Upper respiratory tract infections are briefly called URTI. It is an important disease, especially during the winter months, due to the fact that although it is simple, the majority of it is due to viruses, the discomfort and complaints it causes are high, it is a common disease that we encounter everywhere in society, and it is very easy to transmit if you are not careful.
When the disease is infected. The nose, sinuses, pharynx, which we call pharynx, and larynx, which we call larynx, are affected. In addition, as the disease progresses, it can lead to infection of the lungs, bronchi and middle ear, which we call the lower respiratory tract. Flu infections can be named as common cold, pharyngitis, laryngitis and tracheitis, depending on where the disease is affected. In addition, bacterial agents can also cause these diseases and create a more noisy picture.
The risk of transmission of these microbes increases during the winter months. It is transmitted more easily, especially in crowded, closed and poorly ventilated environments. In addition, factors such as decreased body resistance, malnutrition, smoking habit, existing asthma or allergies increase the risk of transmission of the disease and aggravate its course. In pregnant women, it becomes more unbearable and unbearable, and it puts even more discomfort and strain on the expectant mother, whose comfort is already compromised. You do not need to worry about your baby because such infections are considered to have no proven harm to pregnancy.
In general, in our society, these diseases are called flu. But flu and cold are two separate diseases. Flu is caused by the virus we call influenza, and types A, B, C are most common. The common cold can be caused by more than 250 viruses. While the common cold generally affects the nose and throat, the flu affects the whole body and can have a more severe course by causing inflammation of the pericardium, inflammation of the meninges, lung and liver inflammation. The watch continues to spread microbes wherever it is by hanging in the air as microdroplets. It does. When a person carrying the virus sneezes by saying "hapshuu" in your environment, millions of viruses are released from that person into the air and enter the mouth, respiratory tract, nose or eyes of you or the person nearby, completing the infection and the disease begins. The person who acquires the causative virus will have the highest contagiousness in the first 48-72 hours from now on and will infect others, causing the disease to grow like a snowball in the society. On the other hand, hands also play an active role in the transmission of this disease. Especially thanks to shaking hands and kissing and hugging cheek to cheek, which is a tradition in our country, the disease can be passed more easily.
Symptoms of flu and cold;
SYMPTOMS OF COLD:
FLU SYMPTOMS:
- Fever
- Tremors
- Severe headache
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Dry cough
- Nasal congestion
- Yellow-green or transparent nasal discharge
- Pain or difficulty in breathing
FLU AND FLU VACCINE DURING PREGNANCY:
Pregnancy does not pose a risk for catching URTI, that is, being pregnant does not cause infection easily. However, the virus creates a more noisy picture and since the immune, circulatory and respiratory systems have already changed, the risk of infection-related problems, which we call complications, increases. suggests. My opinion on this issue is primarily a protective approach. I believe that we should not administer the vaccine to everyone, and that we should first stay away from the disease and people who carry the flu. I believe that pregnant women, especially those with a disease such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma or allergies, should be vaccinated. If you have a risky profession and work in crowded and stuffy environments, vaccination may be considered. But your first duty is to protect yourself. It should be k.
Epidemics generally increase in November-April. It becomes especially common in December, January and February. It is effective for about 1 month. It increases rapidly and decreases rapidly, infecting most of the society. The ideal period for vaccination is the end of October and it provides 75-85% protection in case of encountering the virus. It is considered safe to use during pregnancy. If there is only egg allergy, the vaccine should not be administered in this case since egg proteins are used when producing vaccines. After vaccination, there may be slight redness, itching and mild fever at the injection site.
The common mistake is this: antibiotic treatment is started immediately. This is the wrong approach. Because the causative agent is a virus and antibiotics have no effect on viruses. The main thing to do is to prevent getting sick. First of all, sick people should rest, avoid entering crowded places, and prevent others from getting sick by wearing a mask. But unfortunately, we often see that people with flu in our country do not do this. Therefore you must protect yourself. You should not be in crowded and unventilated places. You should not meet or approach sick people. If there is a risk, you should wear a mask with a hepa filter. Normal masks do not protect against influenza virus. You should ventilate your environment thoroughly. If the virus causes an infection, you should drink plenty of fluids, eat a balanced diet and consume plenty of fruits because you are pregnant. Rest is the best treatment option. If there is a sore throat, you may use lozenges; if there is nasal congestion and discharge, use physiological saline, ocean water or decongestant sprays; if there is a cough and the fever is constantly rising, you should consult your doctor again and new medications may need to be added if necessary. Because a bacterial infection can be added to the flu infection that starts due to a virus, as the immune system weakens. In this case, stronger treatments will be required.
Read: 0
