Stages of swine flu

• Fever and symptoms are at their worst, then fever typically begins settling
• Cough may increase as fever falls
• This is the watch period: breathing difficulty, chest pain, or bluish lips usually appear here if complications are coming

Phase 4: Recovery (days 4 to 7)

• Fever resolves, energy returns gradually, and a lingering cough or tiredness fades over 1 to 2 weeks
• Most people are no longer contagious about 5 to 7 days after symptoms started (children longer)

Off the normal course

• Fever that returns after improving, or worsening cough with breathlessness: possible pneumonia or a second bacterial infection - see a doctor the same day
• Symptoms beyond 10 days without improvement: needs evaluation

Contagion timeline at a glance

Infectious from 1 day before symptoms to 5-7 days after: stay home, mask up, and keep distance from high-risk family members through this window.

Ayurvedic view (interpretive): Classical texts chart fevers through stages of rising, peak, and resolution much like this course. The framework is interpretive; return-of-fever and breathing signs are the modern red flags.

Remember: Expect sudden fever and ache, a rough couple of days at the peak, and recovery within a week. The two patterns that break the rule - danger signs at the peak, or fever coming back after improving - both need a doctor.