The swine flu is a very serious disease that could cause death if not treated expeditiously (immediately). But what is swine flu and most importantly what is the easiest way for you to protect yourself and your family from contracting this disease? Here is an excerpt from an email I got from an MD.

What is swine flu?

Answer: The swine flu acts just like catching a normal flu or cold. The symptoms are all the same for example: runny nose, sneezing, coughing, feeling very weak, loss of appetite, and fever. However with the swine flu you develop a lot of mucus in the lungs.

Why do people died from swine flu?

Answer: Most people under estimate that they might actually have the swine flu and think they simply have a cold or the flu. By the time they realize how serious their condition is, even the anti-viral drugs will be unable to save them. The victims usually die from respiratory arrest (suffocation) as a result of the lungs been inundated (filled up) with mucus.

What are the major symptoms of the final stages of the swine flu?

Answer:

• Fever
• Dyspnea - shortness of breath, or difficultly in breathing normally, sometimes mimicking
  asthma-like affects
• Lethargy (feeling physically weak)
• Loss of appetite
• Chronic productive coughing and/or sneezing - you cough up a lot of mucus that ranges in color from clear to white to yellow to green to brown. The key point is that you are coughing up a lot of mucus regardless of its color. However if the mucus becomes green or brown. There is a greater than 90% chance that you may have bronchitis. Then you are going to need a potent antibiotic like “Amoxicillin/ Clavulanate Potassium.”
• Stiffness of the joints
• Vomiting
• Loss of consciousness

What can I do to protect myself from the swine flu?

Answer:

• Always wash your hands as often as you can, particularly after shaking someone’s hand, or
  touching objects in the public domain like door knocks is one example.
  Public Domain: means places like malls, supermarkets, libraries, gas stations, any place where
  there is a lot of people touching objects you may have to touch as well.
• Avoid as much as you can from being around people who are either coughing or sneezing a
  lot. If you’re forced to be around individuals like this, then you may consider wearing a
  cloth like surgical mask that will cover your nose and mouth.
• If you are the one coughing or sneezing, then I would suggest that you keep a cloth or
  handkerchief that has been folded multiple times and place it over your nose and mouth at
  the same time when ever you are coughing or sneezing to protect others from being
  infected by you
• Go to the hospital only if you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing.
• Stay home if your symptoms are mild because you risk spreading the virus to other people.
  if you must eat pork at this time, make sure the meat is cooked well in
  temperatures exceeding 400° Fahrenheit.

What antiviral medications are out there for the swine flu?

Answer: Amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir, however the drugs of choice for this particular strain of the swine flu in the United States is the combination of oseltamivir and zanamivir.

Make sure to check out the site for more related information about How to Protect Yourself from Swine Flu .

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