Tips to avoid the ER during the holiday season
From Piedmont Newnan Hospital Press Release
The holiday season often is the busiest time for hospital emergency rooms. Piedmont Urgent Care offers tips on how to avoid the emergency room this busy time of year.
- Know when a trip to the ER is necessary. Most health issues that arise during the holidays are not medical emergencies. Health issues that should be treated immediately include chest pain, stroke symptoms (numbness on one side of the body, face, arm or leg; trouble walking, speaking and seeing in one or both eyes), excessive, uncontrolled bleeding and difficulty breathing. Severe stomach pain accompanied by other symptoms such as coughing up or vomiting blood, dizziness or fainting and vision changes also should be treated immediately in the ER.
- Seek treatment at urgent care or walk-in clinics when appropriate. Anything from sprained ankles and fractures to sore throats and ear infections, cuts and falls can be treated at Piedmont Urgent Care or a walk-in clinic, which is often open later than family doctors’ offices.
- Be proactive about your health. Seeing a family doctor regularly can save families significant money and can prevent you or a loved one from ending up in the ER unnecessarily. Regular visits with a family doctor also increase chances of early detection should a medical issue present itself. “Be sure to get cholesterol and blood pressure checked and share any family history of medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer with your doctor,” Dr. Patel said.
- Beware common holiday mishaps. Look out for things in your home that could prove hazardous such as open fireplaces, electrical issues, poisonous plants like mistletoe and holly berries or areas that put guests at risk for falls. In addition to fires and falls, car accidents due to weather and alcohol consumption are common reasons ERs see more patients during this time.
For more information or to find a nearby Piedmont Urgent Care location, visit piedmont.org/now.
