Early Flu Symptoms
The respiratory system including nose, throat, bronchial and lungs are the parts of the body which are affected by this viral infection known as influenza or flu. People who are in good health, when attacked by the influenza virus, although get sick but are the least vulnerable to develop any sort of complications and so they generally do not require any kind of hospital care. However, on the other hand, people who are already suffering from any chronic illness or have a weakened immune system, may have to face severe complications. As we come to known about the early flu symptoms and the ones at a later stage, we will also know about the treatment and prevention of this illness.
Early Influenza Symptoms in Adults and Children
Most people remain dubious about differentiating the symptoms of flu with those of cold. The major point of difference between late and early flu symptoms and symptoms of common cold is made by the fact that common cold tends to develop slowly, unlike the flu and its symptoms which set in suddenly. Symptoms which are indicative of influenza includes a characteristically high fever. In adults the fever can go over 101 F (38 C) and in children, it may range from 103 – 105 F (39.5 – 40.5). This will be accompanied by chills and sweats, headache and dry cough. The affected person will experience muscular aches and pains. The aches can be felt more in the back, arms and legs. There will be fatigue and weakness which can last up to two to three weeks and extreme exhaustion is also one of the early flu symptoms that is prominent. Common early flu symptoms in children, in addition to all these ones, are diarrhea and vomiting. Although nasal congestion, sneezing and sore throat may not be common with flu, they might occur in some cases. Headache, loss of appetite, chest discomfort, cough and as mentioned, high fever are some of the most prominent symptoms which, in most cases, indicate the development of influenza. Read the rest of this entry »
Aspiration Pneumonia Treatment
To give you the basics, the term ‘pneumonia’ is used to refer to the inflammation of lungs. In most people, this is triggered by an infection. Now this infection could be caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and even parasites; of which bacteria and viruses tend to be the most common offenders. But pneumonia is not only a result of a pathogen invasion, but it can also be a repercussion of an intrusion of foreign matters into the lungs. More on this will precede the subject on the aspiration pneumonia treatment.
What is Aspiration Pneumonia?
The term ‘aspiration’ is defined as the act of inhaling, and as discussed above, we know what pneumonia is. So what can be inferred from this is, inhaling certain foreign matter into the lungs, can cause inflammation of the lungs. In most cases, as it has been observed by doctors, when a person vomits, some contents of the stomach accidentally get into the lungs. And the main reason behind this is a malfunctioning gag reflex, that can result from a trauma to the brain. Also, serious neurological diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson’s disease, and illnesses such as stroke may also cause a person to aspirate foreign matters thus, inflaming the lungs, and giving rise to various unpleasant symptoms. Other possible factors that may cause the gag reflux to function improperly may include old age, dental issues, sedatives, and coma. Read the rest of this entry »