When the weather gets cold, illnesses tend to run rampant through dorms and classrooms. Keeping hands washed, items sanitized, and immune systems strong are the keys to avoiding the flu this winter. However, it's much easier said than done. But when do you give up on the over the counter medicines and see a doc? Check out the five flu symptoms that shouldn't be ignored:
1. Super high fever.
Your body usually maintains an internal temp of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If your temp hits 104 or higher, you should see a doc ASAP. Should your high temp last more than three days, you should also see a doc.
2. Chest or abdomen pain/pressure.
These pains can be a sign of a heart problem, but they're not always worth worrying about; take into account how much coughing/wheezing you've been experiencing. Could those be causing your pain?
3. Shortness of breath/non-subsiding cough.
Should you find yourself struggling to breath after little or even no physical activity or suffering from a cough that just won't go away, you should definitely get in to see a doctor. These can be early signs of pneumonia, which can easily come from having the flu. Pay attention to your coughs too; you may be experiencing a "productive cough," a.k.a. be coughing something up. Pay attention to what you cough up. If it's green, that's often a sign of infection. If it has a little brown or red, that's nothing to really concern yourself with, but definitely see a doc if there are excessive amounts of blood.
4. Dehydration.
While it's pretty easy to tell when you're dehydrated, when you're sick you can get much more dehydrated than you're used to, especially if you're vomiting or have diarrhea. If you're just starting to get dehydrated, you can turn it around using lots of fluids like water and Gatorade, and a water supplement such as DripDrop can help too. However, if you noticed that you ave shriveled skin, are ridiculously thirsty, cannot urinate, or are dizzy and/or confused, your dehydration has become severe and you need medical intervention.
5. Painful swallowing and white patches.
Sure, throats hurt all the time and for various reasons, but if you're having difficulty swallowing and/or notice small, white patches near your tonsils (which are also most likely red and swollen), you are probably getting strep throat.
Other things to keep in mind:
- Sure, the flu isn't always a huge deal, but pneumonia is, and the flu can easily turn in to pneumonia.
- If you have an infection, your doc/the clinic will most likely prescribe you antibiotics. You should always take EVERY pill you were prescribed, or your infection may come back. Oh, and females, antibiotics can negate the power of birth control pills.
