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Treatment options for swine flu |
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The last
time that a flu caused much worldwide panic was in the year 1918. That
incomparable worldwide pandemic is recorded as having slain more than
20 million people. This is a mind-boggling figure that needs to be put
in perspective; the entire casualty count of World War I, or the
infamous Black Death of the 1300s did not reach as high. That flu
pandemic, however, occurred before antibiotics were discovered.
Modern medicine and public education on healthy habits that help keep
disease at bay, have made much progress in the last century though. Let
us take a look at the modern treatment options for a new disease such
as swine flu.
The swine flu virus is a highly adaptive organism that is hard for
antiviral drugs to keep up with. It is also quite resistant to the
common flu drugs Amantadine and Rimantadine. Tamiflu and Relenza,
however so far, seem to be effective. Tamiflu has become quite the
buzzword in today's swine flu outbreak. It is now known that
administering Tamiflu right after the appearance of swine flu symptoms
in a person, keeps the virus from reproducing, and gives the patient's
immune system time to get back on its feet. Tamiflu is a CDC-approved
treatment course for swine flu, suspected or confirmed.
Tamiflu has some preventive use; it is
often prescribed for family
members who remain in close contact with a person who suffers from
this. But this is not to be taken as an invitation for anyone to take
Tamiflu just as a preventive measure. It is well-recognized that having
people taking antivirals for no good reason can help viruses learn how
to resist the drug.
The swine flu virus is able to debilitate the immune system and it
makes the body vulnerable to any other infection, such as pneumonia.
The swine flu virus hits the lungs quite ferociously also, and
short-term artificial respiration might be a good idea for seriously
ill people.
In addition to the primary antivirals such as Tamiflu, doctors may
order drugs for the attendant symptoms of headache and fever and
nausea. Adolescents or children with swine flu are never given aspirin
for its potential to cause Reyes syndrome.
The Internet is chock-a-block with natural or herbal cures for swine
flu. There are many exotic sounding names, Colloidal Silver, Echinacea
or Oregano oil; there is no real research that proves any health
benefits in these supplements; but people do choose to try them out
often. It could be that the everyday health supplements of pepper,
garlic, or vitamins C, might be the best any day.
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