Doctors explain when flu -like symptoms justify an ER visit

Spring could be right around the corner, but the winter-ending air viruses, Covid-19 and RSV are still strong, according to centers for disease control and prevention.

Since February 19, nine states have a number of “very large” cases of respiratory diseasesand most of the remaining states are in the “high” or “moderate” categories. influenza It was particularly widespread, with a rate of positivity of the case of 27%, compared to only 16% this time last year.

CDC says that most people who get sick with a respiratory disease will have mild symptoms such as throat and coughing and will recover after about a week, without the need for additional medical care. But sometimes the symptoms can become more severe, which makes it difficult to know if it is better to try to ride or take a trip to the emergency room.

Therefore, I asked the experts to explain the red flag signs of a sufficiently serious respiratory disease for an ER visit. Here’s what they said.

While the symptoms can vary easily from virus to virus, respiratory diseases often bring cold symptoms of head, such as cough, flowing nose, sore throat or headacheas well as effects such as fever, chills, body pain or fatigue.

But if your symptoms are coming back, it is important to seek emergency medical care. This is the case, whether you fight the flu, Covid, RSV– or if you are not sure what you have.

One thing you need to pay attention to is if you show yourself Severe signs of dehydrationthat may occur if you feel too sick to drink or eat, Benjamin Barlow, mdsaid an emergency medical doctor certified by the Council and Chief Medical Officer at the Urgent Networks’ Care Network Health.

Dark yellow urine, dizziness or supplies and headaches all signal that you should drink something as soon as possible. But if you fain or start to confuse or a fast heartbeat, that means you can be dangerous to dehydrate, Barlow said and you may need intravenous liquids.

Rapid difficulty or breathing could also mean extreme dehydration, Barlow said. Or could mean that you have pneumonia or low oxygen levels.

“Every time people feel lacking in breath, this is a major warning sign,” he explained. “When you feel breathing, breathe harder, and the heart rate increases. It is your body that tells you that you are worsening and you have to hydrate or be put on oxygen. ”

A blue hue on the lips and fingers could also indicate low oxygen, Andrea Giamalva, MD, FAAPsaid a family medicine doctor and a medical boss at experience Health. That would be enough for an ER trip, she added, as you would feel so lethargic that you can barely get out of bed.

All these symptoms with red flag are also applied to children, Barlow said. It is very important to pay special attention to the behavior and appearance of a child, because they may not be able to tell you how they feel.

“Does it breathe harder? Their eyes seem a little immersed? The big difference between adults and children is that we have to really pay attention to the behavior of children and how they look, ”he said.

For babies under 3 months, a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher guarantees an ER or pediatric visit, Tanya altmann, mdsaid a pediatrician and author Health.

In general, pregnant and very young and old people have the highest risk of severe diseases in a respiratory virus.

“The impact of the disease is much more on younger and older patients, and especially on those with many medical conditions,” he said Michael A. Bernstein, MDDirector for Pulmonary and Critical Care at Stamford Health. “Immunocompromis People and those with heart and respiratory disease have the highest risk of morbidity and mortality. ”

According to the CDC, elderly adults represent about 50% to 75% of total flu hospitalizations. In 2023, adults aged 65 and older were a majority of Covid hospitalizations. And about 100,000 to 150,000 adults in this age group will also be hospitalized every year for RSV.

RSV is particularly worrying for infants and young children: “It is the main cause of hospitalization of respiratory diseases for children under 5 years in the US,” Altmann said.

Experts agree that one of the best ways to prevent a severe respiratory disease is to be vaccinated – CDC recommends that most people with 6 months and older get an annual flu and gun. An RSV vaccine is available for pregnant and over 65 -year -olds, while infants under 8 months can receive a monoclonal antibody blow. “It works very well to keep infants outside the hospital,” Altmann said.

Beyond vaccination, Altmann suggests that you take precautionary measures daily to reduce your risk of getting sick. These include thorough soap washing, disinfecting surfaces, avoiding crowded inner areas and trying not to touch your face with undescribed hands.

If you get sick, drugs without sale like Tylenol and Motrin can help you manage symptoms at home, Bernstein said Health. These drugs can help you “feel good enough to keep you hydrated and put nutrition in your body so you don’t get sick.”

Your healthcare provider may also prescribe medicines to reduce Covid’s severity or flu, but the key is to act quickly.

TamifluAn antiviral for the flu, is often prescribed only after a positive test, but the drugs work best when taken within a few days after the onset of symptoms. The window is slightly larger for Covid: Your supplier may prescribe an antiviral medicine such as Paxlovid or Lagevrio in five days from the first symptom.

Unfortunately, there is no antiviral treatment for RSV, said Giamalva. “But whenever we test and obtain information regarding what the virus –zis causes you the disease,” she said, “as suppliers, we can provide a kind of trajectory or general plan or perception of what we expect will come in the next two days.”