HEALTH ADVICE – Many people go to these saturated services for no good reason. Conversely, others should have called 15 to be taken care of more quickly. Le Figaro make the point.
Emergencies are aptly named: you should only go there in an emergency. But how do you know if the situation warrants it? What signs should alert? When can we wait a little before consulting? Explanations with Nathalie Assez, emergency doctor at the Lille CHRU.
What symptoms require going to the emergency room?
First of all, we mustdistinguish symptoms that are life-threatening from symptoms related to traumatology, i.e. “bobos” that might probably be managed at home“, explains Nathalie Assez. Is the person conscious? Is she breathing properly? Are its vital functions engaged?
According to the government website the first warning signs that should be of concern are:
Nonetheless, for Dr. Enough, “ these symptoms are not exhaustive » and to relativize according to the profilethe context onset of symptoms, their duration (persistent bleeding is an emergency where a nosebleed can be controlled with compression), the existence ofbackground or of comorbiditiesi.e. the presence of diseases in addition to the symptom (diabetes, obesity, heart problems, etc.)
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In general, the symptoms banal (fever, flu syndrome, headaches, etc.) come under general medicine. Before rushing to the emergency room, often in a panic, calling your primary care physician can be useful to optimize care. However, in some cases, it is difficult to identify the severity of symptoms because they do not necessarily fall into the categories of life-threatening emergencies or are part of a procession of symptoms which, taken in isolation, do not seem worrying. “ Sometimes respiratory discomfort can be a simple flu but in other situations, this symptom can hide a more serious pathology which justifies a visit to the emergency room “says Nathalie Assez. Thus, faced with unusual behavior, it is always best to dial 15 so that a specialist can assess the seriousness of the situation.
Should we call 15 before going to the emergency room?
Going to the emergency room on your own initiative without calling 15 is a recurring mistake which, in addition to hospital overcrowding problems, can be dangerous for the patient. If it is really a life-threatening emergency and the patient has gone to a hospital that does not have the appropriate service, which is therefore not equipped to treat the emergency, a transfer is necessary. Consequences ? This represents a loss of time for the patient whose vital prognosis is engaged, which leads to a reduction in his chances of survival. “ I would say that when in doubt, it is particularly important to call the emergency room at number 15 for two reasons: on the one hand, it allows the doctors who take charge of the call to refine the diagnosis of the problem by asking targeted questions. In a second step, this makes it possible to direct the patient to the hospital or the service best able to take charge of the emergency. “says Nathalie Assez.
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Fracture, wound: should we wait before going to the emergency room?
For the soresbefore rushing to the emergency room, you have to ask yourself regarding:
- its nature: in general, domestic accidents (kitchen cuts) do not necessarily require an emergency, unlike an attack.
- its location: a wound in the neck or thorax can be life-threatening
- its size: the depth and size of the wound are indicators of severity
- taking medications that may prolong the bleeding (such as anticoagulants) : « if you are taking medication likely to cause bleeding, whether it is a superficial wound, a kitchen cut or a nosebleed, do not hesitate to dial 15 “Warns Dr. Enough.
- any ocular wound must be the subject of a rapid expertise
in case of fracturea few questions can help you determine the severity:
- did I hear a crack?
- do I have impotence (can’t put my foot down or can I walk)?
- do i have a deformity?
« In general, if the patient combines pain and impotence, this requires a visit to the emergency room “, according to Nathalie Assez.
Children and babies: additional precautions?
« Unlike adults, in very young children and infants who cannot express themselves, any unusual behavior should alert “, explains Nathalie Assez. Because parents are particularly anxious when it comes to their children, it can be difficult to recognize an emergency. Generally, we can refer to the usual behavior of the child in order to better detect risky situations. For example, crying is a good clue: a newborn who never cries and who starts crying continuously must worry “says the doctor.