Flu & Sick Visits

Dr. Van Tran Family Practice Our Services Flu & Sick Visits

Dr. Van Tran Family Practice

Family Medicine located in Houston, TX

Whether you’re miserable with the fever and body aches caused by flu, or you suddenly come down with another illness, you won’t wait to get medical care at Dr. Van Tran Family Practice. They respect your time and understand that you don’t want to sit in the waiting area when you’re sick, so you’ll get in to see Dr. Tran as quickly as possible. If you need to schedule an appointment, or would like help deciding whether a sick visit is necessary, call the office in Houston.

Flu & Sick Visits Q & A

Can I schedule a same-day sick visit?

When you’re sick, you should never have to wait to see the doctor. That’s why the team at Dr. Van Tran Family Practice always reserves openings for same-day sick visits.

During same-day appointments, Dr. Tran frequently treats patients with:

  • Cold and flu
  • Sore throat
  • Rash
  • Earache
  • Cough
  • Fever (especially in babies)
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Abdominal pain

These aren’t the only problems that qualify for a same-day sick visit though, so call any time illness strikes.

What should I know about the flu?

The flu is caused by a virus that’s passed through the air or direct contact. All it takes is for an infected person to sneeze, cough, or have the virus on their hands, and then it ends up on anything they touch.

The flu virus survives about 24 hours on a hard surface and 15 minutes on a soft tissue. In droplets in the air, viruses last several hours.

Washing your hands regularly can help reduce the spread of flu viruses.

How long is flu contagious?

Flu is contagious beginning one day before your symptoms appear, then it stays contagious while you have symptoms. The risk of spreading the virus stops around the seventh day of the infection.

How can I tell the difference between a cold and the flu?

A cold usually develops gradually, while the flu hits suddenly. Some of the other key differences between the two illnesses include:

  • Fever: no fever or mild fever with a cold — high fever with the flu
  • Fatigue: mild fatigue with a cold — long-lasting, heavy-duty fatigue with the flu
  • Aches and pains: few or no aches with a cold — severe body aches with the flu
  • Headache: seldom with a cold — often with the flu
  • Nose symptoms: stuffy, runny nose with a cold — nose can be clear or stuffy with the flu
  • Cough: mild, mucus-producing cough with a cold — dry, severe cough with the flu

If you see Dr. Tran within 48 hours of your first flu symptom, he can administer the antiviral medication Tamiflu® to relieve your symptoms and shorten your recovery time. Tamiflu is FDA-approved for people two weeks of age and older.

To schedule a same-day sick visit, call Dr. Van Tran Family Practice.

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