Some people avoid seeking medical treatment because of rising healthcare costs. Others do because of a fear of doctors and medical facilities. Then there are people that simply prefer to treat their injuries at home with more natural health remedies. Whatever the reason, most folks who opt to treat serious injuries and illnesses at home or flatly refuse to treat them at all will eventually come to regret their decision.
Failure to have a serious medical problem addressed in time can easily lead to further medical complications which were otherwise avoidable. For instance, a bad leg gash can turn into a nasty infection. Undiagnosed bone and joint injuries originally causing relatively minor pain can become agonizing overnight to the point where powerful painkillers are needed. Dependence on medication to dull the pain can then lead to enrolling in specialized residential drug treatment in Orange County California to recover from addiction. It may seem like an overdramatic depiction of events when you’re only experiencing moderate pain, but if left untreated a seemingly manageable medical problem can spiral into something more severe.
Hospital emergency room professionals report more injured patients during the warmer weather months, something to consider as spring approaches. If anyone sustains a head injury, they should be assessed by a medical physician or qualified healthcare professional as soon as possible. Head injuries are often not noticed until much later. Kids that play football are especially vulnerable to head trauma. Someone diving into a pool can hit their head on the diving board. These individuals might not lose consciousness or exhibit other troubling symptoms until their brains had already swollen enough to become life-threatening. Parents should ensure that their children are wearing safety helmets when riding their bikes, scooters, and skateboards.
Seeking treatment after an accident occurs or severe physical illness symptoms arise should be a must-do activity for everyone. Even ankle sprains obtained while running in a track meet or from an indoor fall can result in hairline fractures that often cannot be seen unless an X-Ray is taken. Head injuries need immediate attention to rule out concussions, contusions, and other serious developments. Never allow someone that had a fairly good whack on the head to fall asleep until after the person gets checked out by a healthcare expert. This could cause the person to slip into a coma as the brain swells. Symptoms like increased nausea and head pressure might be missed because the person was asleep.
Many hospitals offer classes and educational materials regarding preventative medicine strategies. Everyone should take CPR and first aid classes. Many people survive critical conditions like heart attacks, strokes or drowning due to the prompt responses of nearby individuals. This is why there are typically ambulances and/or firefighters at school football games or town fairs. If Someone that hit their head begins to complain of feeling nauseated, develops visual disturbances, slurs speech, complains of numbness or has chest pain, they should be taken to the nearest hospital.
Don’t move an injured person that fell and possibly harmed their head until the ambulance arrives. Someone should call 911 fast. Never administer pain medications as even OTC ones can mask symptoms. Keep the person warm with blankets or coats, and try to keep them alert. Moving the person might do further harm and even paralyze someone already injured in the head or back. If there is an immediate threat to that person’s life where they are, relay this to the EMT on the phone who can give your group proper instructions on how to safely move the person with the least chance for serious injury.
It is not uncommon for someone to encounter an unconscious individual and not know what happened. Call your emergency line, and follow their instructions. Head injuries, heart attacks and other health conditions treated properly in the aftermath of an injury can save lives.
