Suffering from illness symptoms that only seem to be getting worse? The flu can cause severe illness, even in healthy adults. Learn about signs that may indicate that you’re suffering from the flu and the treatment options available for the flu at urgent care. Visit AFC Urgent Care Back Bay for same-day illness care available to patients in Back Bay and the surrounding Boston communities 7 days a week.

Signs You May Have The Flu

Being sick is never pleasant, but the flu can be an especially difficult illness due to the intense and sometimes long-lasting symptoms it can cause. Even if you’re a healthy adult, the flu can cause serious symptoms that disrupt your day-to-day life. The flu can be especially disruptive if you’re a student or a working professional with a busy schedule. Identifying flu symptoms early can help ensure you seek the appropriate treatment options and prevent severe illness from occurring.

Common flu symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Body aches
• Chills
• Fever
• Congestion
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Cold sweats
• Cough

If you have mild cold-like symptoms, it is important to monitor your symptoms to ensure that they aren’t progressing. The flu commonly begins with mild symptoms, however, it can quickly progress in severity.

Convenient Flu Treatment Available Near Back Bay, Boston

Having the flu can put a major pause on your productivity. If you’re a student or working professional, the flu can be especially problematic by causing illness that causes you to miss work or school. The flu is extremely contagious through both direct contact and indirect contact with an infected person, making schools and offices flu transmission hot spots. Luckily, in many healthy adults, the flu often does not require medical intervention. However, if you have symptoms that are extreme such as a high fever, you should seek medical care for a diagnosis and proper treatment.

The flu is caused by a viral infection and there is no medicine available to cure the flu. Instead, your body has to fight off the infection on its own. If you suspect you may have the flu, seeking a diagnosis for your symptoms can help rule out the presence of a more severe infection. Supportive care such as IV fluids may help in severe cases of the flu. Your medical provider can also provide at-home care instructions to help promote a fast recovery and manage your symptoms. If you have an underlying health condition or a compromised immune system, you should seek medical care if you think you have the flu. The flu can cause severe illness and develop into dangerous secondary infections for those who are at risk for flu complications.

Flu Prevention Tips For Students

If you’re a student, the flu can cause a serious disruption in your day-to-day life. Not only can the flu cause you to miss classes, but it can also cause a fever and other unpleasant symptoms which can make studying and focusing on schoolwork difficult. In some cases, getting a medical diagnosis for the flu is necessary to self-isolate without penalty.

Unfortunately, classrooms are a commonplace of illness transmission. For a viral infection such as the flu, breathing in the same air or touching the same surface as someone who has the flu is enough for you to contract it. In many cases, flu symptoms don’t appear until days after the infection has started, meaning that students may not realize that they have the flu which will result in them spreading it for days. It is important to take preventative measures during flu season to protect yourself from getting sick with the flu.

• Wash Your Hands: It may seem simple, but increasing how often you wash your hands and carrying hand sanitizer will help kill the flu virus before it reaches your respiratory system.
• Avoid Sick People: If someone is presenting with illness symptoms, even if they are minor, it is best to stay away. Coughing, sneezing, and even talking can release the virus into the air and put you at risk for infection. Sit near an open window if possible, or as far as possible from anyone presenting with illness symptoms.
• Get Your Flu Shot: The flu shot is a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of developing severe illness caused by the flu. The flu shot is covered by most insurance plans and is often available for students on college campuses for free. Although the flu shot doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu, it will ensure that you don’t become seriously ill from the flu if you do contract it.

Visit AFC Urgent Care Back Bay for Walk-In Illness Care Available 7 Days a Week

If you’re experiencing severe illness symptoms, you may have the flu. Identifying the signs of the flu early and getting a medical diagnosis can help prevent your symptoms from worsening and promote a faster recovery. At AFC Urgent Care Back Bay, we understand that students and working professionals have busy schedules. We offer flu diagnosis and treatment at our walk-in clinic 7 days a week with no appointment required. Simply walk into our clinic when it’s convenient for you, or schedule an appointment online.

Our clinic is located at 575 Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, making it convenient for college students attending Boston University, Emerson, Suffolk, Berklee, and Boston College. If you’re in need of rapid flu care, look no further than AFC Urgent Care Back Bay. Our clinic accepts most medical insurance plans and offers affordable care options. Visit AFC Urgent Care Back Bay today, we’re open from 8am-8pm! For additional information, contact our clinic directly by calling 617-869-0500.