Summer Flu: Symptoms, Duration and Home Remedies
Causes and the best tips a summer flu causes coughing, sniffles and the like during the warm season. Find out how the symptoms develop and what can help here!
What is a summer flu?
The so-called summer flu is caused by enteroviruses and occurs mainly in the warm season. The symptoms are similar to those of a cold. However, the term “summer flu” is actually misleading: in the vast majority of cases it is not a flu. It is caused by the influenza virus, which is mainly active in winter. A flu can be very severe and can be accompanied by high fever, aching limbs and weeks of bedriddenness.
What symptoms are caused by summer flu?
Typically, summer flu causes the following symptoms:
- Sniffles
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Headache
- Limb pain
- Swollen lymph nodes
In some cases abdominal pain and diarrhoea also occur.
Why do we get sick in the summer anyway?
Even in summer, viruses that can cause a flu-like infection are naturally buzzing around. And our immune system is not only stressed in winter, but also and especially on hot days. The following aspects can cause a summer flu:
- Air conditioning (through sweating and freezing)
- Bathing excursions
- Nights of celebration
- Weakened immune system
Also a risk for infection with the viruses: the travel time. We catch a cold particularly quickly on a plane. We board the plane sweaty and the ventilation is running at full speed, the air is dry and the mucous membranes in the nose, mouth and throat are poorly supplied with blood. And there are a lot of people sitting together in a confined space. All these factors favour an infection. In order to be able to prevent the summer flu on the plane as much as possible, we should take care not to get a draft and wash our hands immediately after getting off the plane.
Tips for the right treatment
In the case of summer flu, home remedies for colds and flu-like symptoms are particularly helpful, but home remedies for colds, sore throats and coughs are also useful. It is important to take care of the body and drink plenty of water. Then the complaints should slowly subside after a few days.