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Slide 1

Feeling Better: Tips for Relieving Cold and Flu Symptoms

Slide 2

Colds and flu are very common illnesses...

• If you have a cold you will probably feel tired, have a runny nose and sore throat, and sneeze a lot.
• If you have the flu you will probably have a fever, body aches, a headache, a cough, and a sore throat.

Slide 3

There is no cure for colds or flu.

• There is no medicine that will make the cold or flu go away when you are sick.

Slide 4

But you can make yourself feel better!

• Home remedies and over-the-counter medicines can make you feel better while you are sick.
• Make time for extra rest and sleep.
• Drink lots of liquids-for example, juice, tea, or soup.

Slide 5

Here are some things you can do.

• To relieve coughing:
• Drink a lot of fluids
• Ask a doctor or nurse about taking an over-the-counter cough medicine.
• To relieve a sore throat, if you are over age 6 and not at risk of choking:
• Gargle with warm salt water
• Suck on ice chips, medicated lozenges, or sugar-free hard candies.

Slide 6

Here are more things that you can do.

• To relieve aches and fevers:
• Ask a doctor or nurse about taking an over-the-counter pain reliever.
• To relieve runny or stuffy noses:
• Breathe warm, moist air from a hot bath, hot shower, or bowl filled with hot water
• Ask a doctor or nurse about taking an over-the-counter medicine.

Slide 7

A Safety Note

• Before taking any new over-the-counter medications talk to your doctor or nurse to make sure they are safe for you.
• If the doctor or nurse says that a medication is safe,
• Be sure to take the correct amount, and
• Take it only as often as the doctor or nurse says is allowed.
• The information for this Health Point came from Kaiser Permanente Online

End of Presentation