Are influenza B symptoms dangerous? Can this flu lead to serious health complications? Well, if you’re keen to know everything about the flu symptoms and treatment, scroll down! Here we have got for you everything you possibly need to know about type B influenza and more. Also, we have made a list of possible remedies you can try out at home to help yourself sleep well. So, check all the possible things you need to know about type B influenza below!
Table of Contents
What is type B influenza?
Influenza is also called flu that is caused by flu viruses. Flu usually happens when you get an infection in your respiratory tract. You can categorize influenza into three kinds – type A, type B, and Type C influenza.
The type a and type b influenza are quite similar to each other. But the only difference is that type a doesn’t pass through humans, whereas the influenza b symptoms get transmitted from one person to another.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both the type B and type A influenza are severe that contradicts some of the previous findings. The other studies used to claim that influenza b symptoms are milder in comparison to the type A influenza that is opposed by CDCP.
One of the most common influenza b symptoms is fever. The temperature usually is more than 100-degree Fahrenheit. You will find many other indications that suspect influenza too. However, It would be best you address all these symptoms immediately, or else it might turn fatal.
Types of Influenza
You can classify influenza into three main types. Check out the following:
Type A Influenza
Influenza is the most common type of flu one can get. You’ll find that type A influenza to get transmitted to humans from animals. Also, you should keep in mind, this kind of influenza may lead to pandemics.
Type B Influenza
Is influenza b dangerous? Are you in search of an answer to that question? Well then, let us tell you that this type of influenza is highly infectious and can leave adverse effects on your health if it turns severe. But one most important thing you should keep in mind is that type b influenza can transmit only from one person to another. Also, another essential thing about type b influenza is that it can happen at any time of the year as it can have seasonal outbreaks.
Type C
Influenza c symptoms are one of the mildest forms of flu. If you happen to get infected by the influenza type C, then you will notice that it does not cause much damage to your health overall.
Influenza B symptoms
Detecting your influenza b symptoms is essential to keep yourself away from causing much damage to your health. Some of the common influenza b symptoms are:
- Chills
- Fever
- Sore Throat
- Sneezing and Runny nose
- Coughing
- Fatigue
- Body aches and muscle aches
Now know well enough, what the common influenza b symptoms are. So, let us now check out in detail about each of these common type B influenza symptoms. Here are the following:
Respiratory symptoms
Since the flu symptoms and treatments are quite similar to a common cold, you experience some respiratory symptoms too.
So, let us check out what the typical respiratory symptoms are:
- Congestion
- Runny nose
- Coughing
- Sore Throat
It would be best if you keep in mind that influenza b respiratory symptoms can cause serious health problems. If you’re someone who has asthma, then these symptoms can worsen your health conditions.
Moreover, if you do not treat your symptoms immediately, it might lead to:
- Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
- Kidney Failure
- Respiratory Failure
- Heart Inflammation or myocarditis
- Sepsis
Body symptoms
One of the most common influenza b symptoms is fever. If you see that the temperature reaches 106-degree Fahrenheit, then you need to consult a doctor at the earliest. You can wait for a day or two and then visit a medical expert if the fever doesn’t subside.
Plus, there are a few more alarming signs that might show Type B influenza. Check out the following:
- Body Aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Abdominal Pain
Stomach symptoms
In certain conditions, the influenza b symptoms might affect your stomach too. So, you might get stomach pains and diarrhea. Many times this is mistaken for a stomach bug infection as it is one of the common influenza b symptoms in children.
Some of the common influenza b symptoms children get are:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal Pain
Influenza B Treatment
Now that you know all the influenza b symptoms well let us check out how you need to treat it.
If you’re suspecting yourself to have the flu, then drinking a lot of fluids is necessary to prevent getting dehydration. So, keep yourself hydrated and providing yourself with enough sleep are both equally important.
In some instances, you will notice the influenza b symptoms disappear on their own. But if the symptoms aggravate, you need to visit a doctor at the earliest.
Some age-group people are more likely to develop severe symptoms. Here are the following groups of people who are at high risk:
- Children who are lesser than five years of age. Especially who are under two years of age,
- Older adults who are more than 65 years or more,
- Pregnant women and also postpartum women for two weeks,
- The Alaskan Natives and American Natives,
- People having a week immune system or suffer from other chronic illnesses.
If you see your child suffers from any influenza b symptoms, consult a doctor at the earliest. It would be best you do not pertain to any home remedies to treat your child. You can quickly assess the fever for about 24 hours and then decide if you need to consult a doctor or not.
Most flu symptoms and treatments are done by subscribing to antiviral medicines and painkillers. These medications can shorten the period of your flu and also doesn’t complicate the illness further. Some doctors also prescribe you flu shots that can prevent any strain of the flu, causing the virus to affect you.
7 Ways to Sleep Well with a Flu
Apart from providing yourself with the influenza treatment, it would help if you equipped yourself with proper sleep. Indeed, sleeping with the flu and stuffy nose can be challenging. But you must sleep as it enables you to heal faster and avoid the strain of coughing while you’re awake.
So, apart from providing yourself with all the medications, here are a few tips that’ll help you sleep well. Check out the following:
1. Drink hot beverages
One of the most effective ways to deal with a sore throat and cough is by drinking warm and steamy drinks at bedtime. It’ll cure your sore throat, and the steam will help you in losing up your congestion.
You can try drinking some decaffeinated tea with some honey to cure your throat well. Some other options you can try drinking are peppermint tea, chamomile tea, or ginger tea too. All these kinds of teas contain properties that’ll help you in fighting off infections, breath comfortably, and also lets you relax.
If you’re not a tea person, then you can also try drinking:
- Warm water with honey and lemon juice,
- Low- sodium broth, or
- Hot chicken or veg soup
Try to drink your favorite hot beverage around 60-90 minutes before you get into bed. That’s because if you drink liquids just before you get into bed, it might keep you awake all night long.
2. Gargling with salt water
You can gargle with some salt water to prevent the aggravation of your infection and also cure a sore throat. It is a very natural and easy remedy that can ease your discomfort by a lot.
You can gargle with saltwater by:
- Mix around half or 1/4th teaspoon of salt in lukewarm water.
- Wait until the salt melts in the water. Then take your saltwater to the back of your throat as much as you can bear it.
- After you are done gargling, start swishing the saltwater in your mouth and then spit it out.
3. Rinse your Nasal with saline water
A study done in 2015 concluded that rinsing your nostrils using saline water can act as a sinus flush. It can help you reduce your congestion, remove all the germs and mucus and also allow you to breathe easily.
When you do a saline nasal rinse, you’re using water and salt. It would help if you kept in mind to always use water that is boiled beforehand, distilled, or sterile. That’s because running tap water might possess micro-organisms that can aggravate your infection.
You can try out a saline rinse using a:
- Squeeze bottle
- Neti pot
- Or, nasal bulb.
The Food and Drug Administration or FDA has curated some steps to try out a saline rinse. Here are the following:
Lean over the sink
It would help if you started by tilting your head towards the sides. Then keep your forehead and chin at a linear level to avoid the solution dripping inside your mouth.
4. Use the correct equipment to do a saline rinse
You can either insert a neti pot, nasal bulb, or squeeze bottle that is filled with saline water. By using this equipment, you can let the saline water reach deep down your nostrils.
Repeat the process
After doing the previous step, start tilting your head on the opposite side to put the solution into your other nostril.
However, you should keep in mind not to use this nasal rinse for children who are less than two years of age.
Stack up extra pillows
When you have the type B influenza having a runny nose and coughing is quite common. So, when you lie down, you might see the mucus to start building up in your throat, which can lead to coughing and a restless night.
But does not necessarily mean that you would have to remain up all night or sleep while sitting down. All you need to do is stack up some pillows and give your head a slight lift. This will not allow all the mucus to form in your throat.
But always remember not to use more than two pillows. You should maintain this to avoid any discomfort or neck pain.
5. Try out a vapor rub ointment
Using a vapor rub might help in reducing your congestion and giving you some relief. You need to apply them topically on your chest and neck areas.
Some of the common ingredients vapor rub contains are:
Eucalyptus oil
One of the most critical ingredients of eucalyptus oil is cineole. This is a substance that can help you in losing sticky and thick mucus.
Menthol
If you have ever used a vapor rub, you will know that it has a cooling effect. This effect is because of the presence of menthol, which makes it easy for you to breathe.
Camphor
The presence of camphor in vapor rub can reduce your coughing and also help in thinning the thick mucus.
Indeed, a vapor rub is not the influenza treatment, but you can always use this to reduce your breathing problems and help you sleep better.
But remember not to apply your vapor rub inside your nostrils to avoid the membranes to absorb the ointment. Also, test yourself if you’re allergic to vapor rub or not. You can always try testing yourself in small patches to see if you get any allergies.
Switch on a humidifier
When you’re in the presence of dry air, your sinuses might get irritated that can worsen your influenza symptoms. So, switching on the humidifier might help in increasing the moisture of the air.
But always use a humidifier that contains purified or distilled water. Also, remember to change the water regularly to avoid any mold or bacterial growth.
7. Have a hot shower
Having a shower in hot water can help you in draining out the mucus as it thins with the steam. Apart from helping you to breathe well, a hot water shower can help in relaxing you before hitting the bed.
But keep in mind to make your water comfortably hot. Also, close the door of the bathroom to allow the steam to get trapped in the room.
Final Thoughts
If you find yourself with any of the above flu symptoms, consult your doctor at the earliest. Treating yourself with painkillers and antiviral medications can help you cure influenza in no time. But if you face any of the problems while sleeping, try out all the home remedies mentioned above.