Summer flu is pretty annoying in the warm season. Find out here what symptoms it brings and how you can get rid of it as quickly as possible.
Contrary to its name, summer flu is not a real flu, but rather a flu-like infection. Also called a cold, it is caused by various other types of viruses instead of influenza viruses. Like the real flu, summer flu is also transmitted by droplet infection.
Summer flu: These are the symptoms
The symptoms of summer flu are similar to those of the real flu, but usually occur in a milder form. These include, for example:
- initially scratchy throat
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Sore throat and difficulty swallowing
- Cough
- Sniffles
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Headaches and aching limbs
- Fatigue
- Fever
- chills
In contrast to the real flu, the symptoms do not appear suddenly, but develop gradually over the first few days of illness. Summer flu lasts between one and two weeks from the first sign to full recovery.
Treating summer flu properly
(Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay / congerdesign)
Although summer flu is usually much milder than the real flu, it still needs to be treated properly. The following tips will help:
- First and foremost, you should give your body some rest. Relax as much as you can and, if possible, stay in bed for a few days.
- Drink a lot! It is best to drink lukewarm sage tea or chamomile tea.
- If you have a stuffy nose, rinse it with salt water. See also: Make your own saline solution.
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Inhale chamomile, salt or essential oils to keep your mucous membranes moist.
- If you notice the first signs of a cold coming on, a cold bath can help. If you’re already completely ill, you should avoid this as it will put additional strain on your body.
- Very important: Eat lots of fruit and vegetables to get enough vitamins.
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Ginger strengthens the immune system. Simply pour hot water over a few slices of ginger. You can also add a little lemon or honey.
You can find more home remedies here: Cold? These 6 herbal home remedies help with colds
Preventing summer flu
(Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / jackmac34)
Unfortunately, you can’t protect yourself 100 percent from summer flu, but there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of infection:
- Do not expose yourself to the blazing sun for several hours a day. The direct heat and sunlight is stressful for your body and weakens your immune system.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Drink plenty of fluids. It is especially important to drink a lot in summer.
- Make sure you get plenty of vitamins. To do this, you should buy seasonal fruit and vegetables. You can find out which varieties are currently in season in our seasonal calendar.
- Even if it is tempting at 30 degrees Celsius, do not set the air conditioning too cold, for example in the car, and do not direct the airflow directly at your face.
Read more on Utopia:
- Flu: symptoms, duration, tips on prevention and vaccination
- Cold bath: Simple recipes to make yourself
- Preventing colds: How to stay healthy
Edited by Lena Kirchner
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