Swine Flu H1N1-Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

Swine flu pandemic---the words that caused a near panic state this spring, and still send shivers up the spines of many. Parents pulled their children out of school, refused to ride buses and airplanes, and purchases of simple facemasks caused shortages in local drugstores across the nation. School closings at the first signs of symptoms in any child, and misinformation from several sources caused fear in millions of Americans nationwide. People were dying from swine flu, and the news traveled at lightning speed on twitter, facebook and myspace and other social networking media, so fast that we had the information (or misinformation) long before the nightly news at 5pm! Were the worries unwarranted?

No, but the paranoia may be. It seems that immediately after a local report about a possible swine flu case, people are bombarding hotlines, chatrooms, and social media outlets to ask about signs and symptoms. We see pictures of people walking in the streets with face masks on, seemingly terrified of catching the swine flu. Emergency rooms and clinics are crowded with people suffering from body aches, fever, and coughs. They've heard about deaths, and they seek immediate treatment. Some people are afraid you can get swine flu from eating pork-which isn't true, but still the rumors spread. They're certain that they might be next to die from the swine flu, and in some cases, their fears are warranted-but not every case of swine flu is an emergency, and swine flu generally does not result in death of a healthy person. So when is it an emergency?

If you are a healthy person, you generally don't have to worry. Swine flu is treated the same way as seasonal flu: Stay home, rest, stay hydrated. You may use over the counter cold and flu remedies as discussed with your physician, however you need to understand that these will only lessen the severity of your symptoms, making you more comfortable, as seasonal flu and swine flu are viruses and will last 7-10 days. A virus must run it's course and cannot be treated with antibiotics. Cases have been recognized as having mild to severe symptoms, as with the seasonal flu. The symptoms that are truly an emergency and must be addressed immediately are as follows, as per the CDC guidelines: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

In children: Rapid breathing, or trouble breathing, Bluish or gray color of the skin or nailbeds, not interacting, inability to wake child, worsening irritability, dehydration, not drinking enough fluid, inability to drink fluids, not urinating, severe or persistent vomiting. Flu like symptoms that seem to improve, then later return with fever and worsened cough.

In adults: Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion, and severe or persistent vomiting. Flu like symptoms that seem to improve and later return with fever and worsened cough.

The populations that can be severely affected by swine flu are children under the age of 2 years old, adults older than 65, pregnant women and people with certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, HIV, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. If you present with any of these symptoms, your physician will likely treat you with one of the four antiviral medications used to treat the swine flu, which can lessen the severity of both seasonal flu and swine flu and shorten the time you are ill by 1-2 days.

Symptoms of the swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu and inculde feeling lethargic, lack of appetite, and cough, as well as runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and muscle aches. If you have these symptoms, it is wise to remain at home.

Preventative measures include handwashing- which is the single most effective method known to prevent disease transmission. When soap and water are not available, an alcohol based sanitizer may be used. Areas such as supermarkets, schools, workplace, vehicles, and on trips are ideal places to carry hand sanitizer. Swine flu and seasonal flu is mainly transmitted by people, person to person through coughing and sneezing of the infected party, which is why it's important to cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. You can also become infected by touching a surface with the flu virus on it, then touching your mouth or nose, so try to avoid touching your mouth and nose while in public places. Also, if you become ill, you must isolate yourself at home for a period of 24 hours after your symptoms, including fever (without the use of fever lowering agents) is gone. Don't go to work sick, and don't allow your children to attend school while ill. If you suspect someone in your workplace is ill, discuss it with your employer, as it can spread rapidly and cause several illness related absences.

Vaccines for the swine flu are expected to be released this fall. The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you from the swine flu, nor will the swine flu vaccine protect you from the seasonal flu, as these are two different strains of virus. The vaccine is not being recommended for everyone at this time, and is highly suggested for some, however there have been many reservations in the medical community with some physicians. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1z7KSEnyxw

Hopefully this information has alleviated some of your fears and anxieties about swine flu and taught you some of the important preventative measures you can take now to stop the transmission of the flu virus. By learning the signs and symptoms of swine flu, and understanding when you should go to your doctor, you can help lessen the panic and promote education. Please review the links provided to ensure you know what you need to know about swine flu and seasonal flu.