Novosibirsk Residents Share Hong Kong Flu Aftermath and Recovery Advice

Residents of Novosibirsk are currently falling ill actively: some with common ARVI (Acute Respiratory Viral Infection), some with coronavirus, and some with flu. Many don«t take tests to determine the pathogen precisely, but rely on symptoms. Currently, Hong Kong flu is widespread in the country, and there are those who have already had it and faced the consequences. What exactly they are — in this NGS article.

How Hong Kong flu manifests

Infectious disease specialist, chief physician of the clinical diagnostic laboratory «INVITRO» Andrey Pozdnyakov said that Hong Kong flu A (H3N2) and swine flu A (H1N1) have similar clinical pictures: acute, almost «right on time» onset, high temperature and pronounced intoxication — headache and eye pain, muscle and joint pains, and bone aches.

Catarrhal symptoms, such as a runny nose, are less common and less typical. Cough is a characteristic sign, usually intensifying on the second or third day, becoming frequent, hacking, and painful, which is associated with tracheal damage (a picture of tracheitis).

According to the infectious disease specialist, this is the classic picture of flu that has prevailed in the population for the last 10 years, and there is nothing fundamentally new here. The vaccine, updated annually for current strains, works, so he recommends getting vaccinated in advance, in September–October, and if possible avoiding contact with sick people, especially during the season.

Andrey Pozdnyakov also reminded about the 48-hour window and the importance of timely flu diagnosis: there are both rapid tests and sufficiently fast PCR (polymerase chain reaction) diagnostics — detection of the flu pathogen«s RNA.

«If flu is confirmed in a patient or in someone from whom others clearly became infected, this is a reason to prescribe highly effective etiotropic therapy. There are drugs that work and destroy flu viruses: oseltamivir and others. However, they are effective only in the first two days from the onset of the illness,» emphasizes the doctor.

Therefore, if flu is confirmed and therapy is received timely, it truly cuts short the process and prevents the development of severe forms and complications.

Consequences of flu

But, if avoiding illness didn«t work out, complications can arise.

«Like other variants of flu A, these strains often give complications: addition of secondary bacterial infection, activation of one»s own conditionally pathogenic flora, sharp temporary decrease in immune reactivity, and pronounced astheno-vegetative syndrome after recovery,« explained Andrey Pozdnyakov.

Cardiologist, therapist at the network of family medicine clinics «Zdravaitsa» Irina Amanatova added that in her practice, consequences of Hong Kong flu most often include complications in the form of sinusitis, sinus infections specifically of bacterial nature.

«This can manifest as headache, sometimes dizziness. It»s necessary to rule out precisely these bacterial complications,« she emphasized. »Most often, after what seems like recovery, normalization of temperature, a prolonged cough persists.«

«I fell ill two weeks ago and still can»t stop the cough in any way. I use different medications, but so far they don«t help,» confirmed NGS reader Svetlana.

Pavel also fell ill a couple of weeks ago and noted a persistent cough with phlegm. And also dizziness and weakness. This can last up to two to four weeks; mainly, according to Irina Amanatova, in such cases symptomatic therapy is used: antitussive drugs.

Overall, the therapist emphasizes that recovery does not differ much from recovery after other viral infections. One should try to avoid contact with people showing signs of ARVI, because the immune system is somewhat weakened. Try to consume more vegetables and fruits, that is, vitamin-containing foods. Limit oneself in heavy physical loads, stressful situations.

But, according to the doctor, it«s important to consider existing chronic diseases in patients and tailor individual recovery, including taking into account medications that the person takes regularly.

«Vitamin C, vitamin D — these are the main vitamins used for prevention during treatment and after infection. As for dizziness, headaches, this is all very individual. For some, B vitamins are indicated, for example, if there are some neurological complications. If there are complications related to high blood pressure, the tactics are completely different,» explained Irina Amanatova.

«Zdravaitsa» therapist Olga Filonenko also gave general recommendations for recovery after illness: plenty of fluids, ventilating the room and humidifying the air.

«In the presence of chronic diseases after flu — consult a narrow-profile specialist to monitor the condition. In the absence of chronic diseases — control by a therapist of minimal biochemical blood profile, general condition, which can be assessed during examination,» noted the doctor.

Olga Filonenko stressed: if a patient experiences dizziness and is bothered by headache, then it«s necessary to see a neurologist.

Therapist, gastroenterologist at TsNMT (Center for New Medical Technologies) Yulia Ivashkevich warned that flu is a more severe illness than ARVI, so the immunity requires more time to recover. And recommended during the recovery period not to visit baths and saunas, avoid sharp temperature changes, and if recovery is prolonged, go to a doctor.

«First, during illness one should not go to work, stay home, so as not to infect others and not get complications oneself. Flu gives complications on vision, heart. It is expected that the surge in morbidity will be in January, approximately after the holidays,» also warned an expert in evidence-based medicine, Israeli doctor Boris Bril.

He reminded that one should not drink antibiotics to bring down temperature: they are prescribed only if a bacterial infection has joined.

«The duration of illness is not a factor for deciding on taking antibiotics. One shouldn»t rush to get a CT scan, as is liked in Russia. Important are warm plentiful drinks and limiting loads during illness — this will improve the course and prognosis after the illness,« summarizes Boris Bril.

Novosibirsk doctors previously told about recovery after coronavirus, the consequence of which could also be dizziness and «brain fog» — they recommended B vitamins and nootropic drugs. But all this only by doctor«s prescription and in the presence of a deficiency of these vitamins.

And Hong Kong flu, like many viruses, continues to mutate — recently in Russia a new mutation was discovered.