If you get the flu, call your health care provider to be sure that what you have is the flu. Generally, the diagnosis can be made from your symptoms.

Serious illness from the flu is more likely in certain groups of people including people 65 and older, pregnant women, people with certain chronic medical conditions and young children

There’s no good cure for a cold or the flu. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. But you can treat your symptoms to feel better while your body fights the virus.

Home remedies

• Stay home
• Rest, especially while you have a fever
• Stop smoking
• Drink plenty of liquids, but no alcohol
• Gargle with warm salt water/use throat sprays or lozenges

Over-the-counter remedies

• Aspirin and acetaminophen reduce fever (never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptom, particularly fever)
• Analgesics relieve aches and pains
• Antitussives tell your brain to stop coughing (do not use if you’re coughing up mucus)
• Expectorants help thin mucus so it can be coughed up
• Decongestants shrink nasal passages