4 Over-the-Counter Treatments to Relieve Flu Symptoms

Whenever I feel the sniffles coming on, especially when I know it’s “flu season,” a small part of me always wonders if it’s the flu (while simultaneously hoping it’s not). It’s so incredibly hard to know if it’s a cold or if it’s the flu, particularly with those very early symptoms, until you either feel like a train wreck has hit you or a high fever has taken over your body – that’s how my body usually lets me know it’s a flu. But, different members of my family show flu symptoms in different ways, so it’s really important to be familiar with all the flu symptoms and know what to do. As always, it’s best to listen to your body, pay attention to how symptoms progress, and consult with your doctor, something we do at home when things don’t seem to be getting better on their own.

I didn’t realize this, but the CDC tracks the flu virus every year and has found that this flu season the most common flu virus being circulated is H1N1, which may sound familiar since it’s the same one that was causing many to be sick back in 2009. You can read more about what the CDC has found about this year’s flu season so far, which includes lots of information and many links to other resources as well, such as specific information on flu activity by state. It’s a pretty quick read, with good reminders and information for you and your family.

Now, I don’t know about you, but the few times I’ve been all-out sick with the flu, all I’ve wanted to do is lay in bed and sleep. It was hard to do much else with the lack of energy and appetite. But, I do remember, that I took some over-the-counter medicines to help with the fever, body aches, and headaches, as well as other medications to help with the sneezing and congestion. Unfortunately, with our younger babies under the age of 4, if they get the flu, we can’t give them that same symptom relief! The folks at OTCSafety reminded us that we should never give oral cough or cold medicines to children under the age of 4! Here is a nice infographic from OTCSafety with some general treatment information for relief from flu symptoms using OTC medicines. (Click on infographic image to view full size.)