The flu is a viral infection caused by the influenza virus. Flu symptoms can put a wrench in your life, even for healthy adults. Flu symptoms commonly start very mild and are often confused with cold symptoms, making it difficult to identify symptoms and seek early medical treatment. Learn more about how to identify symptoms of the flu and when to seek medical care for flu-like symptoms. Visit AFC Urgent Care Aurora Saddle Rock for same-day flu symptom diagnosis and treatment in Aurora, CO.
How To Identify Flu Symptoms
The flu is caused by a viral infection which attacks the respiratory tract. This includes your lungs, airway, throat, and nose. As a result, the flu can cause a variety of different symptoms. Typically, flu symptoms go away on their own after a few days. However, in some cases, some symptoms such as a cough may linger for weeks. Flu symptoms often don’t begin until a few days after you have been infected with the influenza virus. As a result, you can spread the flu to others before you know you have it.
Common symptoms of the flu include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Congestion
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
If you’re experiencing mild illness symptoms, it is important to monitor them to ensure that they are not progressing. Flu symptoms often start mild, but progressively become more severe over time. If you are someone who is immunocompromised or has underlying health conditions, you should seek medical care if you are experiencing mild symptoms for medical intervention as the flu can cause severe illness.
Flu Treatment Options At Urgent Care
If you are suffering from illness symptoms that are worsening over time and think that you may have the flu, seeking medical care early can help stop your symptoms from getting worse. Although medical diagnosis of the flu can help you better treat your symptoms, in most cases there is no need for medical treatment. The flu is viral, meaning it cannot be treated with antibiotics or other medications and must be fought off by your own immune system over time.
If your symptoms are severe, such as a high fever, or they last more than a week, you should seek medical treatment to ensure you are not suffering from a more severe illness that requires medical treatment. In some cases, the flu can develop into dangerous secondary illnesses such as pneumonia which requires medical care. At urgent care, your medical provider will evaluate your symptoms and perform diagnostic testing to understand what is causing them. Based on the results, your medical care provider will suggest treatment options or at-home care instructions to help you manage your symptoms and promote a fast recovery.
Flu Prevention Tips
The flu is highly contagious, especially during the colder winter months. This is because we spend more of our time indoors in close proximity to others. The flu can be spread through direct contact with an infected person. The flu can also spread through airborne particles that you breathe in and by touching the same surface as an infected person. This makes it extremely difficult to avoid, especially if you work in an office or attend school.
The best way to treat the flu is to avoid contracting it in the first place. Here are some tips for avoiding the flu this winter
● Avoid contact with sick people
● Wash your hands regularly
● Avoid touching your face
● Use hand sanitizer when handwashing is unavailable
● Disinfect surfaces often
● Avoid touching common surfaces like door handles in public
● Get your annual flu shot
Visit AFC Urgent Care Aurora Saddle Rock for Walk-In Illness Care in Aurora, CO
If you’re suffering from illness symptoms and think you may have contracted the flu, you should seek medical care early. At AFC Urgent Care Aurora Saddle Rock our clinic has its own laboratory which allows us to perform diagnostic testing at the time of your visit and get the results quickly. Our medical professionals are board-certified and trained to identify and treat a variety of common illnesses, including the flu. Walk into the clinic today, or pre-register your visit online.
At AFC Urgent Care Aurora Saddle Rock, we know that your time is valuable. That is why our clinic is open 7 days a week from 8am-8pm. We accept walk-in patients daily and have short wait times so that you can get the care that you need when you need it. Our clinic accepts most medical insurance plans and offers affordable care options. For additional questions regarding our clinic, please contact us directly by calling 303-529-3300.
