Approximately 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 each year in the United States. Knowing when and how to call an ambulance can help save your or someone else’s life. If you spend too much time wondering, ‘should I call an ambulance,” it may already be too late.
In this article, we discuss some examples of when calling an ambulance is appropriate. Continue reading to learn more about what constitutes a hospital emergency so that you can handle the situation with confidence.
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Difficulty Breathing
A person takes on permanent brain damage after only 5 to 10 minutes of not breathing. When someone is experiencing shortness of breath or has stopped breathing altogether, you have to act quickly when calling an ambulance.
Unresponsive
If you ever find someone unresponsive, your first thought is probably, ‘should I call an ambulance?’ If this thought pops into your head, you should treat the situation like a hospital emergency and call an ambulance.
When a person becomes unresponsive, there are many serious conditions that could be the cause. Some of these causes are life-threatening and not worth the risk of waiting for them to wake up.
Heavy Blood Loss
Deep cuts and injuries that produce a lot of may leave you wondering when to call an ambulance. If you’re having trouble getting the bleeding to stop, calling an ambulance should be your top priority.
Ongoing Chest Pain
Minor chest pain may not be a hospital emergency but if it lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back, start thinking about how to call an ambulance to your location.
Chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack, which could be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Head Injury
Signs of a head injury include confusion and/or difficulty speaking. Brain injuries can be deadly, especially if the damage is not assessed and treated quickly. Calling an ambulance is almost always a good idea for head injuries.
Possible Seizure
Witnessing a seizure can be scary and leave you wondering about when to call an ambulance. However, not all situations require calling an ambulance, though you should still visit a place like MedNow Urgent Care.
The main reasons to call an ambulance for a seizure include if someone has never had one before, if they’re having trouble breathing, if it lasts longer than 5 minutes, or if a second seizure quickly follows the first.
Severe Allergic Reaction
Allergic reactions vary in severity and mild reactions don’t require calling an ambulance. However, if the use of an epi-pen is necessary or if the person is having trouble breathing, you should take action.
In some cases, a person may seem perfectly fine after administering epinephrine via an epi-pen. However, you should still call an ambulance as they may need a second dose once the first wears off.
Trust Your Gut: Call an Ambulance
If you’re worried enough to be thinking, ‘should I call an ambulance,’ it’s probably a good idea to do so. Many of the above emergencies are life-threatening, and quick action is required to save a life.
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