Treatment

Bed rest, plenty of fluids and paracetamol or ibuprofen are needed to relieve the headache and reduce the fever. Aspirin should not be given to children. Like most other viruses, the influenza virus itself cannot be treated with antibiotics: it will always be dealt with by the body's own defences. You will only need antibiotics if you develop any complications such as bacterial infection of the lungs. Two drugs, amantadine and rimantadine have been used to have a limited effect on influenza A only. They are not widely used as it is not possible to tell, without tests, who has influenza A or influenza B. Another reason they are not prescribed is that they do have side effects. Two new antiviral drugs (zanamivir and oseltamivir) have been shown to reduce the duration of 'flu' by one day. To be effective, they need to be taken within 36 hours of the onset of 'flu'. They are not widely used as their benefit is slight.