Immediate Signs of Emergency You Need to Act Upon

When going about your daily routine, someone may just suddenly drop in front of you, unable to breathe.

Your colleague could faint in the office, or your child may knock his head on the table.

Health emergencies can occur anytime and anywhere. Such situations can be very desperate for the people around the victim.

But how do you know whether a health condition is serious or not?

Whether a victim is seriously injured or not breathing, depends on the cause and their condition, you can assess if the person needs immediate specialized medical attention.

BLS CPR certification online course thoroughly explains what signs to look for in an emergency.

If you have not taken the BLS CPR certification online course, then we shall discuss some common indications of an emergency here.

Difficulty in Breathing

When a person is struggling to breathe, this is not a good sign. Immediately call the emergency services.

The person may be experiencing a serious health problem like a heart attack.

If the person was in a smoky place, the air path may be blocked by that smoke.

A solid object in the airways can also cause someone to choke. This will prevent sufficient oxygen from being supplied to vital body organs.

The Victim is Not Breathing

Check the victim for any signs of breathing and pulse, even subtle signals are important.

To check pulse, you can slide your finger on the side of Adam’s apple to feel any blood flow.

Also, look at their skin color or moisture. Perform CPR to help the victim breathe.

Move your ear closer to their mouth to hear and feel if they are breathing. See if there is chest movement. If there is none, call for help.

Unconscious and Unresponsive

Unconsciousness can be caused by different factors like cardiac arrest, stroke, shock or head injury.

Try calling the person as you shake them softly. If they do not respond, it is advisable to call an emergency ambulance.

You can then perform CPR by chest compressions to see if they can respond.

Sudden Severe Pain

Sudden pain may not be a cause for alarm, but the patient should be rushed to the hospital to help relieve that pain.

Severe pain could be an indication of a more serious health condition too. There could be an underlying problem.

If they complain of pain in their chest or upper abdomen section including the arms, neck, and jaws, then they are experiencing a heart attack.

Signal health emergency specialist to help the victim as quickly as possible, preferably within 70 minutes from the onset of the attack.

Uncontrollable Bleeding

When accidents happen, people can sustain physical injuries. Sometimes major arteries can be cut or just minor scratches.

However, most bleeding should be stopped by applying direct pressure on the wound.

If heavy bleeding does not stop after 5 minutes, you can call an ambulance while other people continue the attempts using a clean cloth.

Do not relent applying pressure until the medical staff arrives.

Any traumatic injuries should be reported immediately. These are major injuries like broken bones, deep cuts or head injuries.

If you are not sure whether the injury is serious, it is safer having a trained medical assistant near.

Neck and Spine Injuries

Spinal and neck injuries are serious and life-threatening and must be acted upon quickly.

The victims should not be moved at all until the trained medical staff arrives. Move them only if they could be in more serious danger.

Such injuries can result in paralysis and moving them may aggravate the already worse situation.

Feeling Disoriented or Impending Doom

When a person loses their sense of self and environment awareness, they should be admitted immediately.

Try asking them simple questions like their names, dates and where they are. If you confirm they are disoriented, it could signal a serious underlying condition.

Patients suffering from serious medical conditions feel a sense of impending doom, especially when the symptoms set in or take effect. This instinct may be true so call help immediately.

Persistent Severe Vomiting

Vomiting is normal, but persistent and violent vomiting may signal overdose or poisoning.

It also leads to quick dehydration. Coughing blood may be due to medical conditions like lung cancer, pneumonia or stomach tumors.

Suicidal Feelings

Any person who experiences homicidal or suicidal feelings should seek medical attention.

Such feelings show that a person is depressed and may have mental disorders that can be treated. You can save more than just one life.

Any sudden changes in the body should be examined closely. There are many such aspects, including a sudden change in vision which could help uncover and manage major illnesses.

You can learn more about these signs using BLS CPR certification course.