[Health in the 100-Year Life Era] Flu Season: Use Primary and Secondary Hospitals Instead of Crowded Emergency Rooms

The chilly temperatures in the morning and evening signal the flu season. As the seemingly endless heatwave passes and the cold wind brushes against my nose, I, who used to be overwhelmed with excitement from the scent of autumn, now think of the flu first, perhaps because of my profession.

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, refers to the illness caused by the influenza virus among the viruses that cause cold symptoms. It is not easy to perfectly distinguish between a common cold and the flu based on symptoms alone, but while a common cold presents symptoms such as cough, runny nose, and sore throat, the flu is characterized by respiratory symptoms along with a high fever above 38 degrees Celsius and severe muscle pain. Even healthy adults who catch the flu feel achy all over and weak to the point that daily life is difficult for 2 to 3 days.

The flu typically involves high fever and muscle pain accompanied by respiratory symptoms for about 2 to 3 days, which then gradually improve, with most symptoms resolving after about a week. Many patients who visit the emergency room do so because their fever does not subside well even after taking antipyretics or because the fever returns; this is a typical course of the flu. Taking antipyretics does not immediately reduce the fever, and the fever may rise again. However, the intervals between fever spikes tend to lengthen, and even if the fever returns, the peak temperature generally decreases. Even after fever and muscle pain improve 2 to 3 days later, cough often persists for several weeks. In elderly people or those with chronic diseases, complications such as pneumonia can occur and may lead to death. Therefore, if symptoms persist for more than 5 days accompanied by difficulty breathing, it is essential to undergo examinations including a chest X-ray at a nearby emergency room.

Treatment for the flu is conservative, aimed at relieving symptoms with antipyretics and cough expectorants. Since high fever can cause fluid loss, oral hydration is important, and sufficient rest is essential. For high-risk patients such as the elderly or those with chronic diseases, antiviral medications may be administered. Antiviral drugs include injectable forms and pills taken for 5 days, and recently, a flu treatment that requires only a single oral dose has been introduced and is gaining attention.

The flu spreads to others through droplets released when coughing or sneezing, so people with symptoms or confirmed cases should wear masks, and it is important to practice good handwashing and cough etiquette.

Flu patients themselves suffer physically and painfully, often barely making it to university hospital emergency rooms, but in reality, the flu is classified as a non-emergency condition, making it difficult to receive prompt diagnosis and treatment. Nowadays, due to severe overcrowding in emergency rooms, flu patients in busy university hospital emergency rooms filled with continuously arriving emergency patients often cannot even receive intravenous fluids and endure long waits sitting before being discharged. Since the flu is a condition treated symptomatically and patients can recover their condition with antipyretics and fluid therapy, if you are considering hospital treatment, it is better to visit a nearby primary or secondary care hospital.

Park Chaeryeong, Department of Emergency Medicine, Severance Hospital