High health insurance deductibles, the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, the advent of telemedicine—various factors have many of us wondering if that painful sore throat or nagging cough really warrants a trip to the emergency room. And although the proliferation of digital information and services has changed how medicine is delivered, in some cases, there is no virtual substitute for a trip to the ER. There are seven signs you need to go to the emergency room for a minor ailment, according to a doctor.
"As a general rule, age is the best guide," Dr. Chris Smith recently wrote in the Telegraph. "The most vulnerable are the oldest and the youngest. The former may be coping with underlying health problems, meaning a dose of flu can quickly become life-threatening, while children and babies are generally less resilient and can deteriorate rapidly."
"A new rash in someone of any age, combined with ill health and a fever, should also never be ignored, either because it signals an infection that could also be a threat to others, such as measles or chickenpox, or it may be a sign of sepsis or meningitis," says Smith. A particular warning sign: If the rash doesn't blanch (turn paler or white) when pressed.
"If an allergy causes difficulty breathing and a tight throat that alters speech, this needs medical attention," says Smith.
"Most colds and flu infections clear up within a few days," says Smith. "Rarely, more serious infections, such as meningitis and sepsis, can sometimes begin with flu-like symptoms, but usually they present far more dramatically, with a sustained high fever and prostration, shaking, and there's often a rash." If you experience those symptoms, seek help right away.
"When a bacterial infection forms off the back of a prior viral infection, this might need antibiotics and the usual giveaway is an infection that appears to be getting better but then, a week or so later, recovery stops and a new set of focal symptoms set in," says Smith. "A new fever, cough, earache or even toothache caused by a sinus infection are hallmarks of this happening."
"If a person is struggling to breathe, the mucus they are coughing up is green or blood-stained, and if the chest is painful, particularly when breathing in, this can be a sign of a more significant problem, such as a lung infection or a blood clot called a pulmonary embolus, and warrants investigation," says Smith. Coughs that don't go away should also be presented to a doctor.
A brief case of hiccups is common and harmless. But hiccups can sometimes be a sign of serious problems in the GI tract or nervous system. If you have recurrent hiccups over many days to weeks, you should seek medical advice.
