If you’re experiencing symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, body aches, chills, fatigue, headaches, and runny nose, then you may have a flu infection. It is a contagious viral infection that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. While it gets better on its own with self-care at home, sometimes a person can develop severe complications that can be life-threatening. Learn about when you should visit an urgent care center for flu symptoms in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Symptoms that warrant an urgent care visit

The flu causes a wide range of symptoms from mild to moderate to severe which can require an urgent care visit, including:

1. Sore throat: This is a common symptom of the flu, but it also serves as a common symptom of strep throat, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, an upper respiratory virus, and COVID-19. So, if you have a sore throat, then seek medical care help before it gets worse over time. If it’s caused by bacterial infection, the sooner you address it, the better. You start feeling better in just 24 to 48 hours (about 4 days) after treatment. If left untreated, you’re going to feel worse and can also make others sick as well.
2. Cough: Cough can be of many types, generally, flu causes a dry cough that doesn’t produce mucus, but it occurs with COVID-19 too. Other viruses can also cause coughing or even allergies. That’s why you need to consider evaluating your cough and other symptoms. If your cough doesn’t get better or gets worse, visit for testing to find its cause and get appropriate treatment.
3. High persistent fever: The flu typically causes high fever in the range of 99 to 101 degrees. If you have a fever above 101 for some days or you can’t keep the fever low with medication, then you should visit urgent care. If nothing else, check your hydration levels and rule out other illnesses like pneumonia.
4. Stomach issues: Sometimes children develop diarrhea if they have the flu, but it comes with other symptoms and can be linked with the flu. Usually, diarrhea and vomiting are not flu symptoms but are caused by norovirus, rotavirus, COVID-19, and various bacterial infections. If stomach issues persist or get worse, you should visit an urgent care center before you experience other symptoms that make your condition worse.
5. Breathing problems: The flu is not directly connected with breathing problems, although COVID-19 is. So, if you’re experiencing shortness of breath, you should visit urgent care for a check-up. If symptoms are severe or suddenly restricting your breathing, then you may need emergency medical help or call 911.
6. Dizziness: Feeling dizzy often happens with the flu but also causes a sudden, severe headache, chest pain, and difficulty breathing and requires emergency medical attention. Without those symptoms, dizziness is usually related to dehydration or low blood sugar. If it persists even after you’ve taken electrolytes, then visit an urgent care center for treatment.

You should not ignore these symptoms because they can increase the risk of other severe conditions as well. So, if you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms, visit the urgent care center for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Are you in a high-risk population?

If you come to any of the following group populations, then you’re at high risk of flu, including:

• Being pregnant or 2 weeks after the end of pregnancy.
• Being a child under 2 years of age.
• Having a neurological or neuromuscular disorder, asthma, or chronic lung diseases like COPD or cystic fibrosis, heart disease (except high blood pressure), history of stroke, liver or kidney disorder, severely obese, weakened immune system due to disease or medicines such as HIV/AIDS, cancer chemotherapy or radiation, on long-term steroids, or anti-rejection drugs for transplants.
• Being 65 or older.

You should consider visiting an urgent care center when you have flu-like symptoms to get flu testing or take possible treatments that are needed. Your healthcare provider may prescribe antiviral drugs to treat the flu. These drugs work effectively if you start taking them soon after symptoms first appear.

Urgent care for flu: advantages

Here are some common benefits of urgent care centers you can get for flu care, including:

1. Provide timely access to care: When you experience symptoms of a cold or flu, an urgent care center offers timely care for effective treatment. They ensure you receive prompt medical care when you need it the most.
2. Rapid flu testing and treatment: Urgent care clinics offer rapid flu testing and start antiviral treatment quickly if needed. These drugs work best when taken within 2 days of flu symptoms appearing. You can also save your time by making an appointment online in advance for a smoother experience with shorter wait times.
3. Vaccine for flu prevention and protection: Urgent care centers offer an annual flu shot if you want to prevent or protect yourself from the flu. They also guide you about practices like good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing, and avoiding close contact with sick individuals to prevent the spread of flu.
4. Personalized care options: Urgent Care Center offers in-person visits or telehealth services, based on your personalized care needs. Some urgent care centers also offer online consultations. Virtual check-ins can reduce wait times and ensure prompt care you need from the healthcare team.
5. Prioritize your well-being: Urgent care centers often prioritize your well-being with the best care and effective treatment options for flu symptoms. This can also be supported by easy online scheduling for a seamless urgent care experience.

What does the doctor do at UC?

If your flu is detected early, your urgent care doctor may prescribe antiviral medications, especially within 2 days of getting sick. These medications can reduce the duration of your illness and also lower the severity of your flu symptoms. This treatment is not for everyone, antivirals are different from antibiotics. Your flu can resolve without an antiviral prescription. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may even recommend a steroid injection. If your immune system is weakened, you may develop secondary infections like pneumonia, in that case, a doctor may recommend a chest x-ray.

For the flu, an urgent care center is the best option because it offers many benefits that help protect you from the flu, by offering services like early diagnosis, treatment, and personalized care options. These benefits make urgent care centers a better choice for flu treatment than other medical facilities.

If you need help with the flu, visit our urgent care center in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!!

Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.