Respiratory illnesses are on the rise: How to treat it and where to get care

Acute respiratory illnesses are on the rise across the U.S., and respiratory illness activity in Virginia is high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From the common cold to bronchitis, pneumonia and RSV, understanding the signs of common respiratory illnesses can help you seek appropriate care and ensure a quicker recovery for you and your loved ones.

Here’s what you need to know to stay healthy this winter.

Identifying common respiratory illnesses

Many of the symptoms of respiratory illnesses are similar and overlap. For this reason, it can be hard to distinguish one illness from another.

Common symptoms for respiratory illnesses:

Bronchitis: Symptoms often start like a cold. They include a runny nose, low-grade fever, coughing and chest congestion. These symptoms may be accompanied by a cough that produces yellow or green mucus and/or a wheezing or whistling sound while breathing.

Cold: A cold often starts with a sore throat. Symptoms may include a runny nose, congestion, sneezing, coughing, mild fever and tiredness.

COVID-19: Symptoms can be mild to severe. Though the loss of taste and smell is one of the most talked about symptoms, not everyone experiences it. Common indicators include cough, fever, breathing difficulties, loss of taste or smell, and tiredness.

Flu: The flu usually causes a sudden fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, congestion, and fatigue.

Pneumonia: Symptoms may include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, rapid and shallow breathing, sharp or stabbing chest pain that worsens when you cough or breathe deeply. You may also experience a loss of appetite, low energy and sometimes nausea and vomiting, especially in small children.

Pneumonia can be bacterial or viral. Bacterial is the more serious of the two and symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. Fevers up to 105 degrees may develop, along with rapidly increased breathing and pulse rate.

Viral pneumonia includes symptoms similar to those of the flu and usually develops over several days. A doctor will likely do a blood test to confirm the type of infection you have and order a chest X-ray to look at your lungs.

RSV: This illness is often seen in children and babies but also affects adults. RSV usually begins with cold-like symptoms and develops into wheezing, fever and cough. Immunization given to the mother while pregnant or an RSV immunization given to infants is the best way to prevent severe RSV illness.

Testing for and diagnosing common respiratory illnesses

If you’re unsure what’s causing your illness, you may want to start with a COVID-19 test since they’re readily available for home testing. Your provider can prescribe antiviral medications to improve the symptoms of COVID-19 should you test positive.

All healthcare providers can test for common illnesses such as the flu and strep throat and can use other diagnostic tools to decide the best treatment for your illness.

Care for respiratory illness: Sentara has you covered

Where you go to be treated for a respiratory illness depends on several factors:

1. Are you in a high-risk group? People in high-risk groups should get prompt medical attention to avoid illness progression or serious complications. Getting the fastest care may mean going directly to a walk-in or urgent care or seeking care at an emergency room, which is open 24/7.
   
   If you fall into one of these categories, you are considered high-risk:
   • Over the age of 65
   • Compromised immune system
   • Pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma
   • Pregnant
2. How severe are your symptoms? If you’re not in a high-risk group, seeking the appropriate level of care for your illness can help you and make the best use of healthcare resources. For example, see your primary care doctor or a walk-in or urgent care clinic for testing and mild symptoms. Do not go to the emergency room for mild symptoms.

Start with your primary care provider

If you can get a timely appointment with your primary care provider, this is the best way to get care and maintain continuity of care. Your primary care team gets to know you over time, monitors your health, diagnoses and treats your illnesses and coordinates referrals with specialists. This is why it’s helpful to start by calling their office for an appointment.

Remember that you can also see other care team members at your primary care office if available. These advanced care practitioners, such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants, can diagnose and prescribe medication for common illnesses.

If you need a primary care provider, Sentara Medical Group’s team of doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners is accepting new patients.

Sentara Walk-In Care

Often, time is of the essence when we need to see a healthcare provider, and waiting a day or two for an appointment isn’t ideal. Sentara offers walk-in care at several Sentara Family Medicine Physician Group locations. These offices provide quick, convenient care without an appointment for these illnesses. You can also reserve a spot online at our Sentara Walk-In Care locations.

Find a Sentara Walk-In Care location near you.

Note: Check with your health insurance for details on copays and billing for walk-in care.

Urgent care

Urgent care provides non-emergency care without an appointment and is helpful when you need an appointment quickly. Sentara urgent care locations also have more flexible hours and provide care on evenings and weekdays. (Hours vary by location.)

Both walk-in care and urgent care locations are appropriate for respiratory concerns and offer testing to help determine the cause of the illness. Urgent care locations may also be equipped to offer more extensive test options such as imaging and blood testing.

Velocity Urgent Care, in partnership with Sentara, offers urgent care locations across Virginia. Find a location near you and schedule your check-in time online for your convenience.

Emergency room care

Emergency room care is available 24/7 and is appropriate for specific symptoms that indicate a need for immediate intervention. These general warning signs include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
• Seizures
• Not urinating
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

Serious warning signs for children

If a child has any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• Ribs pulling in with each breath
• Chest pain
• Severe muscle pain (child may refuse to walk)
• Dehydration (no urine for eight hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
• Not alert or interacting when awake
• Seizure
• Fever above 104°F
• In infants less than 12 weeks old, any fever
• Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

If you’re high-risk or unsure whether you need immediate care, the safest option is to go to the emergency room.

Find a Sentara emergency room near you.

You can still get vaccinated

It’s not too late to get vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19. Flu season often lasts through spring so even though it takes about two weeks for the vaccines to develop antibodies, it’s still worth getting vaccinated.

You should also ask your doctor about vaccination for RSV for adults over age 60, children 19 months and younger as well as pregnant people. A pneumonia vaccine is also available.

Sentara offers vaccinations at our primary care, walk-in and urgent care locations.

Related links:

• Respiratory illness channel from CDC
• Reduce chances of getting sick this holiday season