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ER or Doctor What Constitutes a Legitimate Medical Emergency?

When deciding whether to go to the ER, ask yourself the following questions to determine if it is a legitimate medical emergency.

A medical emergency can be scary.

Inexplicable rash all over your skin?

Numbness radiating up your left arm?

Pain that won’t leave your head?

A sudden health issue can be scary.

Should you rush to the hospital or make an appointment with the doctor?

Trying to decide if you need to go to the emergency room is stressful and sometimes a gamble.

But we can help you decide.

Keep reading to learn what qualifies as a medical emergency.

When deciding whether to go to the ER, ask yourself the following questions: will this sudden condition…

A medical emergency can be scary.

1. Jeopardize My Long Term Health?

It might not seem like a big deal right now, but could your sudden condition jeopardize your long term health?

Maybe it’s an infection or bizarre, inexplicable symptoms: if it’s totally new to you, that can cause alarm.

You know your body.

You know your “normal.”

If you consider all the factors and still have a nagging doubt, seek professional help.

Don’t risk something that could jeopardize your long term health, says Better Health!

It might not seem like a big deal right now, but could your sudden condition jeopardize your long term health?

2. Impair My Bodily Functions?

Does your sudden (or worsening) condition stop or threaten your breathing?

Your ability to walk?

Your ability to think or speak clearly?

If so, consider visiting an emergency room.

Not just any ER, though.

Emergency care should be taken seriously; choose only the best for yourself.

The emergency Department is known for their efficient around-the-clock care.

It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on holidays, on rainy days, and every day.

See them for injuries, breathing issues, pain, sickness, or infections.

See them for injuries, breathing issues, pain, sickness, or infections.

3. Cause Serious Dysfunction to an Organ or Body Part?

Of course, the ER is there for you if you pierce a lung or get your leg cut off.

But the emergency room can help you even if your condition isn’t life-threatening.

Consider going to the ER if your condition is debilitating, like a shard of glass in your eye, a terrible migraine, or a broken bone.

A normal headache, an allergic reaction with no fever, a bad cold — these kinds of things don’t require the emergency room. (Everyday Health)

Don’t waste your time or money!

That being said, don’t underestimate a debilitating condition.

You don’t have to suffer too long: the ER can help you out, even if it’s not 100% necessary.

Remember: chest pain is always serious enough to be checked out.

Never hesitate to go to the ER if you’re experiencing chest pain of any kind.

You don't have to suffer too long: the ER can help you out, even if it's not 100% necessary.

Learn How to Identify a Medical Emergency

If you’ve ever wondered whether your condition is a medical emergency, wonder no more.

Before you go to the ER and before you don’t go, consider the questions in this article.

Be sure to choose an ER that you can trust. One that’s reliable, honest, and efficient, like Emergency Department Brisbane Northside.

And check out our other articles about health and wellness!

About Julee: Julee Morrison is an experienced author with 35 years of expertise in parenting and recipes. She is the author of four cookbooks: The Instant Pot College Cookbook, The How-To Cookbook for Teens, The Complete Cookbook for Teens, and The Complete College Cookbook. Julee is passionate about baking, crystals, reading, and family. Her writing has appeared in The LA Times (Bon Jovi Obsession Goes Global), Disney's Family Fun Magazine (August 2010, July 2009, September 2008), and My Family Gave Up Television (page 92, Disney Family Fun August 2010). Her great ideas have been featured in Disney's Family Fun (Page 80, September 2008) and the Write for Charity book From the Heart (May 2010). Julee's work has also been published in Weight Watchers Magazine, All You Magazine (Jan. 2011, February 2011, June 2013), Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine (Oct. 2011), Red River Family Magazine (Jan. 2011), BonAppetit.com, and more. Notably, her article "My Toddler Stood on Elvis' Grave and Scaled Over Boulders to Get to a Dinosaur" made AP News, and "The Sly Way I Cured My Child's Lying Habit" was featured on PopSugar. When she's not writing, Julee enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new baking recipes.
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