You never know when something might happen that requires emergency services. Whether it’s a car accident, a fall, or something else entirely, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. But how do you know when you should call for help?
Here are a few situations when you should definitely use san antonio emergency services:
Chest pain
Chest pain is a common symptom of a heart attack. If you experience severe chest pain, shortness of breath, or an overwhelming feeling of anxiety, it’s time to take it seriously.
Symptoms that could indicate a heart attack include:
- Chest discomfort or tightness that feels like pressure or a heavy weight on your chest.
- Pain in one or both arms, the back, neck or jaw. The pain can be mild or severe and may last minutes to hours, with the intensity increasing over time.
- Nausea and vomiting (especially after eating). You can vomit even if you haven’t eaten anything recently; this may be caused by irritation to nerves in your esophagus (the tube connecting your throat and stomach).
Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is a common symptom that can be caused by many things, but it’s important to know how to tell when your shortness of breath is something more serious.
Shortness of breath is not the same as difficulty breathing. Difficulty breathing means you are struggling to take each breath, while shortness of breath means you are having trouble catching your breath after a few breaths. If someone has difficulty breathing and suddenly starts gasping for air, this could signify that they are having a heart attack (or another medical condition). In this situation, the best thing you can do is get them help immediately! If you’re alone or don’t have access to a phone right away, try moving them into an upright position and have them take slow deep breaths until help arrives.
If someone has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder before and experiences shortness of breath during an attack (which can happen even if the cause isn’t severe), then it may be best just monitor their symptoms until they pass out on their own instead of calling emergency services.
Bleeding that won’t stop
If you have a cut or scrape, it’s normal for some bleeding to occur. But if the bleeding is constant and won’t stop after applying pressure for a few minutes, it’s time to call for help.
The same goes for any internal bleeding; if you are vomiting blood or passing blood in your stool, you need to get to a hospital as soon as possible.
Severe burns
If you or someone else has suffered a severe burn (second or third degree), it’s important to seek medical attention right away. Severe burns can lead to shock, so it’s important to keep the person calm and warm until help arrives.
If you have a severe burn, you should:
Remove any clothing or jewelry that might be constricting the area.
Cool the burn with cool water (not ice) for several minutes.
Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage or clean cloth.
Do not apply any ointments, lotions, or home remedies to the burn.
Get help immediately after dressing your wound.
Emergency help is there when you need it the most
The main thing to remember is that if you are ever in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and call for help. Emergency services are there for a reason, and they are trained to deal with any and all situations.
