When someone presents with mild COVID-19 symptoms, they should remain isolated until 24 hours have passed without fever, without taking a fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms have improved. They should also continue wearing a mask around others and regularly cleaning surfaces which come into contact with their body.
In the interim, there are a few in-home remedies which may make their illness less distressful.
1. Take Your Temperature
If you experience symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as runny nose, headache, fatigue, sore throat, cough, muscle or body aches and chills, taking your temperature at least twice a day will allow you to keep an eye on how your illness progresses and determine whether it is worsening or improving. Doing this will allow for proper tracking and will show whether it’s getting better or worse over time.
Staying hydrated is also vitally important. Aim to drink at least 64 ounces (2 liters) of water each day in order to prevent dehydration, and if your fever or other symptoms cause excessive sweating it might be beneficial to drink an electrolyte solution such as Gatorade.
Over-the-counter medications may provide temporary relief of symptoms like sore throat and nasal congestion, but beware that some contain acetaminophen, which may be dangerous when taken in large doses. When making your selections, always read and follow all label instructions to ensure optimal effectiveness and safety.
A hot shower may help ease a sore throat, while taking deep breaths may relieve congestion. Humidifiers add moisture to the air in your home and may ease breathing if necessary. If difficulty with breathing persists, try lying on your side or sitting up upright instead; otherwise consult with a physician.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
Even if you don’t experience symptoms related to COVID-19, drinking plenty of fluids is key in order to stay hydrated and prevent dehydration. Water, broth, fruit juice and hot tea with lemon can all provide beneficial hydration solutions; additionally they may help soothe sore throats and decrease coughing episodes.
Alcohol and caffeinated beverages can worsen dehydration. While eating is essential when dealing with colds or flu, food may taste unpleasant or too salty during illness; if this becomes difficult to do, try drinking non-caffeine liquids instead.
People experiencing mild COVID-19 symptoms generally begin to improve within several days or weeks. If you are over 65 or have an ongoing medical condition that persists for an extended period, however, and notice any symptoms related to COVID-19 it’s wise to contact your healthcare provider as soon as you experience any of them to determine if any treatment may be required for it.
If you have COVID-19, over-the-counter acetaminophen can provide relief from fever and aches and pains. Be sure to read and follow the dosage recommendations on the bottle. For severe aches and pains, talk to your physician about taking other OTC medicines; or speak to them about using herbal remedies or prescription medicines as soon as possible – otherwise taking such remedies or prescriptions without consulting first could make matters worse.
3. Take Your Cough Medicine
If you are experiencing mild COVID-19 symptoms, your physician will most likely advise that you remain home and self-isolate until all symptoms have subsided for at least two weeks. They’ll recommend drinking plenty of water and eating nutritious meals as well as taking over-the-counter medication that will ease discomfort.
People suffering from mild COVID-19 often develop a dry cough that seems to emanate from their chest, with it typically worsening at night and during activity. They may also experience fatigue, headache and sore throat symptoms.
Over-the-counter cough medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help ease dry cough symptoms. Some doctors may suggest nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), as they help bring down fevers while relieving any associated aches or pains.
if a cough persists, your doctor will likely test for viruses to determine whether you have the flu or COVID-19.
COVID-19 symptoms may resemble those of colds and flus, so if there is any concern you should follow testing and isolation protocols immediately. In addition, you should contact your healthcare provider if any lingering or long-term symptoms continue to bother you after recovering from COVID-19 illness; this condition is known as post-COVID-19 syndrome or long COVID-19 and requires medical treatment immediately.
4. Get Some Sleep
Fatigue is one of the primary symptoms of COVID-19 and may make life challenging, making tasks harder than they need to be and leading to other symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, coughing shortness of breath or muscle or body aches to surface. Try prioritizing tasks so that energy is only spent on what matters. Relaxation techniques or self-care strategies may also help alleviate fatigue symptoms.
Sleep can also play an essential part in alleviating insomnia, another common symptom of COVID-19. Sleep disorders can be difficult to manage if you feel exhausted, but there are numerous treatments and tips that can assist. Popular treatments for this include cognitive behavioral therapy, light therapy and melatonin administration or any combination thereof.
Mild COVID-19 symptoms should resolve within one to two weeks, but it’s wise to keep track of them and call your physician if they worsen or don’t improve. Furthermore, crowds and indoor public places should be avoided in order to limit spreading the virus further. When outside, be sure to practice respiratory etiquette by covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; and use hand sanitizers regularly as additional protection from germs.
5. Exercise Your Lungs
If you suspect COVID-19 symptoms, rest at home as much as possible. Most adults and children exhibiting mild symptoms do not need to go directly to a hospital.
Deep breaths through both nose and mouth can help clear mucus and reduce coughing, while taking a hot shower or breathing in steam may also ease congestion and runny nose symptoms. Some individuals may even experience diarrhea which may be treated using over-the-counter antidiarrheal medicines.
This virus may lead to fatigue, body aches and headaches; some individuals may also experience taste or smell loss as well as sore throat symptoms – all similar to what one would find with cold or flu infections.
Most people who contract the virus will recover without long-term effects; however, for people aged 65 or over with existing medical conditions or those who have received vaccination, there is the potential risk that the disease could become severe and cause severe complications.
If you think that a severe case of the disease might be in your future, consult with a health care provider immediately. They can recommend either taking a rapid or PCR test to detect infections; as well as asking about your age, other health conditions, family history and risk assessment factors to asses how likely it is that the virus will make you seriously ill. Your physician may also suggest using a pulse oximeter which tracks how much oxygen is in your blood.
6. Stay Isolated
While sick, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advises individuals to remain home and refrain from socializing in order to minimize spreading COVID-19 to others who could be more at risk, such as older adults or those with preexisting medical conditions. By staying home and isolating themselves from others in self-isolation mode (they can be provided with devices for enjoying games of online poker on websites listed on the https://centiment.io to minimize the loneliness), individuals may reduce the chance that others become susceptible to COVID-19 infections and its subsequent spread.
Brewer suggests it would be helpful for someone living alone to check in once daily and provide companionship; this can reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety caused by isolating oneself if symptoms of coronavirus worsen over time, particularly if food and other supplies need to be delivered directly into your home by friends or family members. This also reduces any need to leave home during emergencies involving coronavirus infection.
Home isolation should end once fever-free for 24 hours without medication and other symptoms are improving, although wearing a mask around other people for 10 days after isolation ends is strongly encouraged – including when eating together and going out to public places like stores and restaurants. Some individuals experience long-haul COVID-19 symptoms known as post-acute COVID-19 syndrome or long-haul COVID-19 even after being cleared by home tests; this should not impede your return to everyday life.