MIDLAND, ODESSA, AND ANDREWS, TX FLU VACCINE AND FLU CLINIC
From body aches to a runny nose, the flu can be uncomfortable and downright unpleasant. Though you can catch the flu any time of year, it’s more common in the winter. Patients in the West Texas region can get the treatment they need from our physicians at WesTex Urgent Care.
The flu is a highly contagious illness that occurs when the influenza virus attacks the body. It most commonly affects the respiratory system, including the throat, nose, and lungs. Most people contract this virus after being exposed to someone else who already has it; it can be passed through infected coughs, sneezes, or inhalation of airborne particles. People can catch the virus when they are close to the infected person or when they touch something that was near the infected person.
The flu and stomach influenza are two very different illnesses. While symptoms of the stomach flu include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and low-grade fever, symptoms of the flu include a sore throat, headache, fever, chills and/or sweating, muscle aches, fatigue, and more.
REASONS TO RECEIVE A FLU VACCINE
We strongly encourage everyone to receive flu shots once they are eligible to do so. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months annually receives a flu shot to strengthen their immunity against the flu. Some other important reasons to schedule your flu vaccine appointment are as follows:
- Save Your Health & Others: When you get a flu vaccine, you are protecting yourself from catching the flu, as well as doing your part to prevent spreading it to others. Some age groups and those with underlying conditions can be severely affected by the symptoms of the flu, therefore being vaccinated can help save more lives than just your own.
- Reduce Your Sick Days: Depending on the person, flu symptoms can have different severities. One personal experience with the flu may differ from the next, therefore you should always schedule a flu vaccine to avoid symptoms altogether. If you come down with the flu during a work week, you may be required to use sick days or PTO to avoid spreading the sickness throughout the office. When you are fully vaccinated, you can use those sick or PTO days doing something you enjoy.
- You Will Not Get the Flu from The Vaccine: Unfortunately, myths surrounding advanced medicine are still common to this day. Many will try to avoid receiving vaccines due to common misconceptions about side effects or symptoms experienced after the shot. While you may feel minor aches and pains in the location of the shot, these aches are very tolerable in comparison to what you may feel if you contract the flu.
- The Vaccine Changes Yearly: Like other forms of science, medicine is always evolving. Different strains of the flu mutate throughout the years; therefore it is extremely important to schedule annual flu vaccine appointments to protect yourself and your loved ones.
YOUR SOURCE FOR FLU TREATMENT & THE FLU VACCINE
Sometimes patients need lots of rest and plenty of fluids to recover from the flu, but that’s not always the case. There is no cure for the flu, but the doctors at WesTex Urgent Care can prescribe medications to help patients deal with the symptoms, such as decongestants and fever medications. We may also prescribe an antiviral medication that could shorten the duration of symptoms.
It’s important to take action if you notice that the symptoms have become more severe; this can put you at risk for developing pneumonia, which requires more advanced treatment in a hospital. We will offer you the best treatment or most professional recommendation to seek treatment from a hospital, depending on your case.
For your convenience, we offer walk-in appointments or scheduled appointments to help diagnose flu symptoms. If you experience severe symptoms for more than a week, visit WesTex Urgent Care's flu clinic right away. Before the flu season begins to overwhelm your family, please feel free to visit us today to receive your flu shot.
