Is this a Medical Emergency?
A medical emergency condition is a condition that comes in unexpected and sudden. The sudden condition requires immediate medical attention or surgical operation. Failure to deal with an emergency on time may fail body organs, body weakening or even death. During emergencies, it may difficult to diagnose the condition before admitting the patient for further treatment. However, according to FrontLine ER, there are some conditions that signal an onset of an emergency. Such conditions include:
Heart Problems
The heart is a vital body organ that controls the flow of blood in the body. Any unusual behavior of the heart should, therefore, be taken as an emergency condition as it may be fatal. The condition may be pain around the heart, slow heartbeat or even faster and unusual pulse rates.
Failure to address such simple symptoms may result in major heart conditions that may be fatal at times.
Severe and Non-Stop Bleeding
Excessive bleeding leads to the loss of blood. The bleeding may be internal or external. During internal bleeding, blood leaks from internal body organs and blood vessels. As for external bleeding, blood flows through natural openings such as the ear, nose, mouth or vagina in women. Also, internal bleeding may be characterized by blood moving through a break within the skin layer.
Bleeding can be as a result of serious injuries in the body and body tissues. Minor injuries like skin cuts can also cause excessive bleeding. Bleeding can be excessive in people taking blood-thinning drugs or those suffering from bleeding disorders like hemophilia.
Difficulties in Breathing
Through breathing, the body gets sufficient oxygen needed for metabolic problems. However, when breathing problems kick in, the body is deprived of sufficient oxygen it requires. This may occur when one experiences shortness of breathing. Besides, breathing difficulties may involve; uncomfortable breathing or feeling like the supply of oxygen in the body is insufficient.
Patients with advanced lung diseases may experience breathing difficulties frequently. However, some feel breathless after mild body exercises. Insufficient oxygen due to a vigorous body exercise should not be confused for an emergency case.
One other form of breathing difficult is wheezing, where a patient makes a high-pitched sound when they breathe out. Breathing difficulties can also be attributed to:
• Swelling of voice cords
• Blocking of the airways such as the windpipe
• Chocking on food when eating.
• Inflaming of the epiglottis
Unusual Body Behavior and Mental Status Change
The change in mental behavior may occur in the form of confusions where you are unable to think as clearly and quickly as before. Such people can feel disoriented and have problems in remembering past events or even experience problems in making just decisions.
Confusions come in slowly or rapidly depending on what the cause may be. At times, though often in older people, confusion can be short and mild. However, the condition can also last forever and become incurable. Unusual body changes and change in behavior may also signal an emergency condition. This can be in form talking to oneself or aggressiveness when talking.
Possible causes of confusion are
• A brain tumor
• Head trauma
• Low blood sugar and diabetes
• Hypothermia
• Dementia
Chest Pain
Chest pain can be a painful feeling or any form of discomfort anywhere along the upper part of the body mostly between the neck and the abdomen. Majority of chest pains are not that dangerous to the health. Nonetheless, other causes may be serious and life-threatening to a patient. Chest pain may also result from pains from the neck, back, and the abdomen.
Angina and heart attack are the most common symptoms of chest pains. Swelling and inflammation of the pericarditis may also cause pain within the central part of the chest. Chest pain may also be an indicator of heart problems like heart failure, heart attack, blood clotting in the heart vessels. With such conditions at stake, FrontLine ER advises on the need of emergency care when feeling general pains along the chest cavity.
Fainting and Loss of Consciousness
Fainting is another condition that may require quick and urgent emergency care. Unconsciousness occurs whenever one is not responding to people or activities. Other health conditions like organ failure can cause the condition. At times though, drug and alcohol abuse can also bring out the loss of consciousness.
Fainting on the other side may result from low blood supply in the brain cells. Fainting, also scientifically referred to as syncope, often lasts for a few minutes and people can recover quickly after waking up. Other causes of fainting may be low blood sugar, seizures, sudden drop in the blood pressure, slow and rapid heartbeat or stupor.
Abdominal Pain and Pressure
Abdominal pain can be a pain in the stomach and lower chest cavity. These pains can be as a result of damage in internal organs around these regions. The pain can signal stomach diseases, kidney failure, liver disorders or even diseases around the pancreas. Additionally, abdominal pain can be a sign of inflammations in the intestines or even the appendix.
The conditions mentioned above are just but a few of the signals of a medical emergency. Visit us at FrontLine ER and have a medical emergency performed to avert you from other serious health issues.
