With the prevalence of influenza infection in the winter season people start looking for an effective treatment for such cases especially with the appearance of more stubborn strains like the chicken influenza for instance.
In the past days, antibiotics and common cold treatments were used just to relive the patient from the associating symptoms of the influenza infection but not from the virus itself as the virus was not vulnerable like now. It used to circulate in blood for three to five days before it is expelled without any outer interference with any kind of drug.
Nowadays and with the influenza considered as a pandemic disease, there is other type of anti microbial drugs used to control this virus. It is called anti – viral drugs and this type of medication targets the virus itself and not the associated symptoms.
There are four approved anti – viral drugs for combating the influenza virus, amantedine, ramentadine, zanamvir and oseltavidir. These drugs are used to treat influenza virus especially for those who are in great risk of getting infected. The risk group includes seniors over sixty years old and children less than two years old, also those who work in hospitals, nurseries and schools are included in the risk group regardless of their age.
The anti viral drug is a serious drug, it is not an over the counter medication that you can walk in a pharmacy and get it. It should be prescribed by your doctor after thorough examination. Also it should be administered within forty eight hours from the appearance of symptoms.
So, if you get a typical influenza do not rush to your doctor asking for an anti viral drug or even try to get it online or from any illegal source that do not ask for a medical prescription. The best thing you do, especially with the influenza outbreak in the whole world is to go to your doctor immediately after the appearance of any influenza symptoms and let him decide whether this will be a self limiting infection or does it need an interference using an antiviral drug.
Remember that antiviral drugs are not magic; they are drugs that have serious side effects so it should be administered with extreme cautious. For example, the amantadine has serious nervous side effects including anxiety and nervousness in addition to other gastrointestinal effects. The ramantadine is administered in the shape of inhalation so if you suffer from lung diseases then this may cause serious complications. Osteldmivir is known to be with the least side effects as it only causes some nausea and vomiting.