When to Go to an ER for: Vomiting
Vomiting, which is the forceful ejection of the stomach’s contents, or being sick as it is commonly referred to, is one of those things that all of us must have suffered at one point or the other. The thing about vomiting is that, its timing may usually give us an indication as to what may have caused it. For instance, if the vomiting comes just shortly after having had a meal, then it may be due to a peptic ulcer or a mental disorder or if it happens between 1 to 8 hours after the meal, then this could be indicative of food poisoning. While vomiting is mostly caused by food poisoning or the stomach flu, it is also a symptom of many other conditions, some of which are quite serious and may need one to head over to an ER, with FrontlineER.com being the best one out there. Persistent and severe vomiting can also lead to dehydration, which, in severe cases, can be potentially life-threatening. What is clear from the above is that vomiting may be as a result of conditions and illnesses that are non-serious or it could be a sign of a much more sinister condition which is a medical emergency, or in the case of severe dehydration, could lead to a medical emergency. This is why this article should come in handy as it will look to highlight the instances where vomiting should lead to an ER visit.
If you are experiencing severe vomiting, followed by abdominal pain or stomach pain that is sudden in onset and is severe as well, then you should head over to an ER as soon as possible as this could be a sign of appendicitis. As per the gurus over at FrontlineER.com, the abdominal pain associated with appendicitis usually starts near the navel and then radiates towards the lower right side of the stomach, upper right side for pregnant women, and should always be taken seriously as this is a potentially life-threatening condition especially if the appendix bursts. If also, on top of your vomiting, you also begin to experience severe chest pain and other breathing problems such as shallow breathing among others, then you should head over to an ER as soon as possible. This is because vomiting as well as chest pain and breathing difficulties are a classic sign of a heart attack, which as we all know is a medical emergency. In such a case you should call 911 and have an ambulance come and take you to the ER as soon as possible, since we all know that with heart attacks, time is precious since the more you wait, the more damage your heart muscles suffer.
Another instance when vomiting should lead to a visit to an ER, with the excellent FrontlineER.com being the best choice of them all, is if the case of vomiting involves an infant, that is, a child under the age of 3 months old. Children under three months old don’t have a fully developed immune system and as such when they develop symptoms of illness, which vomiting definitely is, they should be taken to an emergency room as soon as possible so that they can be attended to. For children of other age demographics, if they are suffering from severe, repetitive vomiting, then they should also be taken to an ER as soon as possible. It is also advisable that you take your child to an ER as soon as you can if they are not only vomiting, but are presenting with a high fever as well. For those children who are three months or younger, if their fever goes above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, they should be taken to an ER while those over three months should be taken to an ER if they spike a fever that is over 102.2 degree Fahrenheit. If your child is vomiting and is inconsolable and has also gone for a while, usually over 3 hours, without wetting their diapers, and has sunken eyes, cheeks or soft spot, you should take them to an ER as soon as possible as this is a sign of dehydration which can be life-threatening.
The gurus on the subject matter over at FrontlineER.com also advice that if you are vomiting and there is blood in your vomit, or what appear to be coffee granules in your vomit, then you should head over to an ER as soon as possible too. This is because this could be a sign of a serious condition such as gastric ulcers, cirrhosis, esophageal varices among others, including Ebola. You should therefore ensure you head over to an ER as soon as possible if you start to notice blood in your vomit. Other red flags to look out for that accompany vomiting include a stiff neck as well as high fever as well as a sudden, severe headache, that is unlike any other you have ever experienced before. These symptoms should always be taken seriously. If you are experiencing persistent vomiting and you have diabetes, then you should also head over to an ER as soon as possible, especially if you need to take insulin. Another sign that you need to head over to an ER is if you start to vomit and you suspect that you may have swallowed something poisonous. This should be taken seriously as it is a potentially life-threatening situation.
While vomiting is not always a sign of something serious, it could be a symptom of a much serious condition and as such when you present with the symptoms above, ensure that you head over to an ER as soon as possible, with FrontlineER.com being the best of them all to visit.
