cleanse the blood of foreign agents, and the temperature drops.

At the final stage of the ARVI disease, the affected airways are cleared, the cough becomes wet, and cells of the epithelium affected by the viral agent leave with sputum. It is at this stage that secondary bacterial infection can begin, since the affected mucous membranes against the background of reduced immunity create a very favorable conditions for the existence and reproduction of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. This can cause rhinitis, sinusitis, tracheitis, otitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, meningitis.

To reduce risks possible complications, you need to know exactly what pathogen is associated with the disease, and also be able to distinguish the flu from ARVI.

There is a special table of differences that will help parents at least approximately understand which agent they are dealing with.

Manifestations of the disease	Influenza virus (strains A and B)	Parainfluenza virus	Adenovirus	Respiratory syncytial virus
Beginning (first 36 hours)	Sharp, sharp and heavy	Acute	Gradual with transition to acute	Acute
Body temperature	39.0-40.0 and above	36,6 - 37,5	38,0-39,0	37,0-38,0
Duration of fever	3-6 days	2-4 days	Up to 10 days with alternating decrease and increase in fever	3-7 days
Intoxication	Strongly expressed	Absent	Smoothly increases, but overall quite moderate	Weak or absent at all
Cough	Unproductive dry, accompanied by chest pain	Dry, “barking” dry, hoarseness, hoarseness	Wet cough, the intensity of which increases gradually	Unproductive dry, breathing difficult
The lymph nodes	Increases with complications of influenza	Slightly increased	Noticeably enlarged, especially the cervical and submandibular	Virtually no increase
Airway condition	Runny nose, laryngitis	Severe rhinitis, difficulty breathing	Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, pharyngitis, severe runny nose	Bronchitis
Possible complications	Hemorrhagic pneumonia, hemorrhage in internal organs, myocarditis, damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.	Strangulation due to croup development	Lymphadenitis	Bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, pneumonia, development of bronchial asthma

Distinguish viral infection against bacterial infections at home is quite difficult, so laboratory diagnostics will come to the aid of parents.

If in doubt, you need to take a blood test. In 90% of cases, children experience a viral infection. Bacterial infections are very difficult and usually require treatment in a hospital. Fortunately, they happen quite rarely.

Traditional treatment, which the pediatrician prescribes to the child, is based on the use of antiviral drugs. It is also provided symptomatic treatment: for a runny nose - drops in the nose, for a sore throat - rinses and sprays, for a cough - expectorants.

About ARVI

Some children get SARS more often, others less often. However, everyone without exception suffers from such diseases, since there is no universal protection against viral infections transmitted and developed by the respiratory type. In winter, children get sick more often, because at this time of the year the viruses are most active. In the summer, such diagnoses are also made. The frequency of diseases depends on the state of the immune system of each individual child.

It is a mistake to call SARS a cold, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. A cold is a hypothermia of the body. You can “catch” ARVI without hypothermia, although it certainly increases the chances of contracting viruses.

After contact with a sick person and the penetration of the virus, it may take several days for the first symptoms to appear. Usually the incubation period of SARS is 2-4 days. A sick child is contagious to others for 2-4 days from the moment the first signs of the disease appear.

Treatment according to Komarovsky

When asked how to treat SARS, Evgeny Komarovsky answers unequivocally: “Nothing!”

The child’s body is able to cope with the virus on its own in 3-5 days, during which time the baby’s immune system will be able to “learn” how to fight the pathogen and develop antibodies to it, which will come in handy more than once when the child encounters this pathogen again.

The same goes for homeopathic medicines(“Anaferon”, “Oscillococcinum” and others). These pills are “dummy,” says the doctor, and pediatricians prescribe them not so much for treatment as for moral reassurance. The doctor has prescribed (even if it is a deliberately useless drug), he is calm (after all, homeopathic remedies absolutely harmless), the parents are happy (they are treating the child), the baby drinks pills consisting of water and glucose, and recovers calmly only with the help of her own immunity.

The most dangerous situation is when parents rush to give antibiotics to a child with SARS. Evgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that this is a real crime against the health of the baby:

Antibiotics against viruses are completely powerless, since they are designed to fight bacteria;
They do not reduce the risk of developing bacterial complications, as some people think, but increase it.

Komarovsky considers folk remedies for treating ARVI to be completely useless. Onions and garlic, as well as honey and raspberries, are useful on their own, but in no way affect the ability of the virus to replicate.

Treatment of a child with acute respiratory viral infections should be based, according to Evgeny Olegovich, on the creation of "correct" conditions and microclimate. Maximum fresh air, walks, frequent wet cleaning in the house where the child lives.

It is a mistake to wrap up the baby and close all the windows in the house. The air temperature in the apartment should not be higher than 18-20 degrees, and the air humidity should be at the level of 50-70%.

This factor is very important to prevent the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs from drying out in conditions of too dry air (especially if the baby has a runny nose and breathes through the mouth). Creating such conditions helps the body cope with the infection faster, and this is what Evgeniy Komarovsky considers most the right approach to therapy.

In case of a very severe viral infection, it is possible to prescribe the only drug that acts on viruses, Tamiflu. It is expensive and not everyone needs it, since such a drug has a lot of side effects. Komarovsky warns parents against self-medication.

In most cases, it is not necessary to lower the temperature, because it fulfills an important mission - it promotes the production of natural interferons, which help fight viruses. Exception - children infancy up to a year. If the baby is 1 year old and has a fever above 38.5, which has not subsided for about 3 days, this is a good reason to give an antipyretic. Komarovsky advises using Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for this.

Dangerous and severe intoxication. For vomiting and diarrhea, which may accompany fever, you need to give the child plenty of water, sorbents and electrolytes. They will help restore the water-salt balance and prevent dehydration, which is extremely dangerous for children in the first year of life.

Vasoconstrictor drops in the nose with a runny nose should be used as carefully as possible. Small children should not take them for more than three days, since these drugs cause severe drug addiction. For cough, Komarovsky advises not to give antitussives. They suppress the reflex by acting on the cough center in the child's brain. A cough during ARVI is necessary and important, since this is the way the body gets rid of accumulated phlegm (bronchial secretions). Stagnation of this secretion can become the beginning of a strong inflammatory process.

Without a doctor's prescription, no cough remedies, including folk recipes for a respiratory viral infection, it is not necessary. If the mother really wants to give the child at least something, let it be mucolytic agents that help thin and remove mucus.

Komarovsky does not recommend getting carried away with medications for ARVI, since he has long noticed a pattern: what more pills and the child drinks syrups at the very beginning of a respiratory viral infection, so more drugs then you will have to buy it to treat complications.

Moms and dads should not be tormented by their conscience for not treating the baby in any way. Grandmothers and girlfriends can appeal to their conscience and reproach their parents. They should be adamant. There is only one argument: ARVI does not need to be treated. Smart parents, if their child is sick, do not run to the pharmacy for a bunch of pills, but wash the floors and cook dried fruit compote for their beloved child.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to treat ARVI in children in the video below.

Do I need to call a doctor?

Evgeniy Komarovsky advises that if you have any signs of ARVI, be sure to call a doctor. Situations are different, and sometimes there is no such opportunity (or desire). Parents should memorize possible situations, in which self-medication is deadly. A child needs medical attention if:

There is no improvement in the condition on the fourth day after the onset of the disease.
The temperature increased on the seventh day after the onset of the disease.
After the improvement, there was a noticeable deterioration in the baby’s condition.
Appeared painful sensations, purulent discharge(from the nose, ear), pathological pallor skin, excessive sweating and shortness of breath.
If the cough remains unproductive and its attacks have become more frequent and severe.
Antipyretic drugs have a short-term effect or do not work at all.

Urgent health care required if the child has seizures, convulsions, if he loses consciousness, he has respiratory failure(inhalation is very difficult, wheezing is observed when exhaling), if there is no runny nose, the nose is dry, and against this background the throat hurts a lot (this may be one of the signs of a developing sore throat). An ambulance should be called if the child starts vomiting due to fever, a rash appears, or the neck is noticeably swollen.

As soon as there is slush, dampness, or chilly wind outside, get ready for seasonal diseases in the form of acute respiratory infections, ARVI, influenza. What are these diseases and what are their differences?

acute respiratory infections– an acute respiratory disease caused by viruses, bacteria and other infectious representatives.

ARVI– an acute respiratory viral infection, the causative agent of which is viruses and only viruses, such as rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, reoviruses, as well as influenza and parainfluenza viruses.

You should always be prepared for seasonal diseases such as ARVI

It all starts with how you feel:

malaise
discomfort in the body and aching joints
stuffy nose
sore throat and discomfort when swallowing

If you do nothing after these manifestations, then colors will be added to this picture in the form of:

temperature
runny nose, first in the form of clear, continuous discharge, turning into viscous thick mucus
cough
sore throat

How to cure ARVI?

If your plans did not include at least a week's absence from work and other important places, then the first thing you need to do is stay at home. At home, quickly take the following measures:

bed rest
plenty of warm drinks
cool room temperature

Such measures for early stages when treating ARVI, they will stop the onset of more serious symptoms and will help you get back on your feet in a day or two. These rules apply to both adults and children.

To treat ARVI you need plenty of fluids and bed rest.

If the temperature has already risen above 38°C, is it possible to quickly defeat ARVI and bring yourself to health? normal condition? It is definitely difficult to answer. Yours plays a role here. the initial state: strong immunity, you lead healthy image life, eat well, are not in a state of stress - in this case it will not be difficult for the body to overcome the infection.

There are times when “well, you really need to not get sick.” If on the first day you take Flucold (4 tablets) or any of the antipyretic teas and provided good immunity, then perhaps everything will stop at the initial stage.

If for some reason time was lost and you were unable to take the measures described above, then most likely it will not be possible to cure ARVI in 1 day.

Of course, it’s better not to get sick, but preventive actions are more pleasant and less expensive, but since this has happened, you need to take measures to quickly cure ARVI at home.

Drinks for colds

When you take them, remember two simple rules:

Drinking should be plentiful, in small portions, but on the first day a lot, this will promote sweating, which means toxins will be eliminated with sweat
The liquid should not be hot, not cold, but warm, why? Because in order for its rapid absorption to occur, the temperature of the liquid must be the same as the temperature in the intestines. If the drink is hot, then the absorption process will occur only after the liquid has cooled, and if it is cold, then you will need to wait for it to warm up

The body will spend its energy and strength on the regulation process, and not on fighting the infection. In addition, time will be wasted on this, which will not contribute quick treatment ARVI.

If a viral infection small child up to a year, then the best option there will be “raisin water” for the baby. It’s easy to prepare: pour a spoonful of washed raisins into a glass of boiling water, cover, leave for 30 minutes and let drink by pouring into a bottle
For older children, regular dried fruit compote is suitable.
For adults, suggest Herb tea with lemon and a spoon of honey
Chamomile tea will work as a mild anti-inflammatory agent
Ginger tea, rose hip decoction and echinacea tea will help strengthen the immune system
You can add spices (black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric) to tea with raspberries, linden, mint to enhance the diaphoretic effect
And of course cranberry juice– a storehouse of vitamins and microelements

Ginger tea strengthens the immune system

It is better if the drinks are without additional sugar, warm and freshly prepared. If the child is naughty and does not drink the drink you offer, offer another, eventually water. Let him drink whatever he wants. It's better than not drinking at all.

Cough with ARVI

Viral infection enters the human body in different ways. One of them is the respiratory tract. Penetrating into them, the virus causes a cough, in fact, this is one of the main symptoms of the disease. Once on the mucous membrane, viruses destroy epithelial cells and actively reproduce their own kind. As they descend lower along the trachea and bronchi, they irritate the receptors that are located there. The cough reflex is triggered, which helps the body during illness, as it allows you to remove accumulated phlegm.

How to cure coughs and colds yourself using folk remedies

Of course, the doctor prescribes medications, and an experienced doctor will definitely prescribe you and folk remedies for assistance in quick recovery from ARVI. When treating a cough, what is the goal? It is necessary to remove phlegm and clear the airways. To do this, you need to turn a dry cough into a wet one. You can choose one of the options, if the doctor does not prescribe something specific:

Helps well breast collection. There are 4 types of them and each of them helps to quickly recover from a cough, and therefore from a viral infection in general. They have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects. Your doctor will prescribe which one is right for you. The composition and instructions for preparation are usually indicated on the pharmaceutical packaging.
Cocoa butter is very helpful in treating coughs. Both kids and adults will like it because it has pleasant taste and smell. The oil very well softens an inflamed, cough-ragged throat and facilitates the removal of mucus, leaving respiratory tract thin fat film. Has healing, regenerating properties. If the cough is dry, you can suck on small, pea-sized pieces of oil up to 6 times a day. You can add it to warm milk or tea, wait until it dissolves and drink.
This recipe is also known from grandmothers: the cap of a black radish is cut off, a small depression is cut out in the radish itself, which is filled with honey, covered with a lid and left overnight. In the morning there will be juice with honey in the recess. You need to take it one tablespoon before meals and in the evening before bed, not forgetting to add honey to the well.
Ground viburnum promotes easy coughing. Many people don’t like it because of the smell, but you can stir it in warm boiled water and add lemon. If you want to quickly cure ARVI, then you can put up with the smell. Take with caution, as viburnum lowers blood pressure.
If you mix 3 tablespoons of aloe juice, 100 g of unsalted butter or cocoa butter, 100 g of honey, then you need to take the mixture by adding it a tablespoon to warm milk 2 times a day. Not recommended for pregnant women.

Medicines to treat cough

Treatment of the respiratory system should be carried out comprehensively and take into account all key points diseases. Since the cause of the disease is a virus, in addition to antiviral drugs for pathogenetic therapy means are used to help restore bronchial patency. These are primarily mucolytic drugs that not only dilute sputum, promoting its elimination, but also regulate its quantity.

Mucolytic drugs will help cope with cough

Mucolytics do their job very well if the patient - Small child with an undeveloped cough reflex, old man or bedridden patient. Accumulated phlegm can cause a lot of trouble. But since cough is still defensive reaction body, then the goal of treatment is not to get rid of the cough, but to alleviate the condition. All medications are prescribed only by a doctor.

Temperature

One of the telltale signs of a viral infection is elevated temperature bodies. In both children and adults, it signals that the body is taking measures to fight the cold. High temperature stimulates the body to produce its own interferon, a special type of protein that can neutralize viruses. Its maximum amount is reached on the 2-3rd day of illness, and it is due to this that most acute respiratory viral infections end on the 3rd day.

If you lower your temperature to below 38-38.5 °C, this may mean that your body will not fight the disease itself, it will not use its immune system and by fighting, become stronger. By lowering your temperature, you allow the infection to spread. The body will weaken, creating conditions for the development of complications.

If the illness was mild, and on the third day of the cold the temperature rose, this may indicate that a complication is developing (pneumonia, tracheitis, otitis media, bronchitis, sinusitis, etc.).

What is the right thing to do in this case and help yourself recover from ARVI and its companion – high fever?

Firstly, as mentioned above, drinking plenty of warm water will promote sweating. Sweat, evaporating, cools the body and saves it from overheating. Secondly, the air in the room should be cool (16-18 °C). If these two basic conditions are not observed, then all other steps will be ineffective and the risk of adverse reactions will increase.

Why is high fever dangerous in children?

Here it is worth paying more attention to the moment when the child has a high temperature. Up to the limit marks (38-38.5 °C) you do not try to knock it down, but only watch the baby’s reaction. If the temperature rises above 38.5 °C and lasts for more than two hours, there may be a risk of blood thickening, the water-salt balance will be disrupted and the body’s energy reserves will deplete. At the same time, the load on the heart and blood vessels will increase and the regulatory process in the structures of the brain may be disrupted. All these negative phenomena may contribute to febrile seizures.

A high fever may cause your child to have febrile seizures.

Children with birth pathologies, if the central one is damaged nervous system. Every mother should know these nuances and be warned what to do in such cases.

What to do if your child has seizures:

There is no need to panic or become hysterical. Make sure that the child's face is open and nothing interferes with breathing (pillow, blanket)
Do not open your mouth with a spoon or other object, this is not the case
As soon as the attack has stopped, give the baby an antipyretic, give him something to drink and call an ambulance
If he falls asleep, don't wrap him up

You will have to undergo an examination: an electroencephalogram and an ultrasound scan, since seizures may indicate impaired brain function.

Runny nose with ARVI

Another symptom of a cold is a runny nose. There is probably no person who has not experienced all the delights of a stuffy nose, heaviness in the head, and lack of air.

When illness hits, we become vulnerable and defenseless. Don't be alarmed, there are several simple recommendations and rules that can alleviate this condition:

Make sure that the mucous membrane does not dry out, constantly moisturize it. To do this use saline solutions. You can buy them at the pharmacy, or you can prepare them yourself, it’s not difficult at all: in 1 liter of cooled boiled water dilute 1 teaspoon regular table salt. The resulting solution should be washed and irrigated regularly, preventing it from drying out.
You need to blow your nose correctly, without overdoing it: take turns separately with each nostril with your mouth open.
Use vasoconstrictors in the form of drops and aerosols with caution, as they are addictive and provoke vascular spasms.

A runny nose is one of the symptoms of a cold.

Don't take a cold lightly. This disease can cause a lot of trouble if you do not take the necessary steps to treat ARVI and endure the disease on your feet. It is also worth noting that all procedures in the form of inhalations, applying mustard plasters and compresses can only be performed in the absence of fever, otherwise they can only cause harm.

Respiratory viral diseases (ARVI, Influenza, Rhinovirus infection, Parainfluenza, Adenovirus, Reovirus, respiratory syncytial virus infection) belong to the group infectious diseases transmitted by airborne droplets.

The causative agents of viral infections are viruses. They have a very simple composition: nucleic acid, protein and several substances such as fats and sugars. Viruses multiply thanks to the cell into which they are embedded. They seem to change the cell development program, customizing it to their needs. In fact, becoming infected with a viral infection is similar to the hijacking of a ship by pirates and changing its course.

Typically, respiratory viral infections are seasonal, since viruses are better preserved in moderate temperatures. low temperatures and high humidity. Although there are a number of respiratory viral infections that can be contracted at any time and under any weather conditions(herpes virus, adenovirus).

Typically seasonal respiratory diseases people are exposed as a result of hypothermia, stress, physical overload, chronic dysbacteriosis and other factors that reduce and weaken immunity, which cannot properly repel the attack of viruses.

Before you start treatment of viral infection, it is necessary to deal with differential diagnosis viral infections, that is, understand how they differ from bacterial infections. Viruses are inherently very different from bacteria. Therefore, the methods of influencing viruses and bacteria are different. While antibacterial drugs (antibiotics, bacteriophages) are suitable for treating a bacterial infection, antiviral drugs are not developed for all types of viral infections (there are such drugs for the treatment of herpes, AIDS, and viral hepatitis).

How to distinguish a viral infection?

The gradual development of the disease is distinctive feature viral infections (as, indeed, all infectious diseases), that is, there are four stages - four periods of development and course of a viral disease:

The incubation period is the time when the virus enters the body, but does not yet make itself felt, since it has not had time to multiply to a significant level. For humans, this stage of the disease occurs unnoticed, without symptoms. For respiratory viral diseases, it can last from 1 to 5 days. The duration of the incubation period depends on the virulence (degree of toxicity) of the virus, and since there are about 300 varieties of respiratory viruses (all of them fit into the groups: ARVI viruses, Influenza viruses, Parainfluenza viruses, Reoviruses, Adenoviruses, Rhinoviruses), then incubation periods may vary in duration.

The prodromal period (translated from Greek as “harbinger”) is a stage in the development of the disease when nonspecific (atypical for a particular disease) signs of a disorder are observed. general condition body ( general weakness or brokenness; bad dream or, conversely, excitement; headache, neuralgic pain). Based on the symptoms of this period of development of a viral disease, one can judge that a person is beginning to have an illness, but what kind of illness it is is not yet clear.

The height of the disease is the stage at which the disease “gains strength.” During this period, symptoms characteristic of certain diseases, which allows you to clarify the diagnosis.

Signs of a viral disease are:

Runny nose (sneezing)
Sore throat
Swelling of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and nasopharynx
Low-grade fever (37 – 37.5 C o)

Minor disturbances in the general condition of the body (flu is different from other respiratory diseases a sharp violation general condition and high temperature)

An indicator such as an increase in temperature indicates that the immune system has already begun to counteract virus attack, because, as mentioned above, viruses do not like high temperatures. It follows that the temperature below 39.5 C o should not be brought down, since this is one of the body’s immune responses to the introduction of a viral infection.

Neuralgic pain of different nature caused by neurotropic by the action of a virus (for example, toothache(sometimes they hurt a little nearby standing teeth simultaneously), headache, pain in the limbs).

Why we're talking about O neurotropic effect? Because there are strains of viruses that can move across nerve trunks CNS and damage neurons. Such viruses are called neurotropic viruses and they are not accessible to leukocytes and macrophages, acting only within the system blood vessels(in other words, they are beyond the reach of the immune system).

Fever
Aching pain in muscles and joints

Recovery is a stage in the course of the disease when the signs of the disease decrease and gradually disappear. The duration of this period depends on the severity of the disease, the quality of treatment, concomitant diseases and associated infection. During this period it is necessary to distinguish residual effects diseases and complications that arose during the course of the disease and/or due to an associated infection. Often the addition of a bacterial infection to a viral one complicates the treatment of viral diseases and prolongs the recovery period. For example, a sore throat that occurs during a viral infection can develop into a cough, which in turn is a sign of bronchitis or pneumonia, and these are complications, and they are treated differently (if necessary, with antibacterial agents).

One of the main evidence signs of a viral infection is a blood test that tells the doctor if there is an increased number of white blood cells (monocytes and lymphocytes) in the blood. Lymphocytes and monocytes are an indicator of the immune response to a viral infection. Monocytes will subsequently turn into macrophages. During a viral infection, the number of lymphocytes is greater than monocytes (macrophages). During a bacterial infection, there are more monocytes than lymphocytes. This is how the immune system selects tools to influence the corresponding microorganism (virus or bacteria).

How can you help your immune system fight a viral infection?

Recognition of the beginning and end of each flow period viral disease necessary for correct distribution therapeutic actions– use of drugs.

There are two groups of drugs that can counteract viral infection:

Immunostimulants - force the immune system to produce leukocytes (as if they “shake up” the immune system and stimulate the production of interferon).

Immunocorrectors– they themselves contain human leukocyte or recombinant interferon and add it to the already existing amount of interferon produced by the sick person.

It is better and more effective to use immunostimulants in the prodromal period, and immunocorrectors - at the height of the disease.