These 10 Solutions May Help To Treat Flu Symptoms Without Tamiflu
If you have flu symptoms, your doctor may prescribe Tamiflu, but unfortunately, you may be taking a medication that doesn’t actually work.
Dr. Vanessa Jordan, a New Zealand Cochrane Fellow at the University of Auckland reports that, through a research review, her team found that Tamiflu or Relenza do not reduce complications of influenza.
Per the CDC, oral oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) and inhaled zanamivir(Relenza®) are antiviral medications known as neuraminidase inhibitors that have activity against both influenza A and B viruses. Past clinical trials and observational data show that early antiviral treatment (best when delivered within 48 hours of influenza illness onset) can shorten the duration of fever and illness symptoms.
However, states Dr. Jordan, that benefit is quite minor. She found that the antiviral medications only shorten symptoms by a half a day.
As well as questioning the usefulness of Tamiflu, the team also found that the medicine appeared to increase the risk of nausea and vomiting in adults by about 4% and in children by 5%.
Tamiflu manufacturer Roche rejected Cochrane's findings saying it "fundamentally disagrees with the overall conclusions" of the study.
"We firmly stand by the quality and integrity of our data, reflected in decisions reached by 100 regulators across the world and subsequent real-world evidence demonstrating that Tamiflu is an effective medicine in the treatment and prevention of influenza," it said in a statement reported by Reuters.
Each year, between 5 and 20 percent of Americans are infected by the flu virus. If you are one, you should talk with your healthcare provider about the proper treatment for your own situation.
To treat flu symptoms without medication by:
• Getting plenty of rest (stay home, do not go to school or work)
• Drinking clear fluids like water, broth, sports drinks, or electrolyte beverages to prevent becoming dehydrated
• Placing a cool, damp washcloth on your forehead, arms, and legs to reduce discomfort associated with a fever
• Putting a humidifier in your room to make breathing easier
• Gargling salt water (1:1 ratio warm water to salt) to soothe a sore throat
• Covering up with a warm blanket to calm chills
Over the counter medications that may help include:
• Decongestants to ease the discomfort of stuffy noses, sinuses, ears and chest.
• Cough medicine or drops and throat lozenges for coughing and sore throat.
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or NSAIDS (Aleve) can help relieve pain and reduce fever.
• Remember that antibiotics are not effective against viral infections such as the flu.
Regulatory information on trials of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) for influenza in adults and children. The Cochrane Collaboration
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention