5 Common Medical Emergencies to Look Out For
Did you know that an estimated 2 million South Africans require medical attention for non-fatal injuries? According to Life Healthcare, this translates to approximately 60 per 1000 cases needing emergency medical care. Many hospital cases require emergency medical attention.
Medical emergencies are broad and usually determined by how serious each incident is. It’s essential not to delay when dealing with a medical emergency. Knowing the following five common medical emergencies should be helpful.
1. General Poisoning
Most poisons are related to how much you ingest. The dosage amount is determined by the concentration of the poison and how much you’ve ingested. If exposed to a highly toxic poison, you require emergency medical care.
A healthcare professional examines you to understand how severe your exposure is. You can also be exposed to most poisons through inhalation or touching contaminated surfaces. This leads to a partial or total shutdown of most bodily functions.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has been poisoned, these are signs and symptoms you must be aware of.
- Vomiting and irregular breathing.
- Unsteady coordination.
- Painful swallowing and irritation in the mouth.
- Passing out.
- Drained colour in your skin.
2. Heart Attack
You’d be surprised to learn how common heart attacks are. In South Africa, research suggests that five people have a heart attack every hour. It’s one of the leading causes of death after cancer and HIV/Aids.
A heart attack is life-threatening since it limits the amount of blood meant to flow in and out of your heart. While they’re mainly common in adults, younger children and teenagers can experience them. If you suspect that you or your loved one is having a heart attack, be on the lookout for the following.
- Difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
- Chest pains accompanied by tightness and pressure.
- Dizziness and light-headedness.
- Sweating and severe anxiety.
- Sharp pain from the chest to the left arm or both arms.
3. Burns
Did you know that burn injuries are one of the typical medical emergencies in younger children in South Africa? In most cases, children who come from lower-income households are likely to be exposed to fire-related injuries. While infants who are left unattended are likely to be exposed to hot liquids.
You can’t take away the fear and pain that comes with a burn injury. Moreover, when burns are poorly treated, they cause mild to severe infections. As a result, it’s crucial to receive emergency medical care to prevent extreme tissue damage.
4. Breathing Difficulties
In most cases, breathing difficulties are related to an underlying medical condition such as asthma. If you have asthma, you struggle to breathe due to a disease that affects your lungs. Specific triggers such as an allergy, environment, infection, or panic attacks can cause you to have an asthma attack.
If your asthma has been diagnosed, you must always carry your inhaler. However, if you don’t have anything to make your breathing difficulties better, you must receive emergency medical care. It’s essential to remain calm if you or your loved one has an asthma attack.
5. Broken Bone Injuries
Do you remember how many bones you broke when you were younger? Whether from climbing trees or riding a bicycle, it was impossible to prevent these inevitable bone injuries. The good news is that most bone injuries aren’t life-threatening.
If your children love to play outside, you must be prepared to rush to your nearest hospital for emergency medical care. An X-Ray diagnosis should help assess the damage. Sometimes, a few weeks of a cast limb should fix everything.
The thing is many situations have the potential to become a life-threatening medical emergency. It’s best to know what the five common medical emergencies are. Let Affinity Rescue assist you to deal with a severe medical situation by contacting us today to get the best medical care for you and your loved ones.