Having the flu is uncomfortable for everyone and can be dangerous for anyone.
The danger is especially acute for populations who are most at-risk for experiencing significant complications from the flu, such as:
- Those who have compromised immune systems (as from a viral infection like HIV or as a result of cancer treatment)
- The elderly
- Infants and young children
- And those who live with chronic respiratory issues like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
For these groups, developing flu-like symptoms should immediately trigger a call to a primary care provider, such as a family practice physician, an internist or a pediatrician. If you don’t have a primary care provider, you can reach Tanner’s 24-hour physician referral line at 770-214-2273 to find one near you.
For the rest of us as well, the flu can open a “back door” of sorts for other potentially dangerous conditions, such as lung infections like pneumonia, and can lead to severe reactions to the infection, including sepsis.
When you experience the symptoms of the flu — the high fever, body aches, headache, congestion, nausea and more — the thing you want most in the world is to feel better as soon as possible. For many people, the quickest path to relief seems often to be the hospital emergency department — a unit designed from the ground up to provide care for a wide range of problems as quickly as possible.
But a trip to the emergency department may not necessarily be the best course for flu treatment.
- Patients are triaged, or ordered, based on medical necessity, not their time of arrival or how they feel. The emergency department is obligated to treat the most acutely ill or injured first, since these are cases when someone’s life may depend on prompt care. That means if a serious illness, such as a heart attack, or a serious case of trauma from a car accident comes in, the emergency department will address those needs first.
- Emergency department volumes are pretty high at this time of year. The flu season brings an influx of emergency department patients on any given year, and the influx is greater when the flu is especially prevalent. If you’re thinking about heading to the hospital for a flu swab and treatment, remember that a lot of other people have had the same idea, too.
- If you don’t have the flu, you could be exposed to it. One of the most fundamental ways to avoid getting sick is to avoid being around people who are ill. If your symptoms are not very severe or you’re uncertain if your illness is caused by influenza, you might end up actually catching the flu while you’re seeking care in a facility where many of those near you do have the flu.
While most healthy adults are at relatively little risk for significant complications from the flu, these can happen.
If you’re uncertain about whether you should call your doctor or go to the hospital, here are some sure signs it’s time to call 911 or go to the emergency department:
- You’re unable to keep down any fluids. Try to drink clear, non-caffeinated beverages, like water or non-carbonated sports drinks to replenish your electrolytes. If you can’t keep these down, you may need to receive fluids intravenously.
- You have difficulty breathing. Nasal and respiratory congestion is common with a cold or the flu, but if you feel that you can’t catch your breath or it hurts to breathe, you may have pneumonia and need to be evaluated.
- You’re coughing up blood. A “productive” cough can actually help keep you from developing pneumonia because it keeps your airway clear of mucus. But if you notice blood in the phlegm you’re coughing up, you should seek medical care.
- It’s difficult for you to stand or move. Body aches and feeling lethargic are one thing — it’s another if you can’t get up from bed, a chair or walk even a short distance.
- You can’t think clearly. Mental impairment may also be a sign that you don’t have enough oxygen in your system. If you or a loved one is having difficulty concentrating, speaking or seems unable to remember people or things, they should be evaluated by a medical professional.
If you need emergency care, Tanner Health System offers four regional 24-hour emergency departments:
You can also receive flu care through Tanner Urgent Care, which offers services on a walk-in basis with no appointment necessary with weekday, evening and weekend hours. Tanner Urgent Care has services in Carrollton, Villa Rica, Bremen and Wedowee. Learn more at TannerUrgentCare.org.