health tips

,Visit Your Doctor

When you or a member of your family has a health issue, it can be tempting to panic.
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In fact, it can be hugely, massively attractive to panic. That seems the right solution. Something is wrong with you or someone you care about. Pass the panic button over here, you need help, and you need it now.
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We all get a little selfish with our health issues. We sit and moan about people jumping to the front of the queue, then have to talk ourselves into being more understanding.
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Needs vary, we tell ourselves through gritted teeth. Their need is probably greater than mine, we finish off resentfully, glaring around the waiting room as if we can guess who else might jump in ahead of us.

Let’s just say that having a health problem doesn’t bring out the best in all of us!
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Nevertheless, there are a few key things to remember. Sometimes, you don’t need to go to the ER. Sometimes, you don’t even know to go and see a general practitioner. Then on the other side of the coin, you might occasionally need to see a specialist or another type of acute care. But in the midst of the panic, how do you choose?
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Well, there’s a few options below. Of course, this all comes with the caveat of coming from common sense, not medical opinion. If you are ever truly concerned about a health problem or another option has not worked for you, go and jab on that panic button until you get the resolution that you need. This is just a guide, not a list of rules to live by.
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In the majority of cases, the following ailments need to be dealt with by specific members of the medical field. Obviously, there’s no way of covering every single way the fragile human body can go wrong – but here’s a rundown of the most common.
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The Common Cold

Everyone knows the symptoms of a common cold and how horrific they are. The phrase “just a cold” should be scorched from the lexicon, given that “just a cold” can mean “incredibly miserable, actually.” However…
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Who You Need To See: No one. It’s a cold. A virus. You don’t need antibiotics. For a start, they don’t work on a cold – it’s a virus, remember? Secondly, antibiotic overuse is a serious problem we should all be more aware of.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: If you have had the same cold-like symptoms for more than two weeks it’s probably just a nasty strain, but see your family doctor just in case.
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A Sprained Ankle

“How do I know if it’s just a sprain?!” You cry and, thankfully, the body has provided us with a very simple test. It can be determined in a single question: “Can you walk on it?”

Even if you can only hobble and it hurts, if you can walk on it, it’s just a sprain. If it can’t bear weight at all, then you probably need an X-Ray. But presuming it’s just a sprain…
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Who You Need To See: No one. It’s a sprained ankle. RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) it and try and move on with your day.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: Severe swelling or discomfort that doesn’t reduce within three days is worth further investigating. Go to the ER for an X-Ray; it may be fractured rather than broken, and need surgery to help set it.
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Throat Infection

The difference between a sore throat and an infection is usually there to see – on your tonsils. With an infection, you will usually see some discoloration. White patches are the calling card of tonsillitis, while yellowing can also indicate an infection.
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Who You Need To See: A general doctor, and even then only if it refuses to heal after a few days or is a repeated occurrence.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: Most throat infections will resolve themselves. Remember: Antibiotics take up to three days to start working. It’s worth waiting awhile before taking them just to ensure it’s a chronic case.
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Any Cut That Won’t Stop Bleeding

We’re going to define “won’t stop” to mean anything over five minutes. Even deep cuts should begin to close over after this time, but if your wound is still going strong, then…
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Who You Need To See: The best place to go is the ER. They will then be able to assess the severity of the cut and if further action, such as stitches, need to be taken
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The Exception To Define The Rule: There aren’t any. If a vital fluid is pouring from your body without any sign of slowing, then go and get help. That’s a pretty strong rule for life in general, too.
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Allergic Reaction

In the case of a severe allergic reaction involving anaphylaxis, then no questions – straight to the ER. If someone can’t breathe then that makes the decision for you.
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Milder allergic reactions can be more difficult to predict. Try over-the-counter antihistamines to see if they have any effect. If not and you have hives, itching, or a developing rash, then your best option…
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Who You Need To See: The best port of call is going to be an Urgent Care clinic, such as  http://oururgentcare.com/service-category/patient-services/. This is quicker than waiting for a doctor’s appointment, but not so severe as to need to bother an emergency service.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: If we’re talking about rashes, it’s difficult not to mention meningitis. If you have a rash developing and it fails the “glass test,” then seek emergency help as quickly as possible.
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Acne

Given that acne is most commonly referenced as an aesthetic problem, you might be surprised to see it on this list. However, while acne can just be an inconvenience, for others, it will be a daily problem that causes pain.
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Who You Need To See: A dermatologist is a good idea, especially if you have cystic acne. They may also recommend that you see an endocrinologist (http://www.hormone.org/contact-a-health-professional/what-is-an-endocrinologist); persistent acne may be a sign of a hormone imbalance. That might sound scary, but you can only deal with it if you know the cause.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: If you have a few zits and they’re annoying you but not causing much pain, then don’t see anyone. Try a different face wash and opt for an oil-free moisturizer; for mild cases, this should make a difference.
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Something In Your Eye

Literally, not as in the reason people give for weeping when they don’t want to be seen to be crying!
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There are many ways you can cause eye irritation. Not wearing safety goggles and using a sander; a splash of cooking oil from a spitting pan. If you are experiencing discomfort that doesn’t fade after half an hour…
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Who You Need To See: This one depends heavily on severity, which you can judge by how impaired your vision is. If you can still read small type (such as this marvelous article), then an Urgent Care center should suffice. If you’re struggling to see anything at all, then the ER. Finally, if you’re just experiencing occasional pain, then an optician may be able to help see what’s causing it and help flush your eyes.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: Difficult to say on this one, given that it depends on severity. Generally however, if you splash something in your eye and it stops stinging after 10 minutes, you shouldn’t worry too much. A quick Google should find stories of people to suffer the same misfortune; you can make the decision over what you do next from there.
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Diarrhea

It’s not pleasant to talk about, but it’s going to happen to us all at some point – so there’s no reason to pretend it doesn’t exist! If you’ve had the issue for more than three days and it’s showing no signs of stopping…
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Who You Need To See: A general doctor should be your first point of contact. There’s every chance, even after three days, that it’s just a virus and is still working its way out of your system – literally. If after a week there’s still no calming, then you might wish to consider a gastroenterologist to see if there is a deeper cause.
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The Exception To Define The Rule: If you’re not the only one suffering. If the entire family goes out to eat at a restaurant and all come down with the same problem 24 hours later, survey says it’s food poisoning. Knuckle through it together. Ensure you drink plenty of water with the occasional sprinkle of salt to keep your electrolytes balanced.
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Headaches

Headaches are a difficult one to pin down. They most commonly mean absolutely nothing… but they can also mean something is very wrong indeed. As mentioned, the usual cause is either dehydration, stress or tiredness, but if those can be ruled out and the problem is becoming chronic…
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Who You Need To See: It’s a good idea to make an optician the first medical professional you discuss this issue with. If your eyesight has deteriorated, this may be causing your eyes to overwork themselves. A headache results from this overcompensation. Furthermore, opticians have been known to identify signs of a brain tumor before it is even symptomatic – which should offer peace of mind if nothing else. They can also see signs of high cholesterol and diabetes, both of which can cause headaches.
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The Exception To The Rule: If the pain is so intense you cannot focus on anything else and has been longer than two hours in duration, then go to either the ER or an Urgent Care clinic. The most likely cause is a migraine or cluster headaches, but better to be safe than sorry.