ROCHESTER, Minnesota — Even with all the information that's out there, it can be hard to know if your symptoms are COVID-19.
According to Mayo Clinic, the most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2-14 days after being exposed.
Other symptoms may include tiredness, aches, runny nose and sore throat. However, we are hearing more stories of people experiencing different symptoms not on this list.
"It's one of the things that actually makes this disease really difficult to fight in that the symptoms are very nonspecific," said Dr. Casey Clements, practice chair for emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic's Department of Emergency Medicine in Rochester, Minn.
According to Dr. Clements, almost everybody with COVID-19 will get a fever at some point. A fever isn't common for those suffering from allergies.
You can find more information on fevers through Mayo Clinic's website..
"One of the things that's arisen shortly in the last couple weeks is this idea of, it [COVID-19] messes with some people's sense of taste or smell and I think that based on the number of reports we've heard of this, it probably does in some people. So that's something people can pay attention to," Dr. Clements said. "We have seen several patients with diarrhea who end up testing positive, as well."
Dr. Clements said fevers can generally be managed at home, as well as other mild symptoms.
"The normal treatments for things like cold and flu will help this. Cough medications may be effective for some people. Things like decongestants can also be helpful though most people with COVID don't actually get significant runny noses," Dr. Clements said.
Dr. Clements said while mild symptoms can be treated at home, those in high-risk groups should call their doctor.
"They can work with you on whether or not you should have a test," he said.
He also said people with COVID-19 should not stop taking the medications they are prescribed without talking to their doctor first.
So when should someone go to the emergency room?
"The emergency department should be preserved for when things are going really, really poorly. So that's things like not being able to breathe, starting to cough up blood, chest pain (and not just tenderness because you coughed and hurt your chest but real serious heavy chest pain), confusion, passing out or nearly passing out," Dr. Clements said.
One issue that is concerning doctors is how many people are choosing not to go to the ER when they should because they are afraid of getting COVID-19.
"I've seen and I've heard all around the country that people are staying at home while they're having their heart attacks; people have not come in for treatment of their strokes. If you get symptoms like chest pain, or severe abdominal pain, muscle weakness, or slurred speech, you should call 911 or present to the emergency department right away," Dr. Clements said. "We have COVID-related deaths in our community, in our area, and they're not infected. So we need to make sure that people are still coming to the ER when they have to."
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The state of Minnesota has set up a hotline for general questions about coronavirus at 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903, available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.