Flu B Symptoms: Causes and 7 Natural Remedies to Cure Flu B 

Flu B Symptoms

With Thanksgiving and Christmas knocking around the corner, the flu season also comes along. It is undeniable to get worried about the flu and take the necessary steps immediately. So, it would be best to recognize the flu B symptoms early and treat it as soon as you see them.

The symptoms of type B influenza and the common cold are very similar. And there is a margin that marks the difference between the two. So, here we will tell you everything about influenza B, its causes, and some natural remedies that will give you instant relief!

What is Influenza B?

You can refer to influenza as flu too. It is a respiratory infection that happens commonly during the winter season. Usually, the flu affects your throat, lungs, and nose. It makes you cough, sneeze, have a sore throat, and body aches. Even though these are mild flu b symptoms, it might turn severe if not addressed immediately.

The flu B symptoms travel from one human to another. Are you wondering how it gets transferred from humans? When an infected person touches a surface with the nasal or throat fluid, and another person touches their face, mouth, or nose can get contracted the infection.

You can divide influenza into four main types – A, B, C, and D influenza.

Every year the United States contracts the type A and B influenza that causes epidemic in the country.

Type C influenza is a mild respiratory infection that does not cause epidemics. And type D influenza only happens in cattle and does not affect the human body.

Now you know about flu B and how it is different from the others. So, let us check out what the flu B symptoms are below!

Flu B Symptoms

Having a runny and stuffy nose is the most common flu B symptoms. You will find the type B influenza symptoms to erupt all of a sudden. Some of the other flu B symptoms are:

  • Feeling unwell or uneasy
  • Having a cough with mucus or dry
  • Runny and stuffy nose
  • Muscle aches
  • A sore throat
  • Body aches
  • Extreme tiredness or fatigue
  • Headache
  • Fever

It would be best to keep in mind that type B influenza might make you sweat and feel hot. The influenza B symptoms in children include stomach flu, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Flu B Symptoms

What are the Complications of Flu B?

Are you wondering if influenza B is dangerous or not? Well, it might turn grave and complicated if you leave the flu B symptoms untreated. You will notice this especially happening in elderly adults or people who have other underlying chronic illnesses. Some of the complications type B influenzas can lead to are:

  • Sinus Infection
  • Ear Infection
  • Bronchitis
  • Pneumonia

All these symptoms mentioned above are grave and can lead to serious health problems that can lead to hospitalization. You will also notice a few cases to turn fatal.

When you get the flu, you need to address the problem immediately or cause serious health problems like COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

If you notice any of the following health complications in adults or child take medical help immediately:

  • Cough that never seems to go away or worsens with time
  • Fever that does not improve
  • Not being able to urinate comfortably
  • Worsening of any chronic health illnesses
  • Excessive muscle ache
  • Seizures
  • Chest pain
  • Persistently dizzy
  • Difficulty in breathing

Always check out how your child is breathing. If you see that your child’s ribs are getting pulled inwards when breathing, consult the doctor at the earliest.

Flu Treatment

It would be best if you kept in mind that the flu usually vanishes within a week or two. When you are under proper medication, you should maintain a few guidelines to cure quickly. Which are:

  • Keeping yourself hydrated
  • Keeping yourself at home always
  • Avoiding meeting other people

If you have ever been to a drug store, then you might have come across several medications that can treat flu. All these over-the-counter drugs can ease out your flu B symptoms.

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But it is always best you visit a medical expert to prescribe you the right drugs for your flu treatment. Some of the medicines doctors might prescribe are zanamivir or oseltamivir to treat type B and A influenza.

You should know that your recovery time might reduce by two days if you start consuming the antiviral drugs. But this can happen if you see the first signs of flu and immediately treat it by a medical expert. You will notice the antiviral medicines to come in the form of liquids, inhaled powder, or pills.

If anyone sees some of the symptoms below can consult a doctor immediately. Check out the following:

  • While coughing bringing up yellow or green mucus
  • Feeling weak or about to faint
  • Short of breath, even when lying down
  • Shivering or Shuddering
  • Fever that goes up more than 101-degree Fahrenheit.

Even if you notice any symptoms in a newborn baby, take medical help promptly.

Flu B Symptoms

9 Natural Remedies for Flu b Symptoms

A virus always triggers the type B flu. You will find several viruses that can cause flu B. With all the natural remedies, you may not be able to cure the flu but can minimize the flu’s duration. Also, these remedies can help you in soothing the flu B symptoms.

Here are the following natural remedies that will help you overcome the flu easily:

Keep yourself Hydrated

When you have the flu, one of the foremost things you should do is drink lots of water and some other fluids. It will keep yourself hydrated and also cure your respiratory and stomach flu symptoms.

When you drink a lot of water, your mouth, throat, and nose remain moist. It can help you remove phlegm and mucous build-up too.

Here is a list of the beverages you can drink to keep yourself hydrated:

  • Coconut water
  • Herbal Tea
  • Hot Soup
  • Sports drink
  • Water
  • Raw fruits and veggies
  • Fresh juice
  • Veg or chicken broth

But always remember to avoid having any of the beverages chilled or with ice and citrus fruit juices. That is because you might aggravate your flu B symptoms.

Here are two ways that will help you identify if you are enough drinking fluids:

  • Your urine color is pale yellow or almost clear
  • You are urinating like you usually do.

If you find your urine to be amber or yellow, you might be dehydrated. You can always keep away from smoking as much as possible if you have type B flu to avoid irritating your lungs, nose, and throat.

Sleep Well

It is always best you supply yourself with enough sleep. When you sleep, you are helping yourself recovery faster and also boosting up your immune system. Also, sleeping boosts your healing process by fighting off the virus quickly. Ensure you make the necessary changes in your lifestyle and give sleep your priority.

Drink warm beverages

If you drink hot beef and chicken broth, you can keep yourself hydrated and help loosen up your congestion. The hot steam helps in breaking both your sinus and nose congestion.

Also, the bone broth is very high in minerals and protein such as potassium and sodium. By drinking the bone broth, you can supply restore the crucial nutrients the bone broth possesses. More so, the protein content present in broth can help you build up your immune cells.

Are you wondering how to get bone broth? Well, there are several options readily available at a grocery store that you can try consuming. But check on the amount of sodium level these store-bought broths contain.

Also, you can try making your bone broth at home. Try making them at once and storing it in the freezer to use later.

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Increase your zinc consumption

A very significant mineral your body requires is mineral. It helps you in building up white blood cells that help in fighting off germs. Certain studies suggest consuming zinc when you have flu B symptoms. That is because it is seen that zinc is the mineral that can help you in easing out the flu symptoms.

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This mineral can fight the flu and also minimize the rate of growth of the virus. You can either opt for a multivitamin that contains zinc or add foods in your diet that high in zinc during the flu season.

Here is a list of foods that have a high zinc content:

  • Shellfish
  • Red Meat
  • Lentils
  • Beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Nuts
  • Dairy products
  • Seeds
  • Eggs

Gargle using saline water

Gargling with some lukewarm water and salt in it is always helpful in curing a sore throat. Moreover, you can clear out the mucous that accumulates in your throat. Here is how you need to gargle with lukewarm saline water:

  1. Heat the water and allow it to boil. Then let it cool for a while and cool down a little until it reaches a lukewarm temperature.
  2. Then add around half a teaspoon of salt to around eight ounces of lukewarm water.
  3. Take a sip of the saltwater and push it back to your throat and start gargling. You need to gargle for around ten to thirty seconds.
  4. Then swish the water and spit it out.
  5. You need to repeat this entire process two to four times to see magical results

Always remember not to swallow the gargled saline water. Another important thing you must keep in mind is that you do not drink cold water immediately after gargling. Allow the warmth to remain in your throat for some time.

Note: Children who cannot gargle must not try out gargling until they can.

Consume herbal teas

Most herbal teas contain antibacterial and antiviral properties naturally. Have you heard of star anise? It is a kind of spice that has a star-like shape and was traditionally taken from oseltamivir.

Tamiflu or scientifically known as oseltamivir phosphate is a kind of drug used to cure flu. It possesses antiviral properties that help fight off the flu virus and relieves your sore throat too.

Many more green leaves, teas, and herbs can help in antioxidative properties and fight against germs. So, you can use a homemade herbal tea with star anise and some other ingredients like:

  • Black or Green tea
  • Dried or fresh ginger
  • Turmeric
  • Cloves
  • Black whole peppers
  • Garlic

Once you prepare your herbal tea using all these ingredients, you can add a teaspoon of honey to sweeten your tea. Honey also contains medicinal properties that can relieve you immensely during the flu.

If you aren’t very keen on making your herbal tea at home, you can try getting the tea bags that contain all the herbal ingredients in them. A cup of herbal tea will not only fight the flu virus but will also loosen your throat and sinus congestion.

Apply essential oils

Essential oils also have the power to fight off bacteria and viruses. A study concluded that if you use tea tree oil, you can fight off the flu B symptoms by either stopping or slowing the growth of the virus. The study further suggested that you need to use the tea tree oil just within 2 hours you get flu. So, you can conclude that the use of essential oil blocked the multiplying of the flu-causing virus.

You can try using some mouthwashes or have a bath using essential oil. Also, mixing them in your body lotion and hand soap can help.

Apart from tea tree oil, there are more essential oils that contain both antiviral and antibacterial properties. Which are:

  • Peppermint oil
  • Cinnamon oil
  • Lemon oil
  • Eucalyptus oil
  • Oregano oil
  • Thyme oil
  • Geranium oil

But always be careful about how to use essential oils. Do not apply them directly to your skin. Always try and use a carrier oil like olive or almond before applying it to your skin.

If you want to try out aromatherapy, you can use a diffuser to ease the flu B symptoms. But make sure to keep children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and pets away from the diffuser.

Flu B Symptoms

Final Thoughts

Most people take influenza B symptoms lightly. But that is not the wise thing you should do. Check out all the first signs of the flu and treat it as soon as it arises.

Once you have got the medical expert’s advice, use all these natural remedies to ease out your flu symptoms and boost your medication. All these home remedies are effective and can help you heal faster.