H1N1: When to visit the doctor
BRUSH, Colo. (Sept. 18, 2009) – Now that H1N1 flu seems to be affecting more Morgan County residents, East Morgan County Hospital and Brush Family Medicine want to help you decide when the time is right to seek help, whether it’s a call to the doctor, a visit to urgent care or truly an emergency that should be cared for at the hospital.
The symptoms of swine flu mirror those of seasonal flu: fever, coughing, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose, sore throat and lack of appetite. If you’ve ever had the flu, you know how different it is from the typical cold. Right now, however, is not the time for seasonal flu. Therefore, most people who have these symptoms probably have swine flu.
The response to swine flu also is similar to the steps you would take to treat seasonal flu.
For the average person who is relatively healthy, swine flu will run its course. Stay home, rest, hydrate and be vigilant about hygiene so that you don’t spread the virus to others.
People with existing health problems or chronic conditions such as heart and lung disease or a compromised immune system and women who are pregnant should pay particular attention to their symptoms. Also, call your primary care physician or obstetrician to discuss your symptoms. The following symptoms require an immediate visit to the emergency department:
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain or pressure in chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.
In young children, watch for:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish or gray skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Not waking up or interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms that improve, but return with fever and worse cough.
H1N1 flu is treated in a similar manner to seasonal flu. You should treat any fever right away with acetaminophen or another fever reducer. Drink plenty of fluids to replace those you lose when you are sick. Aspirin or products that contain aspirin such as Pepto Bismol® should not be given to children under age 18 because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome.
H1N1 may be treated by giving any antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu® or Relenza® , which would be prescribed by your physician.
Resource: www.flu.gov
ABOUT EAST MORGAN COUNTY HOSPITAL
East Morgan County Hospital in Brush, Colo. is licensed by the state of Colorado and certified by Medicare as a 25-bed critical-access hospital. Designated as a Level IV Trauma Center, East Morgan includes a 24-hour emergency department with three trauma bays, one surgery suite, one recovery room, one endoscopy room, and one outpatient surgery suite. It is part of Banner Health, one of the country’s largest nonprofit hospital systems.
ABOUT BANNER HEALTH
Based in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, not-for-profit health care systems in the country. Banner has 22 facilities that offer an array of services including hospital care, home care, hospice care, nursing registries, surgery centers, laboratories, rehabilitation services. These facilities are located in seven states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. In addition to emergency and medical services, Banner Health medical centers house a variety of specialized services, including heart care, cancer treatment, delivery of high-order multiple births, organ transplants, bone marrow transplants, rehabilitation services, and behavioral health services.
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