Respiratory Symptoms 101: Simple Steps for Telehealth Urgent Care

Runny nose, cough, sore throat, and fatigue can come from a cold, influenza, COVID, or allergies. A few clues can help. Allergies often cause itching, sneezing, and clear drainage, and they tend to come without fever. Colds often start gradually with congestion, sore throat, and mild fatigue. Influenza usually hits fast, with body aches, fever, chills, and significant exhaustion. COVID can vary widely and may include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, and loss of taste or smell in some people.

Telehealth urgent care can help you decide on testing, symptom relief, and whether you may benefit from prescription treatment. Before your visit, note symptom start date, measured temperatures, breathing symptoms, known exposures, and any high risk conditions such as asthma, pregnancy, diabetes, or immune suppression.

Seek urgent in person evaluation for shortness of breath, chest pain, blue lips, severe dehydration, confusion, or a persistent high fever. For most mild cases, focus on rest, fluids, nasal saline, honey for cough if appropriate, and fever reducers as directed.
If symptoms last more than ten days, worsen after initial improvement, or include severe sinus pain, check in for further evaluation.