Flu Season Means Urgent Care Season!

Flu season, flu season, flu season! Every year, we are inundated with messages reminding us to be cautious about flu season. It is so easy to get overwhelmed by these messages and start tuning them out. Everyone knows people tend to get sick when the weather gets cold but, in South Texas, we stay happy and warm. That means we don’t have to worry, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Flu season doesn’t match the temperature so, even though San Antonio might miss out on snow, we Texans are at risk for illness. If you are going to protect yourself and your family, you’ll need to know what you’re dealing with this flu season.

What is flu season?

Flu season is the period of time when large numbers of people come down with the flu. Unlike the traditional seasons, it is unpredictable in length since it is based on viruses, rather than weather. It also varies between countries.

Generally speaking, for the United States, flu season goes from October to May. It tends to be in full swing from December to February.

Who should get a flu shot?

Getting a flu vaccine is strongly recommended by the CDC for everyone 6 months or older. However, there are some “high risk” groups who should absolutely get the flu shot. These individuals are the ones who, if not treated, could become the sickest and potentially die from the flu.

1.       Children ages 6 months to 4 years

2.       Anyone over 50 years old

3.       People who are immunosuppressed

·         Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

·         Immunosuppression caused by medication

4.       People with chronic health problems like:

·         Chronic pulmonary disorders

·         Cardiovascular disorders except hypertension

·         Renal disorders

·         Hepatic disorders

·         Neurologic disorders

·         Hematologic disorders

·         Metabolic disorders

5.       Children age 6 to 18 who are on long-term aspirin therapy

6.       Women who are pregnant

7.       Women who may become pregnant during flu season

8.       Seniors in nursing homes

9.       American Indians & Alaska Natives

10.   Anyone who is morbidly obese

11.   Healthcare personnel

12.   Caregivers for children under 5 years old

13.   Caregivers for seniors over 50 years old

14.   Caregivers of individuals with medical conditions that put them at risk for severe complications from flu exposure

Getting the vaccine is an annual event. Each year, the viruses are slightly different. Just because you got the previous year’s shot doesn’t mean you are protected this year. Preventing yourself from getting sick this flu season means treating this year as its own brand new process.

Please note that it takes two weeks after getting the shot for the treatment to become effective. Should you encounter anyone suffering from the flu during that time or if you already had the virus inside you prior to the shot, then it will not be effective.

What is the difference between a cold and the flu?

When you aren’t feeling well, it’s unfortunately difficult to tell the difference between a cold and the flu. Here are the major points that you need to keep in mind when assessing your symptoms.

1.       Body aches

·         Cold: Body aches are unusual with a cold, although not impossible.

·         Flu: Almost every case of the flu is accompanied by body aches. These aches can be very severe for some people. This is a good way to identify if what you are experiencing the flu, as opposed to a cold.

2.       Congestion, runny nose, sore throat, sneezing

·         Cold: Almost everyone with a cold ends up with some sort of nasal symptom.

·         Flu: It is not unheard for someone with the flu to have these symptoms. However, it is not a requirement of the flu.

3.       Exhaustion

·         Cold: Someone with a cold may be more tired than usual but it will not be severe.

·         Flu: Someone suffering from the flu will almost always experience extreme exhaustion.

4.       Fever

·         Cold: It is unusual, but not unheard of, for someone with a cold to experience a fever.

·         Flu: The flu almost always causes those infected to suffer a fever.

5.       Headache

·         Cold: Sometimes a cold is accompanied by headache.

·         Flu: Flus are usually accompanied by headaches.

6.       Location of symptoms

·         Cold: If you feel your symptoms above the neck, you likely have a cold.

·         Flu: If you feel your symptoms throughout your entire body, you likely have the flu.

7.       Typical duration

·         Cold: A cold will last about a week.

·         Flu: The flu will last one to three weeks.

Should I visit a doctor?

While you are still healthy and before flu season is in full swing, it is important to make the time for a quick flu shot. It’s easy to let this errand get away from you but, once you are infected with the virus, your options are much more limited. It is easier to prevent the flu from happening than it is to get rid of once it is here.

If you are concerned that you already have the flu, then you need to visit a doctor quickly. There are prescription medications that can decrease the severity of your flu. However, you must begin treatment during the first 48 hours of becoming sick. Waiting longer will mean the medicine has no impact on your symptoms and recovery time, forcing you to simply tough it out through your flu.

Whether you are still healthy or already feeling bad, an urgent care clinic can be your best friend. It’s unlikely that your primary care physician can get you in quickly enough to provide the medication you need when suffering from the flu. Most people with the flu, thankfully, don’t get sick enough to need to visit the emergency room.

Urgent care clinics fill the space between these two options. You can get in quickly for a shot or medication. There are also no shortage of urgent care clinics in San Antonio! Gonzaba Urgent Care, for instance, has three locations across the city.