Coping with Illnesses, Injuries and Emergencies

November 1999 - Coping with Illnesses, Injuries and Emergencies

by Richard H. Middleton, Jr. & Leah S. Guerry

If you're reading this column, it's safe to assume you are a person concerned about keeping your family healthy and happy. One way to safeguard the well-being of our loved ones is to learn how to recognize a medical emergency and when to seek professional medical attention.

"It's one of the most important things you can do for your family's health," says Gregory L. Henry, M.D., in the booklet Home Organizer for Medical Emergencies, a Guide from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Dr. Henry, a former president of ACEP, states: "Qualified emergency physicians, specially trained to care for you and your family, are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Knowing how and when to properly use this valuable resource can help protect you and your family from tragedy."

ACEP's Guide offers the following steps to improve the health, safety and well-being of our families.

Learn to recognize emergencies

One of the hardest things to do is to tell the difference between a true emergency and a minor problem. While certain symptoms are so alarming that the need for emergency care is obvious, it's the more common illnesses and injuries that sometimes leave us confused. Of course, only a doctor can diagnose medical problems. But we can help protect our family's health by learning to recognize certain symptoms.

According to ACEP, the following are warning signs of medical emergencies:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure.
Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness or change in vision.
Change in mental status (such as unusual behavior, confusion, difficulty waking).
Sudden, severe pain anywhere in the body.
Bleeding that won't stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure.
Severe or persistent vomiting, coughing up or vomiting blood.
Suicidal or homicidal feelings.

Talk to your doctor about what to do

The next time you visit your regular doctor, take a moment and ask her or him what you should do if you think someone in your family needs emergency care. Should you call the doctor's office first, or go straight to the emergency room? What should you do when the doctor's office is closed? Many other factors, including the time of day, can make an otherwise small medical problem an "emergency." Above all else, trust your instincts - if you are alarmed by severe symptoms that you believe could be an emergency, it's best to seek care.

Calling an ambulance

One of the hardest decisions to make is when you should call an ambulance instead of driving to the emergency room. In order to make that determination, ACEP suggests you first run through the following checklist in your head:

q Is the person's condition life-threatening?
q Could the person's condition worsen on the way to the hospital?
q Could moving the person cause further injury?
q Does the person need the skills or equipment of paramedics or emergency technicians?
q Would distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the person to the hospital?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," or if you are unsure, it's best to call an ambulance. Paramedics and emergency technicians are trained to begin medical treatment on the way to the hospital. This prevents any delay that could occur if the patient is driven to the emergency department. The ambulance can also alert the emergency department to the patient's condition in advance.

If you live in a community with a single emergency number, just dial 9-1-1. If not, keep the numbers of the fire, police and emergency medical services departments near your telephone.

Thanks to ACEP, we all can better prepare ourselves to help our families and loved ones in times of need. For additional health tips or information on obtaining a copy of Home Organizer for Medical Emergencies, a Guide from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), visit ACEP's Web site.

Richard H. Middleton, Jr., president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, is a partner in the Savannah, GA, law firm of Middleton, Mathis, Adams & Tate, P.C.

Leah S. Guerry is the executive director of the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association.

Reprinted with permission of Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, P. O. Box 4289, Baton Rouge; (225) 383-5554 or (800) 354-6267.