Swine flu has been all one of the primary topics on every single news outlet in the Country for some time now, and it appears that the virus may in fact, become a pandemic. The bottom line to any virus is two simple questions; How do I prevent myself from getting swine flu, and how can I tell if I have it? This article will answer both of those questions for you.
The swine flu is a virus that originally was primarily gotten from pig to human contact. This new and more dangerous swine flu is actually a variation of the original that is being spread human to human. This is not so unusual as viruses are constantly changing anyway. The bottom line to the swine flu is that you do not have to be near pigs to get the virus. Once someone is infected, then they can then spread it to other humans and become an environmental health concern.
The symptoms of swine flu are very much like those of the regular flu. They can include any or all of the following symptoms:
- fever
- cough
- sore throat
- body aches
- headaches
- fatigue
- chills
- diarrhea and vomiting (more unusual)
While these symptoms are very common to a number of conditions, your doctor can order a lab test that can help determine if you have swine flu. Trying to diagnose swine flu without tests is very hard if not impossible because of the symptoms being so common. Swine flu is treated very often with Tamiflu or in some cases Relenza. Many people that are infected with swine flu here in America recover without it, but it certainly can help dramatically with getting better.
Preventing swine flu is quite like those things that you might do to avoid the flu in the first place. Cover your mouth when you sneeze, cough, or blow your nose. Wash your hands every single chance that you get. This is still the number one way to avoid the flu, and that includes the swine flu. Keep your children home if you have had a confirmed case of swine flu at their school. You stay home from work if you are sick and keep the kids at home as well. If you or someone in the house is experiencing symptoms, then you should all wear surgeon masks just to be careful.
Swine flu is just like any other illness in that you have to use common sense to avoid contracting the disease. If you are going to be in a very public place that gets touched all the time, like a public bathroom, carry along some disposable tissues to open the door and flush the toilets with. As soon as you do so, then you need to immediately throw away the tissue and wash your hands. These extra steps are paranoid to some, but also might mean the difference in getting sick or not.
The bottom line is that swine flu is not some scary killer disease that is spreading like wildfire and you will surely die if you get it. It is dangerous in some cases, and it is spreading, but you can avoid it in most cases by following these simple steps. Always keep hand sanitizer available, and wash your hands as often as possible, and you will hopefully stay free of the swine flu virus.
