Ludhiana: 'Viral infections leaving dry cough in wake'

LUDHIANA: Do you have dry cough that does not get better even after 10 days or more? You may be suffering from post viral flu symptoms. Experts in Ludhiana said that many such patients were coming to them for treatment.
Dr Amanpreet Kaur of the department of medicine, Civil Hospital said, "Although cases of seasonal flu have dropped slightly, we are getting 30 to 40 patients a day due to change in weather. Of patients with viral flu, there is a substantial number of cases of patients who have dry cough which lingers on for more than a week even though symptoms related to viral flu like high grade fever, running nose and sore throat settle down after two to three days. Besides the other symptoms, this time around we also have many patients with viral flu who have abdominal symptoms like diarrhoea. If managed early, the post viral flu symptoms like dry cough do not get prolonged." She added that the flu and post flu symptoms are being reported across all age groups and severity depended on immunity and how the body reacted to the virus.
Health experts also attributed post viral flu symptoms to air pollution and weather change. "We are regularly receiving patients complaining of flu and prolonged cough. Normally it takes two to four days for respiratory issues caused by flu to settle down but in some patients, dry cough lasts much longer. It can even take 14 to 15 days to settle down. This is mainly because of pollution and weather fluctuation caused by sudden cold to hot weather as well as increased exposure at marriages and other functions," said Dr Jagdeep Whig, a chest diseases specialist. He warned that viral flu could trigger chest problems, including pneumonia among vulnerable persons, including those suffering from diabetes and respiratory issues.
Children are also complaining of the symptoms. Dr Naveen Bajaj, a neonatologist and child specialist said that he receives more than 10 to 12 patients suffering from viral flu. He added that because of viral flu, airways also get involved and in some cases, it leads to Bronchitis.
The child specialist said that even as fever and running nose settle down after some time, dry cough gets prolonged as lungs get involved due to viral infection. He added that while viral flu could affect anyone regardless of immunity, symptoms in a child with strong immunity would not be too severe.
Health experts also said that post viral infection cough can be cured.
Dr Amanpreet Kaur said that patients are mostly given symptomatic treatment.