When to go to the ER: Severe cold or flu symptoms
The common cold or the flu are two conditions that I’m sure we are all familiar with, as chances are that most of us, if not all of us, have all contracted them at one time or the other. As explained over at the highly rated frontlineer.com, while these two conditions are usually thought of as being one and the same, they are actually two different conditions. Be it as it may, they are usually not what one would consider to be a medical emergency requiring a visit to the ER, such as the highly rated frontlineer.com. Some of the common symptoms of the cold include a cough, sneezing, sore throat among others while common symptoms of a flu include high fever, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, chills among others. The cold or flu usually resolve themselves in about in about 7 to 10 days or maybe two weeks, and usually treatment is through home remedies and over the counter medications to help ease the symptoms. However, there are times when one could be experiencing cold or flu symptoms that are so severe that it calls for them to go to the ER to be attended to. This article, with the help of the gurus over at frontlineer.com, will look to highlight the signs that indicate that you should go to the ER for severe cold or flu symptoms.
One of the instances when you should go to the ER is if you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms and you begin to experience difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. As per the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, difficulties breathing should always be taken seriously due to the high risk of asphyxiation and in such a situation, one should call 911 and have themselves taken to the ER as soon as possible. This may be a sign of serious complications, or even the onset of other serious and life-threatening conditions and should therefore not be taken lightly. You should also go to the ER if you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms accompanied by abdominal or chest pain. This is also a sign of a serious complication and should be taken very seriously. Another severe symptom when it comes to the cold or flu that means that you should head over to an ER, such as the highly rated frontlineer.com, is if you are also experiencing severe confusion and are disoriented. This is yet another sign of a serious complication and should be treated as such. Keep an eye out also for severe and persistent vomiting as this is not only a sign of a serious complication, it may also lead to dehydration. This is yet another severe symptom that should lead to a visit to the ER. You should also go to the ER if you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms as well as swelling in the mouth or throat. Another red flag is if your cold or flu-like symptoms appear to get better only to return with a fever and worse cough. This is also a sign of a serious complication and should be taken seriously.
It should be noted that, since children can’t express themselves and how they are feeling, there are certain ways through which you can tell that you need to take them to the ER for their cold or flu symptoms. Keep an eye on their skin and if you notice that it is turning blue, you should take them to the ER as soon as possible. As per the folks over at frontlineer.com, also keep an eye on their lips or fingertips, which if they turn blue, you should also take them to the ER. Turning blue is a sign that they are having trouble breathing and should be taken seriously. Other warning signs include if your kid is extremely irritable and doesn’t want to be held, if they are crying non-stop and you are unable to console them, if they develop a fever with a rash, are crying without tears, have fewer wet diapers than usual, if they are not waking up or are not interacting with others, if they are not drinking enough fluids among others as discussed over at frontlineer.com. All these should mean that you should take them to the ER as soon as possible.
If you are in a high-risk group, then you should pay close attention to your cold or flu symptoms and if you start to experience symptoms such as fever, chills or body aches, then you should head over to the ER, like the highly rated frontlineer.com. High-risk groups include people over the age of 65, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system. One can have a weakened immune system due to having undergone recent transplant surgery, having HIV/AIDS, undergoing chemo, having a chronic infection such as diabetes among others. If you are pregnant and have cold or flu symptoms, then as per the gurus over at frontlineer.com, you should also head over to the ER if you have a high fever that doesn’t respond to medications or if you notice that there is decreased or no movement of your baby.
Hopefully, the above discussion will help you know when to head over to the ER for severe cold or flu symptoms, with the highly regarded frontlineer.com being the best place to go to in such situations.
