Medical Emergency

What is a medical emergency?

A medical emergency is a health condition or situation that needs immediate medical attention. Without professional medical care right away, it could lead to outcomes like permanent disability or even death.

Depending on where you live, “medical emergency” might have a specific legal definition. In the U.S., the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) defines medical emergencies. They’re conditions with acute symptoms severe enough to result in:

• Placing health in serious jeopardy. This includes conditions that might make a person a danger to themselves or others. It also applies to conditions that endanger the health of a pregnant person and/or the fetus they carry.
• Serious impairment of bodily functions. That means the condition could disrupt your body’s ability to do certain things. An example would be losing your ability to see.
• Serious dysfunction in bodily organs or parts. Dysfunction like this means the affected organ or part no longer works correctly (or at all). An example would be losing part or all of a limb.

What are some examples of medical emergencies?

The average person can’t diagnose a medical condition. But people may recognize symptoms of a possible emergency. Some of the most common emergency symptoms include:

• Blood in your pee (hematuria), poop (especially dark blood, known as melena) or vomiting blood
• Dislocated bones or joints
• Fever at or above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)
• Infections, especially when they turn into gangrene or show signs of spreading
• Pain in specific places, like chest pain (angina), especially when severe
• Severe diarrhea or vomiting, especially when they could lead to dehydration
• Severe pain in other places, like your abdomen or head
• Severe swelling, especially around your airway or eyes
• Sudden vision loss
• Trouble breathing (dyspnea)
• Unexpected passing out or fainting (syncope)
• Weakness or paralysis on one side (hemiplegia or hemiparesis), in specific body parts or with a possible spinal cord injury

Symptoms can also be medical emergencies if providers need to rule out dangerous conditions or complications. An example would be needing emergency care if you have symptoms that can happen with both migraines or stroke.

What conditions count as medical emergencies?

• Appendicitis
• Asthma attacks (when they don’t respond to rescue medications)
• Deep vein thrombosis (because it can cause a pulmonary embolism or stroke)
• Eye trauma
• Heart attacks
• Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
• Mental health emergencies, like thoughts of harming yourself or others
• Ovarian or testicular torsion (twisting)
• Poisoning
• Priapism
• Strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)
• Seizures, including any first-time seizure, seizures lasting over five minutes or back-to-back seizures without recovering between (status epilepticus)
• Sepsis
• Severe allergic reactions, like anaphylaxis
• Substance use-related emergencies like overdoses or withdrawal-related effects
• Trauma and injuries, like broken bones, or wounds that are large or have severe bleeding
• Vision-related emergencies, like detached or torn retinas

Conditions also don’t have to be life-threatening to be medical emergencies. An example is cauda equina syndrome, where you have leg tingling or numbness and need tests to check if you’re in danger of paralysis.

What should I do if I have symptoms or a condition that indicates a medical emergency?

If you think you or someone you’re with is having a medical emergency, call your local emergency services number immediately. Examples include 911 in the United States, 999 in the United Kingdom and 112 in the UK or European Union. You shouldn’t try to drive yourself or others having a medical emergency to a hospital or emergency room. The reasons why include:

• Expertise and training. If your emergency condition suddenly takes a turn for the worse on the way to a hospital, first responders can help you. They have the training and equipment to try to stabilize you during transport.
• Travel safety. Many emergency medical conditions can make you pass out or experience other dangerous effects. If you’re behind the wheel and those effects happen, you could become a danger to yourself or others around you.
• Travel speed. Emergency vehicles like ambulances can go faster regardless of speed limits, traffic lights and more.
• Treatment timing. First responders can start assessing your situation on the way to the nearest medical facility. They may start some early treatments like intravenous (IV) lines or oxygen. They can also call ahead and tell the hospital providers your symptoms and vital signs. That can speed up diagnosis and treatment.

Can I go to an urgent care or a clinic if I have a medical emergency?

No, urgent care and medical clinics aren’t emergency facilities. They can handle less severe but still urgent, conditions. But if the condition is too severe for them to treat, they’ll call emergency services to get you immediate transport to a hospital.

You can choose an urgent care for conditions that need treatment soon, but that aren’t an emergency. That includes minor broken bones or stitching larger — but still simple — wounds. They can’t treat severe symptoms or conditions, especially ones that might indicate a life-threatening issue. So, when in doubt, it’s best to err on the side of caution and call your local emergency services so they can take you to the nearest emergency room.