There are many reasons why women should visit the ER. Any unexplained neurological symptoms like sudden vision changes, severe headaches, or weakness on one side of the body should prompt a visit to the ER. Other serious symptoms you should never ignore include abdominal pain (especially if it’s accompanied by vaginal bleeding or dizziness), sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, and numbness in the arms.
Knowing when to seek emergency medical attention could save your life. Here are the five most frequent reasons why women need emergency care.
Five Common Women’s Health Emergencies
1: Severe Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain can present as stomach cramps, a tightening or twisting in your gut, stabbing sensations, or even a burning feeling. Oftentimes, the pain will dissipate on its own. However, if the pain comes on suddenly, if it is severe without lessening, or refuses to go away, you should visit an emergency room.
Severe stomach pain is scary and serious. It could indicate a variety of conditions ranging from appendicitis, pancreatitis, gastrointestinal obstruction, or even a miscarriage if you are pregnant. We recognize these are terrifying situations.
Always be cautious when experiencing abdominal pain during pregnancy. The severity of the pain during miscarriage can vary depending on factors such as individual pain tolerance and underlying causes. But if you are bleeding heavily and cramping while pregnant, please don’t hesitate to visit the ER to get examined immediately.
2: Difficulty Breathing
Bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia, and the common cold have all sent women to the emergency room because they’re having trouble breathing. Other upper respiratory infections like rhinitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and laryngitis can also cause respiratory distress.
With these infections you’ll likely experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, rattling in the lungs, extreme coughing, and a high fever. Other symptoms could include rapid breathing, a clicking sound in the lungs, or “bubbling” breath.
When you have trouble breathing, it can be one of the scariest times of your life. Total Point ER is here to care for you and your loved ones. If you ever have respiratory issues, visit our nearest center immediately.
3: Chest Pain and Headaches
Not all chest pain is serious. Occasionally it can be as simple as muscle strain, heartburn, or indigestion. It becomes serious, however, when it persists, when it comes on suddenly and strongly, or when it’s accompanied by other symptoms, like a headache or difficulty taking a deep breath.
In reported cases of women visiting the emergency room for chest pain, the issue has come from panic attacks, angina, hypertension, depression, lupus, and heart attacks. It’s important to remember that in women, the symptoms of a heart attack can present as chest pain, but it may not be the most prominent symptom. Women often report jaw or head pain, anxiety, upset stomach, and other symptoms that you might not typically associate with a heart attack. If you’re worried about intense chest pain, go to the nearest ER for treatment.
4: Acute Digestive Pain
How do you know when to visit the emergency room for an upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea? If you have had plenty of fluids and rest and are generally healthy, but have a sudden onset of terrible and debilitating digestive pain, you should go to the ER. It could be food poisoning, appendicitis, or another serious problem.
Other reasons to go in for acute digestive pain include a recent surgery (such as gastric bypass), abdominal pain during pregnancy, or if your stomach appears bruised and/or swollen.
5: Unusual Heavy Bleeding/Gynecological Emergencies
Bleeding that’s abnormal is frightening for anyone. For people who menstruate, and for those postmenopause, heavy bleeding is never considered to be normal. Heavy vaginal bleeding becomes an emergency when you’re soaking through a pad or tampon every hour for more than two hours.
Gynecological emergencies include:
- Ectopic Pregnancy
This occurs when a fertilized egg implants itself outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes. It can cause severe abdominal pain and internal bleeding, and should never go untreated!
- Ovarian Torsion
This is quite uncommon, but incredibly serious. Ovarian torsion happens when an ovary twists around the ligaments that hold it in place, cutting off its blood supply. It causes pelvic pain, nausea, and vomiting. If not treated immediately the ovarian tissue can die from lack of blood.
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
PID is an infection in the female reproductive organs, often caused by sexually transmitted bacteria.
- Ruptured Ovarian Cyst
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop on the ovaries. If a cyst ruptures, it can cause sudden, severe abdominal pain.
- Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia
During pregnancy, these serious conditions are characterized by high blood pressure and organ damage. They can lead to seizures (eclampsia) and require immediate medical intervention to prevent life-threatening complications for both the mother and the baby.
Get Help with Women’s Health Emergencies in Texas
When you’re in an urgent and frightening situation, you need to go to an emergency room you can trust. At Total Point ER, we are always ready to provide exceptional care. All of our doctors are specially trained and ready to help you in emergency medical situations from gynecological matters to pregnancy care or physical trauma.
We never want to see you unwell, but we’re here for you when life takes a turn. Let us help! We will diagnose and treat any women’s health issues you are facing. Best of all, we keep our service comfortable, convenient, and affordable. If you live in Burleson, you can find us at 300 SE John Jones Drive.
Image by Darko Stojanovic from Pixabay on 5.31.2024 | used under the creative commons license for commercial use.