Be Emergency Ready
7/26/2022
Emergency preparedness is a focus on the national, state and local levels, but how ready are you to deal with a personal medical emergency? The Emergency Department (ED) of Merit Health Biloxi has some pointers to help you recognize an emergency and to aid our staff in treating you.
When do you need ED care?
To avoid wasting precious time wondering if you need to seek treatment, consider these factors:
- Severity of symptoms: Is the pain unbearable? Is vomiting excessive? When pain or discomfort is severe, go to the ED.
- Suddenness/length of symptoms: How quickly did symptoms appear? How long are they lasting? A twinge of pain that goes away in seconds may not be severe, but pain that lingers for minutes or hours could warrant emergency care.
- Location of symptoms: Chest pain, especially on the left side, together with shoulder or jaw discomfort and tingling down the arm could suggest a heart problem. Loss of speech may indicate a stroke. In both cases, the sooner you get to the ED, the better.
- Age: Symptoms are likely to be more serious if they occur in the very young or very old.
Symptoms to consider
The following are red flags that emergency care is needed:
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
- sudden dizziness, weakness, loss of coordination or vision problems
- high fever or vomiting that continues nonstop for several hours
- confusion or change in mental status or speech
- any sudden or severe pain, including a headache
- bleeding that cannot be controlled by pressure
- vomiting blood or bright red blood in stool
- injuries from an accident or fall
- suicidal or homicidal feelings
If you or a loved one has any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 or have a friend take you to the emergency room immediately. The sooner medical attention is received, the more quickly a professional can assess your condition and begin treatment.
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