Common Illnesses: Emergency Room Near You

Common Illnesses: Emergency Room Near You

I’m sure we would all like to be healthy all the time but that is not something that is always possible as even the healthiest among us are liable to suffer illness at one time or the other. Illnesses are just par for the course of being human, as hard as our immune system usually fights to prevent this. From both internal as well as external and environmental factors, we are always liable to suffer illness and I’m sure most of us, if not all of us, have been struck by illness at one point or the other. Illnesses come in different types and while there are those that are minor and not what would be termed as medical emergencies, there are those that are severe and potentially life-threatening and definitely require one to seek immediate emergency care by heading over to an emergency room near them or calling 911. On the same vein, while there are those illnesses that are not commonly sighted, there are those that are common and affect most of us. This article will look to focus on these common illnesses, highlighting particularly the signs that show that you should head over to an emergency room near you as soon as possible as far as they are concerned.

One of the most common illnesses out there are cold and flu, which I’m sure we have all suffered from at one time or the other. They are quite common, especially during flu season and in most cases they are not something to worry about as their symptoms usually go away after some time. Flu is a bit more severe than the cold, and may last longer, but even then, with home remedies, lots of rest and fluids, a cold or the flu will resolve on its own after a week or so. However, it is also important to note that there are instances where you may need to go to the emergency room for the flu. The symptoms that indicate this include difficulty breathing, chest pain, swelling in the mouth or throat, confusion, dizziness especially if it came about suddenly, vomiting that is severe or persistent, as well as when you get flu-like symptoms that appear to get better only to return a lot worse than before.  Signs in children to look out for that also mean you should take them to an emergency room near you include if their skin begins to turn blue in color, if they are not waking up or playing with others, if they appear inconsolable, if they have a fever with a rash among others.

Ear infections are also another very common illness, especially in children, with this being one of the most common reasons why children end up in the doctor’s office. While they can be irritating and uncomfortable, most ear infections can be handled by your primary care doctor and may even clear on their own, although there are cases that may require antibiotics. However, there are instances where you should head over to an emergency room near you for an ear infection. Some of the symptoms that indicate that you should head over to an emergency room for an ear infection include if you also have a high fever, severe drowsiness, a stiff neck or severe nausea and/or vomiting. This should always be taken seriously as it may be a sign that the infection has spread to other areas of the body. Headaches are yet another very common illness, which I’m sure we have also experienced at one time or the other. While in most cases a headache can be handled at home with rest and over-the-counter medications, there are other instances where it may require one to go to an emergency room near them or call 911. This includes cases where the headache developed after having had a knock to the head, or if it is accompanied with other symptoms such as a stiff neck, drooping of the face, pain in one or both arms, nausea and vomiting or if the headache is severe and came on suddenly. These symptoms could be a sign of severe conditions such as a stroke, meningitis and a brain aneurysm among others and should be taken very seriously.

Fever is yet another very common illness which also in most cases can be handled at home with home remedies such as rest, lots of fluid among others as well as with the help of over-the-counter medications. However, there are certain red flags as far as fever is concerned that indicate that you should head over to an emergency room near you or should call 911. For instance, a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and above in an infant under the age of 3 months should always lead to a visit to an emergency room visit. You should do the same if the baby has a fever and it is accompanied by a rash, vomiting and inability to keep fluids down, difficulty breathing and they are turning blue or if they seem inconsolable, are having difficulty waking up or are not feeding. Additional symptoms for children between the ages of three months and 3 years include if they have a fever and are not immunized or they are not urinating with a stiff neck being an additional symptom for those older than 36 months, with most of the earlier symptoms applying for the latter two age groups. Adults with a fever should head over to an emergency room near them if they are experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, severe headache, burning when urinating as well as if they have a compromised immune system or have had recent chemotherapy or transplant surgery.

It is clear from the above discussion that while most of the common illnesses we experience on the day to day may seem mundane, they may also get quite severe and as such it is important to know when to head over to an emergency room near you as far as they are concerned which is why we hope this article will be of great help in that regard.

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