There's the fall flu season and the spring flu season, so you have two chances of practicing flu survival each year.
The first thing about flu survival is knowing the difference between the common cold and the flu.
Cold Symptoms:
A cold generally starts with a sore throat which goes away on its own after a day or two. This is accompanied or followed by clear nasal discharge that gradually thickens and darkens. Coughing accompanies this because part of the discharge is down the back of the throat. Sneezing is common in a cold and rare in the flu. There is rarely a fever with colds, and when a fever accompanies a cold, it’s usually low. Colds are contagious for the first three days and usually heals in 5 – 7 days.
Cold symptoms are often confused with hay fever and sinus infections. If it begins quickly and is improving by the 4th or 5th day, it’s not allergies and it’s not a sinus infection.
Flu Symptoms:
Regardless of the type of flu you get, they all follow the same general course. Like the cold, the flu comes on quickly. Unlike the cold, it slams you with sore throat, fever, headache, muscle aches, congestion, and coughing. It is accompanied by weakness, exhaustion, and may have severe cough and chest discomfort compared to the cold’s milder, yet hacking, cough.
Like the cold, the flu starts improving about 4 to 5 days after contracting it.
Unlike the cold, flu is contagious for much longer. New research indicates that you are contagious with the flu for as long as you are coughing, so take extra measures to contain and prevent the spread of germs through coughing – cough into your elbow or a disposable tissue, wash your hands often, avoid touching your face or other people, use tissues to touch common surfaces such as door knobs and handles.
Cold and Flu Containment Measures
For both the cold and the flu, avoid contact with others during your contagious period (the first three days for a cold and up to 2 weeks for the flu) and avoid those who exhibit symptoms if you are well. Frequent handwashing reduces the spread of the contagion for both cold and flu, so stay up on the handwashing – at least 20 seconds with hot water and soap both.
If you sneeze or cough, do so into your elbow – it will contain the germs in a place you are less likely to touch.
For the flu, you can take flu shots. I know many doctors say the flu shot prevents the flu, but that isn't true. It may prevent one strain of flu and possibly related strains, but there are so many different strains that flu shots simply make the flu less severe if you do catch it. This is still a Good Thing - a really bad flu can kill, but a mild flu is merely unpleasant.
Cold and Flu Management
If you do get a cold or flu, some of the treatments are similar. For both, antihistamines, decongestants, and anti-inflammatories can ease the symptoms. They are not cures, and you are still contagious even if you feel better, so practice containment measures.
For the flu, if you see the doctor for an antiviral drug within the first 48 hours of contracting symptoms, you can lessen the severity of the flu almost to cold levels. You still have to avoid contact with others during your contagious period.
When to Call the Doctor
Persistent fever – lasting more than 3 – 4 days
Painful swallowing – could have morphed into strep throat, better a swab test and know for sure than let it continue
Persistent coughing – it could have morphed into bronchitis, which can be treated with antibiotics. The cold may also have triggered asthma even in people who have never before had asthma.
Persistent congestion and headache – if nasal congestion remains thick and there is pain around the eyes after a week, you may have developed a sinus infection, which an be treated with antibiotics.
Urgent Signs to see a Doctor/go to the ER:
Severe chest pain, especially if it suddenly worsens
Severe headache, especially if it suddenly worsens
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Confusion
Persistent vomiting
Bluish skin color (shows up first on lips and fingernails)
Dehydration
Improving symptoms that suddenly worsen
Persistent fever with a rash
Supplies for Surviving a Cold or Flu
2 weeks food and water: Since you’ll be sick and not interested in leaving home, make sure you have 2 week’s worth of invalid food and water on hand. Make up chicken stock and freeze it before hand so you don’t have to make it while you’re sick, just heat it up. Bananas can also be frozen to make into beverages or stir into hot baby cereals to boost your potassium levels. Baby cereal is more digestible than whole grain cereals – keep a couple of boxes on hand. If you don’t need them for flu season, they are excellent thickeners to add to stews and sauces. Applesauce is also good, full of fiber and nutrients. Soda crackers and white bread for toasting help settle and fill your stomach. I know, I know, what about whole wheat bread or full grain bread – truth is, your tummy is weak and not up to digesting those just yet. White bread was originally an invalid grain and used for “delicate” aristocrat tummies because it is more processed and therefore easier to digest. Once you’re well, you can go back to whole grains. White bread freezes and thaws well – keep a loaf in the freezer in case you get sick, and if not – thaw it for bread crumbs. Also stock your favorite comfort foods (most people like mashed potatoes or ice cream. Me, I like oatmeal, tea, and toast.)
Beverages. Water is good, essential even, but it doesn’t have a lot of nutrients in it. When you’re sick, you need extra fluids and extra nutrients, and don’t have a lot of appetite. Electrolyte powder can be added to water, juices, and herbal teas. I don’t recommend pre-made commercial sport drinks because they are really high in sugars and chemicals a sick body just doesn’t need but a healthy exercising body does – save the sport drinks for sporting events and use the unsweetened electrolyte powders when you’re sick. Herbal teas that help alleviate symptoms for colds and flu include: peppermint, chamomile, rose hip, and dill seed. Peppermint tea helps with sinuses and nausea, chamomile helps with stress, rose hips provide extra vitamin C, and dill seed calms an upset tummy. They won't cure you, they'll just help you feel better.
Fever reducers for the flu. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Cough and cold medications containing chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, oxymetazoline, and pseudoephedrine and lozenges with dyclonine, glycerin, or honey can help ease the symptoms, too.
Tissues. Lots of tissues, as your nose will run and you’ll be coughing.
Soap. You’ll be doing lots of handwashing so lay in a good stock of soap. Plain soap is just fine. You don’t need fancy, expensive anti-bacterial soaps. Colds and flus are viruses and don’t care about bacteria. You probably also need laundry detergent to wash all those clothes, bed linens, and blankets you’ll be using.
Games, books, DVDs. After a day or two, while you’re still contagious, you’ll be feeling well enough to do something but not anything strenuous or demanding. Have a few books or movies you’ve saved aside for this time, old favorites or completely new ones. Simple games you can play alone or online are the best games to have on hand unless there’s more than one person in your household – in which case, games for as many players as there are residents might be nice.
Not So Good, But if it makes you feel better:
Surgical masks. They don’t actually stop the spread of cold and flu viruses because they do nothing to keep your hands virus-free. They do contain the germ spray when you cough or sneeze, but if you’re squicky like me, that means a new mask every time you cough or sneeze – so not worth it. Tissues are far better, cheaper and take up less landfill when disposed of. Wearing long sleeves and using your elbow as a sneeze and cough catcher is a good close second, while those surgical masks are a distant fourth. The top 4 containment methods: isolation (stay home!), elbows, tissues, then masks.
Anti-bacterial gels. They are antibacterial. Colds and flus are viral. See? The gels are good if you don’t have soap and water available, and are handy for between frequent hand washing, but they don’t kill viruses, just bacteria.
If you have pets:
Lay in a stock of pet foods in case you get sick so your pets have enough to last until you are well enough to go out and get more food for them. Flu generally doesn’t affect them other than in how you care for them. Make sure they are provided for while you are sick and all should be well for them.
Why lay in supplies before you get sick?
When you get sick, you aren’t going to feel like running to the store to get what you need, or cooking to make the food you’ll need to recover. If it’s already on hand, you’ll be much happier.
If a lot of people get sick in your area, already having what you need on hand will mean you don’t have to worry about the stores running out. Speaking of which:
Supplies in case of a Major Illness Outbreak
Food and Water – I prefer having a month’s supply of non-perishable, canned, and frozen goods – the power will most likely keep working unless the outbreak is so bad there’s no one to man the power stations. Water will likely be available unless the outbreak is so bad there’s no one to man the water treatment plants, but it still makes sense to have water on hand. Those are totally worst case scenarios. Of course, if the illness outbreak is after a natural disaster, this could be a valid scenario. Again, I prefer a minimum of a month’s supply and I actually have a year’s supply of food on hand simply because I grew up in a remote area and we stored a year’s worth of food each season and ate them down. Be sure to stock invalid, comfort, and food you like enough to eat a lot of as well as a few special treat foods.
Medicines – in additional to the usual fever reducers, anti-inflammatories, cough medicines, throat lozenges, and first aid kit, make sure you have plenty of your prescription medicines. I recommend a 2 month supply on the prescription meds so if the outbreak happens just before you refill, you have enough to tide you over. Before insurance, most doctors allowed you a 3 month supply of chronic medications, but insurance has now enforced one month supplies only, so you may have to pay for that spare month out of pocket. This is why I despise insurance companies – they set their profit above your health and safety.
Tissues
Soap
Pet food
Toilet paper
Toiletries
Games, books, movies, toys, hobby supplies – if you’re quarantined, you’ll be glad you have things to do. Old favorites and brand new ones are best. If you have internet access now, you’ll probably still have it during an outbreak, so there’s also that.
Don’t forget to keep a goodly stock of things stashed at work in case you get quarantined there. Can you imagine what life would be like if you couldn’t leave your office for 2 weeks???? I brought a hot plate, a stash of freeze-dried and canned goods, cheese, crackers, peanut butter, rice, oatmeal, teas, dog food and dog treats.
If you have pets at home and get quarantined at work or have to be hospitalized, have a plan in place to take care of your pets while you’re away and plenty of food and water set aside for them. This is where community is important: A few friendly neighbors, some close friends, other survivalists on whom you can depend.
Quick review:
Colds
Sore throat
Coughing
Sneezing
Mild fever
Congestion
Mild headache (from sinuses and coughing and sneezing)
Mild chest pain (from coughing and sneezing)
Flu
Fever
Sore throat
Muscle and joint aches
Coughing
Congestion
Moderate to Strong headache
Mild to Moderate chest pain (from coughing)
Weakness
Fatigue