When To See Your Doctor for a Cold or the Flu

Symptoms to Watch For

Here’s a list of symptoms you shouldn’t ignore. Call your doctor if you have:

Chest pain or pain in your stomach

Cough that keeps you awake at night

Dizziness

Fever of 100.5 degrees F or higher

Fever that doesn’t go down within a few days or respond to fever-reducing medicine

Severe sinus pain

Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

Swollen glands

Vomiting that is severe or persistent

If You Don’t Feel Better

Another sign you may need medical care is if extra rest doesn’t seem to be working. Call your doctor if you:

Start to feel a lot worse or don’t feel better after 2 weeks—a sign of a more serious infection

Have symptoms that get better and then get worse again—again, a sign of a more serious infection

Have a chronic disease, such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes, and have flu symptoms—if you have one of these conditions, you’re more likely to have complications from the flu

Have cold symptoms that keep coming back—this may be a sign of allergies rather than a cold

Fortunately, most colds and flus get better on their own. But don’t hesitate to call your doctor if you’re worried about your symptoms or have any questions.

Key Takeaways

Sometimes colds and flus can lead to illnesses like pneumonia. Or what you think is the flu is actually a more serious infection.

Call your doctor if you have symptoms such as a fever that doesn’t go down, severe vomiting, or trouble breathing.

Also call if you don’t feel better after 2 weeks, or if you have symptoms that improve, then worsen again.

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