An acute illness is an umbrella term used for illnesses that develop quickly and only last a few days or weeks. The most common acute illnesses treated at NorthWest Ohio Urgent care include:
 
The Common Cold
If your nose is runny and you’re feeling weaker and more run down than normal, you may have a common cold. Though typically harmless, having a common cold can be annoying and become a detriment to your work and social life. This type of acute illness is caused by a viral infection found in your upper respiratory tract. Fortunately, the common cold often goes away on its own, but if your symptoms last more than a week or you have a persistent high fever, you may want to seek care at an urgent care center.
 
Strep Throat
Strep throat causes uncomfortable symptoms such as a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, fever, and swelling of the tonsils. Because strep throat is a bacterial infection, you may need to see an urgent care center for antibiotics. Without antibiotic treatment, strep throat can lead to more severe conditions such as rheumatic fever or kidney inflammation.
 
Bronchitis
When the airways called bronchi become inflamed, you may start to experience symptoms such as fatigue, cough, and fever. Acute bronchitis, otherwise referred to as a chest cold, is often caused by a virus.
 
Pneumonia
An infection of the lungs, called pneumonia, can cause symptoms including a severe cough, fever, difficulty breathing, chills, and phlegm buildup. It’s important to seek medical care for pneumonia as it can be caused by bacteria, gungi, or a virus. Determining the root cause of your pneumonia will help your physician make an effective treatment plan. 
 
Other acute illnesses treated at our center include coronavirus, the flu, mononucleosis, respiratory tract infections, croup, conjunctivitis, and more viral or bacterial infection.

Acute illnesses are typically caused by certain bacteria or viruses that enter the body and attack the immune system. The exact cause of your acute illness can be diagnosed through a series of screening tests such as a physical examination, throat swab, blood test, or urinalysis. In many cases your acute illness will go away on its own; however, if it is a bacterial infection, you may need a few weeks of antibiotic treatment.

Acute illness can present itself in many different ways. That being said, there are a few symptoms you can look out for. Common signs you have developed an acute illness may include the following:
 
– Fever
– Runny nose
– Nausea and vomiting
– Diarrhea
– Sore throat
– Sneezing
– Cough
– Earache
– Eye irritation
– Rash
– Headache

The key difference between acute illnesses and chronic diseases is time. Acute illness only lasts a few days or weeks before it is completely cured. An acute illness develops very quickly and can be healed within a short amount of time. On the other hand, symptoms of a chronic disease develop much more gradually and sometimes never fully go away. Many chronic diseases are incurable but can, fortunately, be controlled and managed through long-term treatment plans.
 
If you are experiencing any signs of an acute illness, please don’t hesitate to reach out to NorthWest Ohio Urgent Care. You can walk in into our urgent care center anytime during our business hours or schedule a same-day appointment with one of our specialists. Whether you’re experiencing severe signs of the flu or have a broken bone, our team is here to help you. If you have any additional questions about acute illness assessment, diagnosis, and treatment at our center, feel more than welcome to give our friendly reception a call. We look forward to helping you get back to your healthiest self soon! We serve patients from Benore Toledo OH, Reynolds Toledo OH, Perrysburg OH, Monclova OH, Waterville OH, Holland OH, Rossford OH, Bowling Green OH, Haskins OH and Walbridge OH.