When to go to the ER for Swine Flu Symptoms
Reasons to Visit or Avoid the Hospital During the Flu Season
© Muxin Li
Nov 7, 2009
The flu season has brought an increase in common flu symptoms and has also increased the number of people visiting hospitals worried about having the swine flu. However, being at the hospital during flu season, especially during the current swine flu scare, probably does more harm than good. Learn to decide when it is necessary to go to the ER, and when it is better to stay out of them.
Crowded Hospitals can Spread Flu Infection
During the flu season, many emergency rooms are filled with concerned patients. This is especially true with people worried about the swine flu, which has symptoms similar to the seasonal flu. Therefore it’s difficult to decide if the cough is the common cold or the beginning of the swine flu, and many people rush to the hospitals at the first signs of what they believe are H1N1 symptoms.
Yet crowded emergency rooms and hospitals are one of the worst places to be during flu season. The chances of getting sick are higher in these places due to the number of people present and because hospitals attract the sick. Healthy people or people with only mild symptoms are exposed to others who have more severe symptoms or illnesses, and have a higher risk of contracting a deadlier or more advanced illness.
Hospitals only have so many doctors and resources, and the emergency rooms are there to give people who are in immediate danger the care and attention they need. When a healthy or mildly sick person is being cared for in the ER, attention and resources are taken away from a person who has a real medical emergency. Therefore, it’s important to know when to go to the ER and when to take less extreme measures.
When not to go to the ER
The CDC advises that people with mild flu symptoms should avoid going to the ER and limit contact with others. Check with a physician to get tested if you have the following common flu symptoms.
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- body aches
- headache
- chills
- fatigue
- sometimes diarrhea and vomiting
- *fever
*Not everyone has a fever when they have the flu.
The CDC recommends that people with mild flu symptoms stay at home for at least 24 hours after their fever or signs of fever are gone (this is without using fever-reducing medications like Tylenol). If you need to go out, try to limit your contact with others and avoid spreading the flu by practicing good hygiene. Also avoid touching your mouth and eyes, as those are common ways that viruses are spread.
Flu symptoms may appear well after being infected by the influenza virus. People who aren’t showing symptoms can still spread the virus. There are also influenza viruses that have developed resistance to antiviral medications. Even if you are not feeling sick or are currently taking medication, cover your cough and wash your hands regularly to help reduce the chances of infections.
Swine Flu Emergency Warning Signs
Go to the ER only when there are severe flu symptoms. The emergency signs for children are as follows.
- fast breathing or trouble breathing
- bluish skin color
- not drinking enough fluids
- not waking up or not interacting
- being very irritable and not wanting to be held
- flu-like symptoms improve but then return with a fever and worse cough
- fever with a rash
For adults, the emergency signs are as follows.
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- sudden dizziness
- confusion
- severe or persistent vomiting
- purple or blue discoloration of lips
Your symptoms may be complicated if you have other health conditions.
Reserve the ER for real medical emergencies, and see a physician for milder symptoms and concerns. This can not only prevent you from being exposed to more severe illnesses at the hospital and getting worse, but also improves the chances that someone in immediate danger will receive the attention and resources they need to recover.
How to Prepare for a Medical Emergency
Practice dialing for help so that the process feels familiar and easier when under a real medical emergency. Remember to press “send” or “call” on cell phones, otherwise they will not begin the connection. Don’t let the call connect though, there may be someone in a real emergency elsewhere and needs immediate help. Practicing will reduce the chances of making mistakes and feeling helpless in a real emergency.
Have children practice dialing for help, and have them pretend they are alone in an emergency. Let them rehearse giving the operator their full names, their address, and the emergency they are calling for. Role-play being sick or injured, and ask the child questions an operator would ask so that they are comfortable with calling for help.
Sources:
- CDC.gov
- Acep.org
- Muschealth.com
- Kidshealth.org
 |
 |
