No Rest for the Sick DRIVER

Posted in The Healthy Trucker by Brian ·  

It’s inevitable. At one point or another, while you’re doing your job as a truck driver, you’re going to get sick with a cold or flu. Unfortunately, it’s not likely that you’ll be able to take the time off to recuperate because when you’re not on the road, you’re not making money. When you’re a truck driver, there’s no rest for the sick.

If you’re like most truckers, you will keep doing what you have to do until you merely can’t go on. And, like most drivers, you most likely have a first aid kit filled with your normal first aid items, but also a variety of cold and flu medicines.

What is the common cold and what is the best way to combat it? Colds are the result of a mild viral infection. While it usually affects the nose and throat, you may also feel run down. Here are the symptoms that most often go along with the common cold:

• Stuffy or runny nose, quite often with a colored discharge
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Fever, inevitably it could reach up to 102 degrees
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Watery eyes
• Sore throat

You can expect to feel bad anywhere from three to ten days. Unfortunately, some of the symptoms such as coughing, can last much longer. Hopefully, since you spend so much of your time in your truck, you can avoid some of the extra germs that are airborne, especially during the winter months.

To avoid getting sick, be sure to wash your hands often. If you can, avoid going into truck stops where drivers from all over the country spend time, this will reduce your risk of picking up someone else’s bug. The fewer people you come in contact with, the lesser chance you’ll get sick.

The flu, or influenza, is a respiratory disease also caused by a virus. It is spread in much the same way as the common cold, but the symptoms appear suddenly. They include:

• A fever over 102 degrees
• Nausea
• Chills and sweating
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches in the lower part of the body
• Loss of appetite
• Headache

Besides staying away from others who are sick and washing your hands often, you can also reduce the chance of getting sick by getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy foods, staying away from alcoholic drinks, and reducing as much stress as possible. Drinking plenty of fluids can also help you get rid of mucous and keep you hydrated.

Over-the-counter treatments may help reduce the symptoms, and may even help you feel a little better, but you’ll still feel rough until the virus is out of your system. If you still feel bad after ten days, have temperatures over 102 degrees, or if you have other health issues, go see your doctor.

Cold and flu season is in full swing. Take care of yourself by getting plenty of rest, washing your hands often, and avoiding others that are sick can go a long way to keeping you healthy, as well. Since there’s no rest for the sick, staying healthy is your best bet. It will keep you on the road and making money.

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