When does your illness warrant a trip to the ER?
Respiratory infections are extremely prevalent during the winter months. Close contact with other people indoors increases the spread of infections, like influenza, RSV, rhinovirus and COVID. While most people can treat these illnesses from home, certain symptoms may require medical attention, such as following up with a primary care provider or going to an emergency room (ER).
“Respiratory viruses cause airway inflammation and irritation as well as excessive mucus production, which can lead to wheezing and difficulty breathing,” explains Dr. Anna Kiernicki-Sklar, an emergency medicine physician at Advocate Health Care. “Often, these infections also cause vomiting, diarrhea and decreased appetite, which can lead to dehydration. They can also lead to secondary bacterial infections, like pneumonia and ear infections.”
When do you need to seek medical care?
“Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, persistent vomiting and dehydration are all signs it’s time for you head to an ER,” Dr. Sklar advises. “Some people do not immediately notice dehydration symptoms, so remember to pay attention to your oral fluid intake, urine output, and if you feel weak or faint, all of which are indicators of your hydration levels.”
Dr. Sklar also notes that a fever lasting more than two to three days should also prompt medical evaluation from your primary care provider or an urgent care provider.
“Infants, young children, and older adults with dementia or other cognitive deficits may be unable to communicate that they are experiencing severe symptoms,” she adds. “Watch for poor feeding, labored or rapid breathing, decreased urine output, excessive irritability or sleepiness, or changes in their usual behavior.”
Dr. Sklar says the antiviral treatments available for viral infections, like influenza and COVID, are most effective when started within the first few days of symptoms, so it’s important to get care at the right time.
“Antivirals do not kill viruses. Instead, they stop viruses from replicating inside the body,” she explains. “This is important because the more virus particles that are present in the body, the more symptoms and complications a person experiences. Early introduction of antivirals helps minimize the number of virus particles in the body. Antiviral medications won’t provide immediate resolution of symptoms, but they can reduce symptom severity, illness duration, and occurrence of complications and hospitalizations when taken early in the course of an illness.”
How to prevent serious illness
Dr. Sklar says one of the best ways to prevent serious illness from influenza and COVID (and RSV for some people) is to get vaccinated. Other important preventive measures for both adults and children include:
- Regularly washing your hands
- Using hand sanitizer
- Covering your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing
- Wearing a mask
- Avoiding close contact with others when sick
- Refraining from sharing personal items, like hand towels, cups or utensils, as they can harbor germs and promote person-to-person infection
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About the Author
health enews contributor, is on the Advocate Health Care communications team. When she is not writing health enews articles, she is busy chasing her two kids, two cats and two dogs. She also enjoys reading, cooking, baking and drinking coffee.
