Emergency Department

When should I go to the Emergency Department?

Abdominal Pain

Most of the time, abdominal pain comes from simple indigestion, mild food poisoning, or a viral infection, and may require no emergency intervention. If acute abdominal pain is accompanied by cold and sweaty skin, a weak or rapid pulse, persistent nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, your condition might be serious. You should get someone to drive you to the Emergency Department or call 911 for transport.

Alcohol-Related Disease

Alcohol consumed in large quantities or over a long period of time may result in a host of medical emergencies. When an alcoholic stops drinking "cold turkey," life-threatening seizures or delirium tremors (DTs) can result. In instances like this, go to the Emergency Department at once.

Allergic Reaction

If you break out in hives, become flushed and swollen, feel weak, or have difficulty breathing after eating a meal, receiving an injection, being stung by an insect, or taking medication, you may be having an extreme allergic reaction. Go to the Emergency Department at once or call 911 for transport.

Altered State of Consciousness

If someone seems disoriented and confused or cannot tell you his or her name, present location, and the date, take them to the Emergency Department immediately.

Amputation

If any part of the body -­ a limb, fingertip, or flap of skin ­ is amputated, place that part in a sealable plastic bag filled with ice water and bring it with you to the Emergency Department at once.

Back Pain

If back pain is so severe it prevents walking or is associated with loss of sensation or control of the bladder, bowel, or leg movements, a hospital evaluation is critical. Those who suffer back pain as the result of trauma, such as a fall from a horse or car crash, must go to the Emergency Department at once via 911 transport. A fracture of vertebrae or a spinal cord injury must be treated immediately.

Bites

All bites are dangerous. If bitten by a dog, spider, snake, raccoon, any other animal, or a human, go to the Emergency Department immediately to avoid any life-threatening infection.

Bleeding

If you are vomiting blood, discharging blood in the stool or urine, having prolonged or serious vaginal bleeding, or are bleeding from a large, open wound, see a physician ­ preferably an emergency physician ­ at once.

Breathing Difficulty

If you experience breathing difficulty, call the paramedics. While it may be impossible to diagnose the problem immediately, disruption of the respiratory system can be fatal.

Bruises

Small bruises, which may be characterized by swelling, black-and-blue marks, or hematomas (blood pooling beneath the skin) do not require emergency care. However, if the bruise is large enough, swelling beneath the skin can result in serious damage to tissues and vital organs. In this case, you should go to the Emergency Department for treatment.

Also, if you have a rash that looks like bruises or bruises appear without any trauma, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Chest Injury caused by Trauma

Anytime the chest has been injured in an accident, go to the Emergency Department immediately.

Crushing Chest Pain

Chest pain may signal a heart attack. Although your chest pain may simply be indigestion, you should never disregard it. If unexplained chest pain persists for more than 5-10 minutes; is associated with nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath or sweating; radiates to the neck or down the arm; or if there is a feeling of a crushing weight on the chest, go to the Emergency Department at once.

Cuts

Cuts require emergency care when they are more than half an inch long, when bleeding does not stop, or when they are on a functionally important part of the body like the hands or feet.

Drug Overdose

Go to the Emergency Department immediately.

Fever

If the patient is an infant, senior citizen, or has an underlying illness, the fever is 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and the primary care physician is unavailable, go to the Emergency Department. If the fever is associated with persistent pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, breathing problems or red hot, tender swollen joints, go to the Emergency Department at once. Do not give aspirin for the fever; use acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Flu-like Symptoms

If your flu symptoms are intense or if they persist, don't wait it out ­ go to your doctor. If your doctor is unavailable, go to the Emergency Department. If you have pneumonia, Legionnaire's disease, or meningitis, you may have to be hospitalized. Caution: Don't give aspirin to a child or to anyone at risk for bleeding when flu-like symptoms occur.

Headaches

Most headaches don't require emergency care, but if you have a sudden, unexpected, severe headache or one that occurs with stiffness in the neck, loss of consciousness, change in vision, impaired balance, or if there is numbness or weakness, go to the Emergency Department immediately.

Joint Pain

Joint pain rarely requires evaluation in the Emergency Department unless over-the-counter medications do not help the pain. The major exception is pain in a single joint that appears red hot, swollen, or infected and is impossible to move.

Poisoning

If you or someone you know has ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-922-1117 for instructions. Then call an ambulance for help and transport to the Emergency Department.

Violent, Suicidal & Delusional Behavior

People who are suicidal, violent, or delusional must be treated as soon as possible. If this individual resists being taken to a doctor or hospital, you must call an ambulance and the police to take the person to the Emergency Department as soon as possible.

Weakness or Numbness

The sudden onset of numbness or weakness in part of the body ­ as well as paralysis, confusion, visual fuzziness, a speech disorder, or coma ­ could indicate a stroke. A stroke occurs when a clot or hemorrhage in the brain results in neurological damage. If any of these symptoms occur, go to the Emergency Department at once.

Wound Care

Cover large, open wounds with gauze or a clean cloth to prevent infection. Attempt to control the bleeding and get to the Emergency Department at once via 911 transport.

Puncture wounds can cause serious, even deadly bleeding inside the body, as well as significant infection. If possible, leave the object in place: you could cause more damage by removing it. Seek medical treatment immediately.

Back to Emergency Department.