Mucus

Since COVID-19 first spread rapidly around the world in 2020, we have significantly more options to reduce the symptoms and severity of the virus. COVID-19 symptoms usually begin in the first five days after exposure and can last up to 14 days. For many people, over-the-counter medications, like Advil and Tylenol, are enough to reduce symptoms while the virus runs its course. For those who have existing medical problems, are over 65 or are immunocompromised, prescription medication can shorten the duration and reduce the severity of the virus. Prescription medications for COVID-19 are most effective if used soon after developing symptoms. If you test positive for COVID-19, speak to your doctor right away about what treatment is right for you. You shouldn't wait to see if your symptoms get worse before asking for prescription medication. Which OTC medications are best for treating COVID-19 symptoms? The most important thing to know about using over-the-counter medications to tr...

What are stomach flu symptoms? The most common stomach flu symptoms are: These symptoms come from inflammation in your stomach and intestines. (Although the name, gastroenteritis, refers to your stomach and small intestine, inflammation can spread to your large intestine, too). Inflammation is your immune system activating to fight the virus. If your infection is more severe, or if your immune system reacts more strongly to it, you may have what are known as systemic symptoms. These symptoms come from inflammation in other body systems outside of your digestive system. This is the next level of immune response to the virus. Systemic symptoms may include: What does the beginning of stomach flu feel like? For many people, stomach flu symptoms seem to come on suddenly and out of nowhere. You might throw up or have diarrhea many times on that first day. Symptoms occur one to two days after you were exposed to the virus. Fortunately, they're usually over just as quickly, resolving in on...

Chest congestion is when you have a lot of phlegm in your chest that won't come up—no matter how hard you cough. You can get rid of this mucus in your chest by using home remedies like hot steam, soup, and certain medications. These and other remedies can relieve chest congestion. However, it's important to note they are not cures for the infection responsible for the mucus production in your chest. Here's what you need to know, including when to see a healthcare provider about chest congestion. Getting moisture into the air with a humidifier can be a helpful home remedy for chest congestion. It doesn't work for everyone, but it's worth a try as long as you use it safely, Alan Mensch, MD, a pulmonologist and senior vice president of medical affairs at Northwell Health's Plainview Hospital in Plainview, New York, told Health . However, it's crucial to use humidifiers safely. Humidifiers can breed mold and fungi, which can cause other infect...

Medical authorities in China have said a drug used in Japan to treat new strains of influenza appeared to be effective in coronavirus patients, Japanese media said on Wednesday. Zhang Xinmin, an official at China's science and technology ministry, said favipiravir, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, had produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients. "It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment," Zhang told reporters on Tuesday. Patients who were given the medicine in Shenzhen turned negative for the virus after a median of four days after becoming positive, compared with a median of 11 days for those who were not treated with the drug, public broadcaster NHK said. In addition, X-rays confirmed improvements in lung condition in about 91% of the patients who were treated with favipiravir, compared to 62% or those without the drug. Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, which developed the drug – also known as A...

(duckycards, Getty Images) Flu has so far infected more than 6 million Americans this season, and winter colds are making their rounds. If you've been hit by either, you may be thinking about heading to your local pharmacy to relieve your aches, pains and congestion. But before you do, you need to consider how some over-the-counter cold medicines may impact your heart. "People with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid taking oral decongestants," said Sondra DePalma, a physician assistant at the PinnacleHealth CardioVascular Institute at UPMC Pinnacle in Pennsylvania. "And for the general population or someone with low cardiovascular risk, they should use them with the guidance of a health care provider." DePalma co-authored guidelines released in 2017 by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology focusing on the management of high blood pressure in adults. Both decongestants and non-steroidal an...

[Originally published: May 16, 2024; Updated: May 23, 2024.] Avian influenza A (H5N1), or bird flu, has killed millions of wild birds and caused sporadic outbreaks among poultry. Now, there is an ongoing multistate outbreak among cows in the United States. While bird flu is rare in humans, an infection in a dairy worker in Texas this past spring marked the first report in the U.S. of a cow-to-human H5N1 infection. In late May, a second dairy worker, this time in Michigan, tested positive, making it the second case linked to the outbreak in cows. Meanwhile, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the thought of another virus with the potential to spread among humans is raising concern. The good news is that there have been no reports of person-to-person bird flu transmission, and H5N1 is not considered a major public health threat in the U.S. at this time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has categorized the risk to the general public as "low," but continue...

Cold sores are quite common, and many people have a cold sore outbreak a few times a year. Itchy, painful, irritated, and sensitive cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and, less commonly, HSV 2. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 3.7 billion people globally have an HSV-1 infection at a given time, which is the main cause of cold sores. Most cold sores go away within a few weeks without treatment. However, multiple over-the-counter (OTC) ways to treat cold sores can help speed healing without needing to see a healthcare provider. Many people use oral treatments for prevention or treatment, explains Allison K. Truong, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, CA. These can reduce symptoms to seven days or prevent the cold sore from forming if you catch it early enough. We surveyed 28 participants to find out which OTC cold sore treatment they tried, how effective it was, and why they liked it. The below over-the-c...