Managing respiratory illness at home

If you or a family member has the flu or another respiratory infection, Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic family medicine physician, says there are ways to manage most respiratory infection symptoms at home. That can start by staying hydrated, which is an important part of the body’s recovery process.

“If we are feeling sick and we’re not drinking enough, we are at risk of dehydration,” Ardon says. “And that may need more urgent evaluation.”

Cough is a very common symptom of upper respiratory infections and is usually the last symptom to leave. When you have a cough, time is the best treatment.

“For the most part, cough will resolve on its own, but some patients may benefit from using things like honey at home as long as you’re over the age of 1,” she says.

She says if a cough lasts more than two weeks, that’s when you should contact your health care team.

— MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK