5 Emergencies: Do You Know What to Do?
Chest pain, choking, bleeding, fainting, seizures. If an emergency occurs, how would you react? Do you know the first steps of first aid?
"People are often hesitant to get involved in an emergency situation," William Walters, MD, an emergency medicine specialist at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, tells WebMD. "It's not so much they don't want to help. They're worried they won't know what to do."
The New Heart Tests: Which Ones Should You Have?
Researchers are developing new ways to check your heart health. Two tests are available now; an interesting third is on the horizon.
Read the The New Heart Tests: Which Ones Should You Have? article > >
After all, emergencies can happen anywhere -- at a game, on a city street, at the grocery store, at home. What should you do?
Call 911. Better safe than be sorry, says Walters. "It's better that 911 get too many calls than too few," he says. "We routinely hear from paramedics summoned to a residence, for what neighbors thought was an emergency, to find out everyone's fine. There are never hard feelings about that. Paramedics expect that as part of the job. We'd much rather show up and find the person in good health at home than be called too late and things have spiraled out of control."
Stay calm. We've all heard stories about the Good Samaritan who gets hit by a car while trying to help someone else. "Creating another accident or another victim complicates things much more -- almost more than not getting involved. If you can't help safely, you shouldn't help," Walters tells WebMD. "It's important that you stay calm, make sure you're not putting yourself or anyone else in jeopardy, then attempt to help."
Start CPR. "Even people who have never taken a CPR course can be directed by a dispatcher to do CPR," says Walters. "Many 911 dispatchers are trained to teach CPR over the phone. You can do chest compressions without even doing mouth-to-mouth. ... It's better than doing nothing."
Imagine these common situations. Here's what to do:
Emergency: Dizziness, Fainting. You're sitting at a game, maybe in the airport. A guy says he doesn't feel well. "If he tells you -- a perfect stranger -- that he feels weak, ill, or dizzy, you should be dialing 911," says Walters. "He needs medical attention." There are many medical causes for these symptoms, like a heart condition, diabetes, low blood sugar, pregnancy, heart attack, or it could be heat-related.
"People are often hesitant to get involved in an emergency situation," William Walters, MD, an emergency medicine specialist at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, tells WebMD. "It's not so much they don't want to help. They're worried they won't know what to do."
Recommended Related to Heart Disease
The New Heart Tests: Which Ones Should You Have?
Researchers are developing new ways to check your heart health. Two tests are available now; an interesting third is on the horizon.
Read the The New Heart Tests: Which Ones Should You Have? article > >
After all, emergencies can happen anywhere -- at a game, on a city street, at the grocery store, at home. What should you do?
The Basics
Call 911. Better safe than be sorry, says Walters. "It's better that 911 get too many calls than too few," he says. "We routinely hear from paramedics summoned to a residence, for what neighbors thought was an emergency, to find out everyone's fine. There are never hard feelings about that. Paramedics expect that as part of the job. We'd much rather show up and find the person in good health at home than be called too late and things have spiraled out of control."
Stay calm. We've all heard stories about the Good Samaritan who gets hit by a car while trying to help someone else. "Creating another accident or another victim complicates things much more -- almost more than not getting involved. If you can't help safely, you shouldn't help," Walters tells WebMD. "It's important that you stay calm, make sure you're not putting yourself or anyone else in jeopardy, then attempt to help."
Start CPR. "Even people who have never taken a CPR course can be directed by a dispatcher to do CPR," says Walters. "Many 911 dispatchers are trained to teach CPR over the phone. You can do chest compressions without even doing mouth-to-mouth. ... It's better than doing nothing."
5 Common Emergencies
Imagine these common situations. Here's what to do:
Emergency: Dizziness, Fainting. You're sitting at a game, maybe in the airport. A guy says he doesn't feel well. "If he tells you -- a perfect stranger -- that he feels weak, ill, or dizzy, you should be dialing 911," says Walters. "He needs medical attention." There are many medical causes for these symptoms, like a heart condition, diabetes, low blood sugar, pregnancy, heart attack, or it could be heat-related.