When to Get Medical Help for Flu Symptoms

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What are the symptoms of flu?
Get medical help immediately for these high-risk people
Get medical help immediately for these symptoms
Minnesota FluLine: 1-866-259-4655

What are the symptoms of flu?

Most people are sick with the flu for 3-5 days and get better on their own. If you aren't very sick, you don't need to seek medical help. But call a doctor or the Minnesota FluLine if the sick person has symptoms you are concerned about, such as a very high fever.

Get medical help immediately for these high-risk people

Some people have a high risk of getting very ill from flu. Be sure to call the Minnesota FluLine or your doctor right away if the sick person:

• Is pregnant
• Is a child under 5 years old – especially those under 2 years of age
• Has a cardiovascular condition (except high blood pressure), liver or kidney disease, a blood disorder (such as sickle cell disease), neurologic or neuromuscular disorder, metabolic disorder (such as diabetes), immune suppression (including HIV infection and medications that suppress the immune system such as cancer chemotherapy or anti-rejection drugs for transplants)
• Lives in a nursing home or other chronic-care facility
• Is 65 or older

Get medical help immediately for these symptoms

Adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or belly
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or repeated vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms that get better but then return with fever and worse cough
• Severe dehydration

Children

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not urinating or no tears when crying
• Severe or repeated vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Pain or pressure in chest or belly
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Flu-like symptoms that get better but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

If you think you might be sick with the flu and have questions about how to get treated, call your doctor or the Minnesota FluLine.

Minnesota FluLine: 1-866-259-4655

If you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as you can to keep from spreading your illness to others. 

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