When you have the flu, the most important things you can do are rest, stay hydrated, and manage your fever and body aches with over-the-counter pain relievers. Most people recover within one to two weeks without needing prescription medication. If you’re in a high-risk group or your symptoms are severe, a prescription antiviral can shorten your illness, but only if you start it within 48 hours of your first symptoms.
Hydration and Rest Come First
Flu drains your body fast. Fever, sweating, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea pull fluid out of you quicker than you realize. Your priority is replacing that fluid with water, broth, or drinks with electrolytes (rehydration solutions you can find at any pharmacy). Sip steadily throughout the day rather than trying to gulp large amounts at once, especially if your stomach is upset.
Rest is not optional. Your immune system works harder when you’re asleep, and pushing through the flu typically extends your recovery. Cancel your plans for the week. If you can, stay in bed or on the couch for the first few days, when symptoms are worst and you’re most contagious.
Managing Fever and Body Aches
Acetaminophen reduces fever and relieves pain. Ibuprofen does the same but also reduces inflammation and swelling, which can help with sore throat and sinus pressure. You can use either one, and some combination products contain both. The key safety rule with acetaminophen: never exceed 4,000 milligrams in a 24-hour period, including any that might be hiding in cold-and-flu combination products you’re taking at the same time. Check every label.
For children under 12, dosing should come from a pediatrician. Never give aspirin to anyone under 19 with the flu, as it’s linked to a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome.
Natural Remedies That Actually Help
Honey is one of the few home remedies with solid evidence behind it. A 2020 review of 14 studies found honey was more effective at reducing cough severity and frequency than over-the-counter cough medicines. In children ages 2 to 18, honey performed just as well as the active ingredient in most cough suppressants. A spoonful straight or stirred into warm tea both work. Do not give honey to babies under 12 months old.
Gargling warm salt water loosens mucus, eases sore throat inflammation, and can help clear viruses and bacteria from your mouth and throat. A saline nasal spray or neti pot rinses mucus, debris, and swelling out of your sinuses and moisturizes dried-out nasal passages. If you use a neti pot, always use distilled or previously boiled water to avoid introducing bacteria into your sinuses.
Steam inhalation, whether from a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head or simply sitting in a steamy bathroom, thins mucus and can ease nasal congestion. It won’t cure anything, but the relief is immediate and repeatable.
When Prescription Antivirals Matter
Prescription antiviral medications can shorten the duration of the flu and reduce the risk of complications, but they have a narrow window. They work best when started within 48 hours of your first symptoms. After that window closes, the benefit drops significantly.
For otherwise healthy adults who catch the flu early, antivirals are an option but not always necessary. Where they become critical is for people at higher risk of serious complications. That list includes:
- Adults 65 and older
- Children younger than 2
- Pregnant women, including up to two weeks after delivery
- People with asthma, chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, kidney or liver disorders, or weakened immune systems
- People with a BMI of 40 or higher
- People who have had a stroke
- Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities
If you fall into any of these categories, contact your doctor as soon as symptoms appear. The CDC recommends prompt antiviral treatment for high-risk individuals with confirmed or suspected flu.
How Long You’re Contagious
You can spread the flu starting one day before your symptoms appear, which is why it spreads so easily. Most adults remain infectious for about five to seven days after symptoms begin. You’re most contagious during the first three to four days of illness, particularly while you still have a fever.
Children and people with weakened immune systems can shed the virus for 10 days or longer. Even people with no symptoms at all can still carry and spread influenza. The practical takeaway: stay home until you’ve been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication, and assume you’re contagious for a full week after getting sick.
Warning Signs That Need Immediate Attention
Most flu cases resolve on their own, but complications like pneumonia can develop, sometimes quickly. Bacterial pneumonia tends to strike lungs already weakened by the flu. The pattern to watch for is improvement followed by a sudden worsening: your fever and cough get better, then come back worse than before. That rebound is a red flag.
In adults, seek emergency care for difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent chest or abdominal pain, confusion or dizziness that won’t clear, seizures, not urinating (a sign of severe dehydration), or severe muscle pain and weakness.
In children, the warning signs include fast or labored breathing, bluish lips or face, ribs pulling in visibly with each breath, refusal to walk due to muscle pain, no urine for eight hours, not being alert or responsive when awake, seizures, or a fever above 104°F that doesn’t respond to medication. For any infant under 12 weeks, any fever at all warrants immediate medical evaluation.
Protecting Others While You Recover
Isolate yourself as much as possible within your home, especially during the first three to four days when viral shedding peaks. Wash your hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow, and disinfect shared surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, and bathroom fixtures. If someone in your household is in a high-risk group, wearing a mask around them can reduce transmission.
Annual flu vaccination remains the most effective way to reduce your chances of getting the flu in the first place. The CDC recommends it for everyone six months and older, ideally in September or October before flu season peaks. Adults 65 and older should receive a high-dose or adjuvanted version of the vaccine, which produces a stronger immune response. Vaccination is also recommended throughout pregnancy during flu season.