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Are You Prepared for a Medical Emergency?

Everyone knows just how scary, frustrating, and traumatizing it can be to suffer an accident or witness a family member experience an injury, only to make a mad dash to the emergency room. Let’s face it – accidents happen, and people get hurt. But remember – the emergency room isn’t just for accidents; doctors, ER nurses, and specialists are all stationed in ERs around the country to help deal with a variety of health issues across nearly every age group.

With that in mind, it’s important to ensure that you have the knowledge you need to avoid some of the most common reasons why people visit the emergency room. From there, you and your family can be better prepared to avoid situations that may cause an accident or an emergency.

Every year, people make approximately 139 million visits to the emergency room; 40 million of those are injury-related. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most common reasons why.

Sprains

Our bones are exceptionally durable and are usually more likely to experience a sprain or a strain before they break or fracture. Understandably, children frequently come into ER rooms with a sprain or strained muscle. Although they are quite common and can occur when you least expect them, there are ways to avoid these types of injuries. When it comes to muscle strains, being sure to avoid overworking a muscle or lifting something that’s just too heavy for you to lift would be a great start.

Bone Breaks & Fractures

Broken bones are another prevalent reason for why someone would pay a visit to the emergency room. Again, these are quite common in children whose bones are not fully developed just yet, and in more senior adults, who have weaker bones and are more prone to accidental slips and falls. Broken bones typically go hand in hand with swelling, bruising, or redness. In extreme cases, you might notice a physical deformity.

Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain is another common reason for an ER visit, and it’s typically associated with some sort of illness like a stomach virus, or even indigestion. However, abdominal pain can also be a sign of appendicitis, which can be fatal if not addressed immediately. From time to time, patients may visit the ER reporting abdominal pain, only to find out that they have kidney stones or a torn colon.

Stitches

Everyone’s biggest fear of the ER is having to sit through a session of stitches. And in fact, lacerations and cuts that require stitches make up a large number of ER visits every year.

Headaches

While you’ve probably had hundreds of headaches in your lifetime, there are cases where the pain just becomes so severe that it might be time to head to the emergency room. More often than not, these types of headaches are migraines, and they cause a patient to become extremely sensitive to light and sound, possibly even disoriented.

Now that you know the five most common reasons for an ER visit, be sure to do everything you can to make yourself and your family aware of them. Avoid strenuous activity, always be safe, and watch out for symptoms!

If you’re between health plans, considering a change, or unsure about the extent of coverage with your current health insurance, contact eSource Health today. We have some of the industry’s top experts who can explain the ins and outs of many plans to find the right fit for you.

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/emergency-department.htm

https://www.conchovalleyer.com/resources/top-5-common-er-visits/

 

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