- When to go to the hospital
- 1. Loss of consciousness, fainting or mental confusion
- 2. Accident or serious fall
- 3. Difficulty moving one side of the body or numbness
- 4. Severe or sudden pain
- 5. Cough that gets worse over time
- 6. Fever lasting more than 3 days
Sudden, severe pain, loss of consciousness, difficulty in moving one side of the body, severe fall, persistent cough, shortness of breath and chest pain, are some of the symptoms that need urgent medical treatment, as they may indicate the presence of a problem serious health problems.
It is not always easy to identify when you really need to go to the hospital or emergency room, and here are some of the main symptoms that justify going to the emergency room or emergency room:
When to go to the hospital
There are some symptoms or situations in which it is important to seek medical help, such as:
1. Loss of consciousness, fainting or mental confusion
When there is loss of consciousness, fainting, confusion or severe dizziness it is important to go to the hospital or emergency room, especially if other symptoms such as shortness of breath or vomiting, for example, are present. The loss of consciousness or frequent fainting may indicate the presence of other more serious problems, such as heart, neurological diseases or internal bleeding.
2. Accident or serious fall
If you have suffered serious injuries or been injured as a result of an accident or sport, it is important to go to the hospital if:
- He hit his head or lost consciousness; You have an extensive hematoma or swelling in some part of your body; Has some deep cut or bleeding; You have severe pain in any part of your body or if you suspect a fracture.
It is important that these symptoms are observed and evaluated by a specialist, and it may be necessary to carry out some tests, to prevent the symptoms from worsening or causing more serious sequelae.
3. Difficulty moving one side of the body or numbness
When there is a loss of memory and mental confusion, decreased strength and sensitivity on one side of the body or severe headache, strokes are suspected, so it is very important to seek medical help quickly.
4. Severe or sudden pain
Any severe pain that arises for no apparent reason should be checked by your doctor, especially if it doesn't go away after a few minutes. However, there are some pains that can be more worrying than others, such as:
- Sudden pain in the chest, may be a sign of infarction, pneumothorax or pulmonary embolism, for example; In women, severe and sudden pain in the belly may indicate miscarriage; Severe abdominal pain may indicate appendicitis or infection in the gallbladder or pancreas; Severe pain in the kidney region, can be a sign of urinary infection; Severe and unreasonable headache can be a sign of hemorrhagic stroke; Severe pain in the testicles can indicate the presence of an infection in the testicles.
In these situations and especially when the pain does not go away or gets worse, it is recommended to go to the hospital or emergency room.
5. Cough that gets worse over time
When the persistent cough does not go away or gets worse, it is recommended to consult the doctor as soon as possible, as it may indicate the presence of respiratory diseases such as influenza, respiratory infection, pneumonia or bronchitis, for example. In addition, other symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or phlegm may also be present.
6. Fever lasting more than 3 days
Fever is a common symptom, which occurs due to a defense reaction of the body against an infection, such as flu, meningitis, pneumonia, respiratory infections, urinary infections or gastroenteritis, for example.
When fever is the only symptom of the disease or when it lasts for less than 3 days, it is not necessary to seek medical help, and it is recommended to wait some more time.
However, when the fever lasts for more than three days or when it is accompanied by other symptoms such as shortness of breath or seizures, it is recommended to go to the hospital or emergency room as soon as possible.
Symptoms of a cold, mild infections, digestion problems, minor injuries or mild pain are symptoms that do not justify a visit to the hospital or emergency room, and it is possible to wait for the consultation of the general practitioner or regular doctor.
