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11/20/2009 2:55:37 PM
Most flu patients -- except those with other medical conditions or severe symptoms -- can recover without a trip to the doctor.Todd Crocco, M.D., chair of the West Virginia University Department of Emergency Medicine, said in most cases, the best thing to do when you think you may have the influenza virus – whether it’s seasonal or H1N1 (swine) - is to stay home.
Flu symptoms include fever, breathing problems, and muscle aches. Call ahead before going to a doctor's office to make sure that you follow that office's procedures for people with possible flu.At WVU, you will be asked to wear a surgical mask while you are being examined if you have these symptoms. Masks are available at the front desk at WVU medical offices.“Rest, drink plenty of fluids like water or sports drinks and take Motrin or Tylenol for your fever,” Dr. Crocco said. “You should go out only if you need to do something that someone else cannot do for you, such as going to a dialysis appointment. And, in that case, we recommend that you wear a mask.”
To reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others, flu sufferers should stay home until they are fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of Tylenol or Motrin, Crocco said.Those who are sick should also avoid people who are at a higher risk to contract the virus, including children younger than 5, adults older than 65, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or HIV.Crocco says there are some instances when emergency medical care should be sought.
Children who display the following symptoms should be treated by a physician:
Adults who display the following symptoms should be treated by a physician:
People with those symptoms should go to their nearest urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room. Crocco recommends urgent care clinics, where wait times are likely to be shorter. This practice also helps prevent the spread of the virus to patients seeking hospital care for other injuries and illnesses, he said. At the time of treatment, patients may or may not receive a rapid flu test, which is a swab of the nostrils. Some patients with flu-like symptoms will simply be treated as if they have it, Crocco said. High-risk patients are more likely to be tested. Depending on the timing of their symptoms and their age, some patients may receive TamiFlu, Crocco added. While it can potentially shorten the time a patient shows flu symptoms and is contagious, TamiFlu is not a cure for flu.“It’s not a magic bullet. It doesn’t work on the flu virus the way an antibiotic works on a bacterial infection,” Crocco said. “It may help reduce the symptoms and contagious period, but it is not a cure.”
In an effort to prevent the spread of flu, West Virginia University Hospitals has established new temporary visitor policies beginning Nov. 2. Many other hospitals across the country have taken similar action.
Visiting hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors will be limited to two per patient at any given time, and must be older than 18. Officials at both hospitals encourage limiting visitors to immediate family members. No one who has had any flu symptoms for the previous 24 hours should visit the hospitals, particularly those who have had a fever.
What You Can Do to Stay Healthy
West Virginia health officials have obtained limited supplies of the H1N1 flu vaccine. The state has established a website to assist you in locating vaccination sites and other resources in your community. The first supplies are reserved for those at highest risk for contracting the virus or developing complications, including health care workers, pregnant women, children and young adults six months to 24 years old, caregivers of children younger than six months and people 25 to 64 years old with underlying health problems, such as diabetes. County health departments and school systems are scheduling flu shot clinics.
WVU medical offices at the Physician Office Center and elsewhere have begun to recieve limited supplies of H1N1 vaccine, and it is being made available to patients in the priority groups listed above during regular office visits. Please contact your family's primary medical office to see if you are eligible for the vaccine.
To dodge the flu virus, Crocco advises putting up a strong defense.“Wash your hands frequently. Most importantly, especially for those who are high risk, stay away from people who are sick, particularly if you see them coughing or sneezing,” he said. “The flu virus is predominantly spread through coughing and sneezing, so those are the best ways to protect yourself.”Crocco also encourages people to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 flu vaccine.“Just because you’ve had one strain of the flu doesn’t mean you won’t get another strain,” he said. “We recommend patients get both vaccines to fully protect themselves.”There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.Seasonal flu vaccine is widely available. H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine is being distributed to healthcare workers, and is expected to be available to the public in the near future.The CDC website, www.cdc.gov, is being updated continually and is an important resource for public health information. The following information is from that website: