First Aid & Emergencies

Call 911 NOW if you are having:

Chest Pain
Difficulty Breathing
Severe Bleeding

Sudden Weakness or Numbness
A Medical Emergency

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Preparing for the Emergency Room - Topic Overview

If possible, call ahead to let emergency room staff know you are coming.
Call your doctor, if possible. He or she may meet you at the emergency room or call in important information.
If you think you may have to wait to be seen by a doctor, take the checklists below and your medical records with you. While you are waiting, you can:
- Use the Healthwise Self-Care Checklist to help you think through the problem and report symptoms to the doctor.
- See the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment to organize questions for the doctor.
- Review the medical test checklist in the Shared Decisions About Medical Tests section of the topic Smart Decisions: Know Your Options.
- Use your home medical records to help you talk to your doctor about your medicines, past test results, or treatments. Information about your allergies, medicines, and health conditions may be critical.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: April 28, 2010

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.