When Should You Go To The Hospital If You Have The Flu?

The flu can sometimes evolve to a more life threatening condition like pneumonia or very rarely, lead to death. In other instances, it will go away by itself.  But sometimes the symptoms may not disappear by themselves and you may need to go to a health clinic for a checkup or a hospital for an emergency.

These are times when there are signs of complications like:

• When you are dehydrated and unable to drink fluids
• When you have bloody or brown sputum (saliva mixed with mucus and coughed up)
• When you have a difficulty in breathing
• If you are turning blue which usually indicates a sign if poor oxygenation
• If you have a worsening fever
• When your fever, cough and other flu symptoms return in the second week after the onset of the flu or when they worsen after symptoms have begun to improve

These symptoms are an indication of a more severe and complicated attack of the flu, most especially pneumonia. Pneumonia, which is a lung infection can result from the flu virus itself or from a bacterial infection that occurs when the person is weakened during the flu.

Generally, flu symptoms go away after two to five days and some that are accompanied by a fever, can cause weakness and fatigue that can persist for several weeks. Children, infants and the elderly are at risk of these complications and may require hospitalization to stabilize them. Some other groups of people are also at risk of developing flu complications like those with chronic diseases, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups. See how bad a 104 degree fever is.