When to call the doctor

The early arrival of the H1N1 virus has many people a bit concerned, especially when they or their loved ones have underlying health conditions, are experiencing flu-like symptoms and are unsure when they should seek medical attention.
And with the added strain on hospital emergency rooms and President Barack Obama’s recent declaration of a heath emergency because of the swine flu pandemic, the need to know when it is time to call a physician is even more pressing. Knowing when to seek medical attention and when to care for flu-like symptoms at home can help alleviate some of the overcrowding of doctor’s offices, urgent care facilities and emergency rooms across the region and the U.S. as a whole.
The usual symptoms involve a cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, body aches, chills, fatigue and occasionally, diarrhea, vomiting and fever. And the Center for Disease Control Web site reports that most people who contract 2009 H1N1 or seasonal flu will have mild illness that does not require medical care or antiviral drugs.
Tina Johnson, administrative director for Pottawatomie County Health Department, said there are a few additional symptoms that, if noticed, would signal the need to seek immediate medical attention. These symptoms vary somewhat between children and adults.
For children, symptoms that would suggest the need for immediate medical care include fast breathing, difficulty breathing, bluish-colored skin, loss of thirst, inability to keep down fluids, trouble waking, inactivity or irritability that cannot be consoled.
“Also with children, if they have a fever of 101 F to 102 F or more, contact a physician and share the symptoms they are having,” Johnson said.
For adults, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion and severe or persistent vomiting would indicate an immediate need to seek medical attention.
“It is also very important to note that if someone has been ill but their flu symptoms get better and then they experience a return of fever and cough or fever with a rash, they should seek immediate medical assistance as this could indicate the presence of a co-infection,” Johnson said.
Many hospitalizations and most deaths that occur following a flu illness are caused by co-infections, such as pneumonia, staph infections or other bacterial or viral infections.
With the H1N1 virus, Johnson said most people are able to recover within four days to one week without hospitalization.
“If someone just feels bad, without other symptoms, it’s usually not an emergency,” she said.
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Johnna Ray may be reached at 214-3934.