What is the most common reason for emergency room visits

What Is The Most Common Reason For Emergency Room Visits?

October 1, 2022

Seeking emergency care is never a pleasant event. Unfortunately, there’s no way to foresee or prepare for emergencies. Each year, about 124 million people visit the ER, with 24 million of these cases related to injuries.

Since everyone reacts differently to certain conditions, what can be an emergency for you might not be for another. If you believe you or someone close to you is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or visit an ER near you immediately. We offer 24-hour emergency care in Cypress, TX.

Since you might be confused about what constitutes a medical emergency, below are symptoms that can prompt you to visit an ER.

  • Chest pain

Chest pain is never a good sign; you shouldn’t ignore it. In most cases, it’s a common symptom of a heart attack, which is life-threatening. That’s why health providers always check chest pain patients for heart attacks.

However, you should know that chest pain doesn’t always indicate a serious problem. Common reasons for chest pains include heart attacks, angina, pericarditis, tuberculosis, pulmonary hypertension, covid-19, collapsed lungs, and digestive issues like heartburn. Still, you should seek treatment to determine the cause.

Along with chest pain, someone can experience other symptoms like nausea, shortness of breath, and sweating signify a serious condition, and you should seek emergency treatment. For instance, delaying treatment for heart problems can lead to death. Each year, more than 1 million Americans die from heart complications.

  • Abdominal pain
  • In recent years, cases of abdominal pain in the ER have increased. Apart from poor indigestion, abdominal pain can indicate other health complications food poisoning, viral or bacterial infection, ulcers, and kidney stones. Each day, food poisoning sends about 1,940 people to the emergency room in the US. Always seek emergency treatment if you experience severe abdominal pain, especially persistent nausea and vomiting.

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    • Severe toothaches

    Most people may not expect a toothache to be a reason for emergency care. A toothache can cause severe throbbing and unbearable pain. Sometimes, the pain can follow swelling, fever, abscess, and nausea. In such a case, you should call or ask someone to drive you to an ER near you. The sooner you find help, the sooner you can get relief from the discomfort and prevent long-term complications.

    • Sprains and broken bones

    Unfortunately, you can hurt your ligaments or break your bones when playing sports or during an accident. It can cause significant discomfort, among other complications. Most sprains and broken bones require urgent care to alleviate the symptoms and prevent long-term damage. For instance, a broken rib from a car accident can hurt vital organs in the chest.

    • Upper respiratory infections

    A common cold or flu can be reason enough for some people to seek emergency care. You need urgent care if you have severe upper respiratory infections, probably accompanied by symptoms like difficulty breathing, frequent vomiting, changes in vision, continual diarrhea, abdominal pressure, and chest pains.

    • Severe headaches

    While a minor headache shouldn’t prompt you to seek emergency treatment, you should call an ER near you if you experience unbearable headaches. On rare occasions, headaches can signify a serious condition like brain meningitis or cerebral hemorrhaging.

    In most cases, headaches result from strain from other symptoms like tooth pain, vomiting, abdominal pain, eye problems, and chest pain.

    • Deep cuts and bruises

    Deep cuts and bruises should prompt you to seek emergency treatment – whether caused by car accidents, violence, or accidental personal injuries. Deep cuts can cause severe bleeding, discomfort, and even death. A cut can also be serious if there’s debris trapped in the area. Head bruises or trauma in vital body organs also require urgent care to ensure there’s no internal bleeding or serious damage to the vital organs.

    • Foreign objects in the body

    Foreign objects in the nose, down the throat, and other parts of the body are common reasons to go to the ER. Whether inserted intentionally or accidentally, foreign objects can cause significant side effects like discomfort, inflammation, and choking. Each year, about 1,500 people die from foreign object complications.

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