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Everybody has minor accidents from time to time, but when is something a problem you can solve at home and when should you call 911? It can be tough to distinguish the fine line between getting mildly hurt and being in immediate health danger. It is important to know the difference without simply thinking of the extremes. For example, someone who has nicked their finger on a sharp fork does not need an ambulance; meanwhile, someone who is currently on fire does. These are obvious cases. However, what if someone is experiencing chest pain or thinks they have broken a bone, for example? When is an ambulance needed? The following is a guide to determining the difference between health problems that can be handled at home or with a scheduled appointment with a doctor and those that need the assistance of paramedics. 1. The Distinction First of all, it should be known that calling 911 is for medical emergencies only. While it is safe to call 911 if you are not sure if a problem is an emergency--for example, if someone has fainted--you should not call 911 for health problems that are clearly not an emergency. Ask yourself this before you call: "Is my or another person's life potentially in danger?" This can help you decide in the moment of an accident or injury if you should make the phone call. Remember that there can be legal consequences of abusing this emergency line. The rest of this guide will help you differentiate issues that may seem common but are actually life-threatening or those that seem life-threatening when they in fact are not. 2. Head Injuries Head injuries can be as simple as bumping your head on the kitchen cabinet, but even seemingly minor head injuries can result in serious damage to your brain, skull, or other tissue. If you or someone around you experiences a head injury, do not base your decision to call an ambulance on how bad the injury looks. Base your decision on the effects. If someone faints, loses consciousness, vomits, or has a seizure due to a head injury--even several hours later--then they have experienced a concussion or other serious health condition. Call an ambulance immediately. 3. Broken Bones While you can certainly take someone to the hospital yourself if they have broken a bone--or ask someone to take you if you are injured--some broken bones require immediate medical attention. For example, if a bone penetrates the skin, you see muscle exposed due to the displacement of the bone, a broken bone accompanies an open wound, or if persistent bleeding does not stop after several minutes, then this is a serious medical issue potentially endangering the life of the injured party. Call an ambulance right away so that paramedics can tend to the injury. 4. Heart Attacks Among the most common killers in the country, heart attacks kill hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. In fact, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that about 1 in every 4 deaths per year in America is due to a heart attack. Unfortunately, not all individuals experience the tell-tale signs of a heart attack: chest pain, shooting pain up and down the left arm, and sudden jaw pain. It is important to know the signs of a heart attack or stroke. If you experience sudden shortness of breath, extreme dizziness, weakness, and unexplained sweating, then you may be having a heart attack. 5. Strokes Doctors and other healthcare professionals at Reno hospitals know the signs of a stroke, but do you? If you or someone else experiences body weakness and numbness on one side of your body or face, sudden difficulty speaking, loss of balance, sudden and strong pain on one side of the body, or dizziness, then a stroke may be occurring. While it is always safest to call 911 if someone appears injured or to be having a sudden health crisIs, knowing about some of the most serious cases like those above can help you determine if you should call an ambulance. If someone's life appears to be in danger, call 911 so that they can be taken to one of the Reno hospitals nearby for immediate healthcare and treatment.
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