Your health and that of your loved ones is the most important thing in the world. However, it doesn’t become a priority for many people until there’s something wrong, something that needs a doctor’s help, urgently.

However, for some, going to see a doctor makes them uncomfortable. Or it might incur a hefty fee in some countries. So even if they’re in pain or very worried, they put off seeing a professional until it’s far too late. It is vital to recognize when you absolutely must get to the hospital ASAP. And a bunch of redditors shared their first-hand experiences with their health issues, noting the signs that indicate you should seek medical assistance immediately. Immediately.

When you’re done reading these tips, be sure to let us know in the comments if there are any other health-scare signs that you think are important for others to hear about, dear Pandas.

Bored Panda got in touch with labor and delivery nurse Holly D. to hear her advice on when pregnant women should rush to the hospital. She told us that false labor and actual labor can be difficult to distinguish. She explained to us what should be done in the case of painful contractions.

“We encourage patients that are having painful contractions to note contraction frequency when resting. A rule of thumb is drink two large cups of water and rest (lay down feet up) then start tracking contraction frequency. Most providers would recommend if you continue to have contractions 3-5 min apart for 1 hour, it’s appropriate for you to come to Labor and Delivery to be triaged,” nurse Holly explained to us.

“Any bleeding or if the patient is experiencing leaking of fluid or decreased fetal movement or extreme pain it is recommended to come in to triage and be seen.”

#1

Signs of stroke.

Face or mouth drooping

Arm weakness

Speech slurred

Time to call an ambulance

So think FAST

Image credits: Roaming_Pie

#2

When you throw up and it looks like coffee grounds.

Image credits: StorageBusy1130

#3

If your pee is so dark that it looks like Guinness, go to the hospital immediately.

Image credits: Bizarre_Protuberance

According to labor and delivery Nurse Holly, time is a mystery when it comes to labor.

“There’s no definitive time when or how long someone will be in labor. I’ve known patients that will have contractions for 2 weeks before the baby is delivered,” she told Bored Panda.

“On the flip side, I know patients that came in for a headache and a little abdominal pressure and delivered their baby 30 minutes later.”

#4

Losing the ability to see color in one or more eye, sign of major issue in brain.

Image credits: aladdyn2

#5

You were told 48 hours ago that you had gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”) and you did everything the doc said and not only don’t you feel better, you feel worse.

There are a lot of things it could be, but gastroenteritis is probably not it, and some of the other possibilities are potentially lethal.

Image credits: nakedonmygoat

#6

If one of your pupils is fully dilated to the point you can barely see your iris, but the other eye is normal. Get your butt to the E.R Stat.

Image credits: VenomousViperz

Nurse Holly told us about what she and her colleagues look for when seeing to patients. “As a labor and delivery nurse, we look for frequency of contractions and cervical change to give us a better idea as to how your body is responding to labor,” she said.

“Time is always the million-dollar question. The best advice I can give, keep in contact with your providers during these times of questionable labor. Utilize their on-call service, let the provider know what you are experiencing. The provider will ask follow-up questions to help you make an informed decision on the next step.”

#7

Growing pain in your back near your kidney? Stones. Go to the hospital before the pain gets unbearable.

Image credits: twitch_delta_blues

#8

Sudden hearing loss. The faster you get to the hospital the better the chances of reversing it (statistically)

In my case I left it two weeks and I’m now living with tinnitus.

Image credits: codeniv

#9

You took a new medicine and your throat is closing up. Anaphylaxis can kill you.

Image credits: twitch_delta_blues

Sadly, it is understandable why some people refuse to go see a doctor even when their health is on the line. It’s a problem that many Americans have to deal with. Some of them are uninsured; and even the ones who are might not get their entire hospital fees covered.

As Dr. Andrew Carroll, a doctor from Arizona, explained to Bored Panda sometime earlier, insurance companies do not have their clients’ best interests at heart. At the core of how they operate is money, not the desire to help someone in need.

“Unfortunately in the US, since the insurance company is the payer for a patient’s care, they are heavily involved in the provision of that care. Their job is not to pay for healthcare but avoid paying for healthcare. It is a terrible system,” Dr. Carroll explained to us.

#10

The worst headache of your life, which came on very quickly. (Also known as a ‘Thunderclap headache’). Even with no other symptoms, this needs to be looked at immediately. Could be any range of things, but what they’re most concerned with is a ruptured aneurysm.

Image credits: lillathrin

#11

A “feeling of impending doom”. Really, it’s actually considered a clinical sign and can indicate impending stroke, heart attack, or other things. Can also be a panic attack but if it comes out of nowhere and isn’t associated with a known anxiety disorder, don’t be afraid to take it seriously.

Image credits: Dragoness42

#12

Wife had a pain in her shoulder and told me about it. Said it was uncomfortable but not a big deal. I told her to send her doctor a message. Went in for an appointment immediately. She had internal bleeding from an ectopic pregnancy and had about 12 oz of blood floating around in her.

Image credits: coalnation

“We are trained very early, almost like soldiers, to work hard and long hours, deal with extremely stressful conditions, and work through the emotional turmoil of death, debility, and the effect those things have on the patient and their families,” the healthcare professional shared how tough the job of medical staff can be.

However, for Dr. Carroll, being a doctor is his calling. And it has been one ever since he can remember.

“I love what I do because I could not see myself doing anything else. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 5, since I myself had a major medical issue. I remember the care and compassion my doctors when I was that age showed me, and helped me get through my very tough time. I wanted to do that for others, and so far I think I have done so,” he shared with Bored Panda.

#13

You were bit by an animal. ALWAYS ASSUME IT WAS RABID. if you don’t get rabies treatment within something like 48 hours you could cross the threshold into guaranteed death.

Image credits: twitch_delta_blues

#14

When you’re dehydrated and still throwing up

Image credits: dogomummy

#15

When everything you type is suddenly jibberish. Went to the ER thinking I had a stroke, came out of the hospital a week later with an MS diagnosis, going quickly prevented the damage to my brain from getting worse.

Same vein, if you look down at you feet and electricity shoots up your body in a wave of tingles, that’s your spinal cord being eaten by your immune system, see a doctor.

“Insurance companies make it difficult though, and nearly force cold, inhumane, and compassionless rules on patients when they are most vulnerable,” the doctor said.

There are financial incentives for US insurance companies to keep the system as it currently exists, Dr. Carroll says. “It will be very difficult to reduce the administrative costs without overhauling the payment system altogether.”

Insurance providers simply do not have a patient’s best interests at heart. “Unfortunately, these payers tend not to have altruistic intentions towards their members. They cater to the advantage of the employers paying for the benefits, who want to try and spend the least amount of money they can.” What this means is that an insurer can, for example, make cost-effective decisions on their clients’ part that might not actually be best for their health.

#16

Skin/white of the eyes turning yellow. This probably caused by accumulation of bilirubin in the blood which can be caused by severe liver failure.

Image credits: Mouthfullofcrabss

#17

Sudden onset abdominal pain and vomiting. Appendicitis doesn’t always present as pain in the lower right quadrant. If it bursts you’re f*cked.

Image credits: twitch_delta_blues

#18

I had a headache for a week and was getting confused at work.

2 brain tumors and hydrocephalus led to immediate intake

Image credits: Dano4600

#19

As an ER nurse (and this is in no way medical advice, just one man’s thoughts), I always tell people to listen to the part of your brain that’s telling you that things are off. You know how you feel every day and no one else does, so you’re the only one that can be trusted to understand when something just does not feel right.

Also, if you are awoken from sleep with chest pain, get your a*s to the ER.

#20

If your newborn spits up bright green. Solid sign there is a major intestinal blockage (even without any other symptoms) and there is a small window to get that corrected before death. I have forgotten alot from my STABLE class, but I do remember that.

Image credits: pwg2

#21

When that wound you got on your foot by stepping on a rusty nail smells like rot.

Image credits: Luxny

#22

Sudden or gradually increasing numbness or weakness in either or both legs.

Recent urinary retention or incontinence.

Numbness / lack of sensation around the saddle region (groin and inner thighs).

All of these are signs of spinal cord compression and suggest an issue called Cauda Equina which can result in paralysis of the lower body or reduced strength and control.

#23

One very high blood pressure on one arm, and one very low blood pressure on the other arm, coupled with pain radiating from the shoulder/chest to your back could be a sign of aortic dissection. While it is very rare, it is also life threatening.

Additionally,

Chest pain/pressure – “an elephant is sitting on my chest”

A sudden change in mental status – “do you know where you are? Do you what today is? Do you know who the president is?”

Shortness of breath with chest pain (especially if you had recent surgery) – this could be a sign of a blood clot or if it moves to the lungs, a pulmonary embolism.

More often than not, you need to go to your doctor or an urgent care. However, I can’t tell you how many times a night I say, “it’s a good thing you came in, you made the right choice”

Pro tip: keep a handy list of your meds, and allergies and bring a phone charger

#24

Speaking from experience here, if you suddenly feel no pain after feeling what has to be some of the worst pain imaginable, it means your appendix has burst, and you need to get to the hospital IMMEDIATELY, otherwise, you WILL die.

#25

Honestly, (the following all together) lack of appetite, frequent urinating, vomiting, severe fatigue. Everyone thought my sister had the flu, but my mom took my sister to the hospital anyways.

She had diabetic ketoacidosis. Her blood sugar was 717. She was almost in a coma. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 8 years old.

#26

High fever and a stiff neck is a massive indicator of meningitis which can quickly be fatal if not treated. Most common in college type age groups which makes it less likely the individual will want to go to hospital as well. Don’t wait on this one; if you tell any doctor or nurse that you have these two symptoms then you will be treated with very high priority.

#27

Any kind of sensation, localised to one side of your body. This had been happening to me for over 8 months, and I just done the old…… “Ehhh it’ll be fine” and went on about my business. Turns out it was a brain tumor. Luckily all seemed to be benign and I’ve had it removed….. But sometimes….. You just don’t know what you’re living with….. Sometimes it can be something pushing on your thinky meat.

#28

For women on birth control: serious shortness of breath (as in a relatively healthy person being winded just walking to/from car) and unexplained pain in your legs, mainly inside thighs. Blood clots/embolisms. They can kill you VERY fast if they break loose and travel.

Image credits: damndingashrubbery

#29

If you pinch your skin and it doesn’t go back down right away. Severe dehydration

#30

If you feel like you have the worst migraine of your life, go to the emergency room. My sister has always dealt with bad migraines but one day she said she felt like she got hit by a bat on her head and she had a horrific migraine. The emergency room doctor would not give her an mri despite my father bringing it up. Because the doctor said it was just a migraine, my sister went on without medical treatment for a full 7 days. On that seventh day something told her they needed to go in again and what do you know? She has a brain aneurysm that has burst and she has been bleeding into her brain for an entire week. Thank god she ended up getting surgery and surviving it with little to no residual effects on her. Her neurologist said that he doesn’t believe in miracles, but her case is the closest thing to one he’s ever seen

#31

When you have tiny little red dots all over your body. This happened to my wife. We learned she has almost no platelets in her blood anymore and it starting to come out her capillaries. She was rushed to the hospital and was there for a week. Later was diagnosed with smoldering myeloma and went through a 3 year experimental chemotherapy to keep it from going full blown blood cancer.

#32

If you have pain in your right side of your stomach and someone pokes you and it’s incredibly painful, you might have early signs of appendicitis.

Source: had same symptoms last week, was uncomfortable but my mum jabbed her finger into my side where I screamed in pain so she packed me off to the hospital where I had an emergency appendectomy that night.

#33

If you think somethings infected. ie dog bite / other. Lost a toe after I stepped on a small nail at a house I was helping renovate, didn’t think much of it untill it started leaking pus a few days later because I didnt think much of it.

#34

If you are completely melopaused and you start bleeding like a period, it is not a period and you need to go to the hospital asap.

Also, if you have been electrified but you feel fine, still go to the hospital because blood clots are no jokes.

#35

If you have chest pain and especially if it’s combined with sweating, nausea/vomiting, left arm pain, and/or a sense of impending doom.

Image credits: Zoo_In_The_Bathtub

#36

If life gets good. Really, really good. Like too good- like you realize you’re one of the most powerful people on the planet. Like you realize you’re smarter than everyone else. And that you’re God’s favorite. And you know because he told you so. Himself. With his words. In your head.

#37

If you are a menstruating human, and your lower abdomem becomes so painful you can’t sit or bend, you might have a burst cyst, and at worst, internal bleeding and need to call an ambulance, and NOT drive yourself to the ER, because you can black out from the pain.

#38

When your feet don’t work like they used to before

#39

Any kind of cognitive issue… A friend of kine passed away recently because of a brain tumor roughly a year after diagnosed. First signs were word-finding issues.

Lasting pain. Same friend… A year before his brain tumor, he had tumor on the lower part of his spine. His spine hurt for years, never had it checked out until it was late (the treatment for that made his brain tumor untreatable, because the combination of the two treatments would’ve killed him even faster…

#40

Waking up to headaches. If you’re being woken up by headaches, see a doctor, insist on a head CT.

#41

When you have a chest cold, but start coughing up phlegm streaked with blood, it’s time for the ER. You may have pneumonia.

#42

It’s now been about 24 hours and the foot that was purple is now sort of blackish in color.

#43

Shortness of breath (in worst case every five steps out in the cold) and combined back and chest pain(for me it felt like my chest was caving in, somehow connected inwardly with my spine). Women get other symptoms than men when having a heart attack, so if you have this combination of symptoms, go to the ER immediately and get yourself checked out. I luckily survived, but they found out about one and a half month after that I had a heart attack and now part of my heart is basically dead.
Also, I was 31 at that time. It can happen to everybody.

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