THISSSSSSS, because when I say that I've quite literally been electrocuted and went to the hospital, they're so surprised I'm there. Because almost NO ONE goe,s and if it doesn't kill you (on the spot or in your sleep), it can quite literally give you a disability later in life.
While on the topic of things you should IMMEDIATELY be treated for; If you experience these symptoms, do not pass go and collect 200$, straight to the fucking ER or Urgent Care:
- Pressure, Tightness, Squeezing, or Burning in the chest that may radiate to your upper back, arms, neck, jaw, legs, or upper torso. (Think Diaphragm/Right at the bottom of ur ribcage.)
- Heart Palpitations (Feeling like your heart is beating too hard/ "Beating out of your chest.")
- Shortness of Breath
- Nausea, Vomiting, Indigestion
- Sweating
- Dizziness, Lightheadedness, Vertigo
- Pain in one or BOTH arms
- Fatigue, Feelings of Anxiety
- Confusion or Difficulty Speaking
- Lips/Face Turning Blue
- Ringing In the Ears
- Swelling of the Legs
THESE ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A MAJOR CARDIAC EVENT LIKE A HEART ATTACK.
Confusion, disorientation, or memory problems .
Fatigue or general weakness .
Sudden severe headache: with no known cause.
Loss of consciousness: or fainting.
THESE ARE SIGNS OF A MAJOR NEUROLOGICAL EVENT, LIKE A STROKE.
IF SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING ANY SYMPTOMS, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE OFF THIS LIST WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC PRIOR DIAGNOSIS OR REASON FOR IT TO SUDDENLY HAPPEN, YOU NEED TO TAKE THEM TO THE URGENT CARE OR HOSPITAL, OR CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY.
IF SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A SEIZURE, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:
- Time the seizure. Seizures can restrict blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Medical professionals, including EMTs and Treating Doctors, will NEED this information for treatment.
- Put something soft under their head. If nothing is available, use your shirt, legs, etc. DO NOT HOLD THEIR HEAD IN PLACE!! This could cause them to seriously damage their spinal coloumn/neck. They do, however, need to be in a safe place, and not thrashing their head against the floor or other surfaces.
- Put them in the "Recovery" Position. This is on their side. The arm closest to you will be pulled out, palm facing UPWARDS. The other arm is going to fit under their head, right by their neck with their head turned DOWNWARDS. The leg on that same side (of the palm facing up) needs to be bent and pulled out so the body is facing downwards in case the person throws up. They will not choke on it, and this typically helps a person who is seizing come out of the seizure. Don't panic if they don't.
- Check if they have a MEDICAL ALERT BADGE. These can be bracelets, or tags on a smart watch. They typically have the image below engraved. Or they could be necklaces. These can have ICE numbers, Blood Types, and MEDICAL INFORMATION. If it says Epilepsy, you need to let the 911 Operator know, along with how long they've been seizing.
- CALL 911. This person could be epileptic and forgot their medicine. , they could have low/high sodium. They could be having a high blood pressure/low blood pressure or a diabetic episode. There's MANY reasons that one could have a seizure, but these are MAJOR neurological events.
IF SOMEONE STOPS BREATHING, REMEMBER TO CALL 911. THE OPERATORS ARE TRAINED TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT.
You WILL hear or feel the ribs crack/break if you do it properly. It is disgusting, but remember to not panic; you are trying to save this person's life. Remember to count your compressions out loud to the operator, or to yourself. This calms your mind and puts you in a more "logic" based mindset and will make sure to stave off the shock that will come later. This will also help the operator know where you are in your compressions, make sure the line hasn't been disconnected, and give them an approximate time on how long you've been doing this, which is VITAL to saving them from further neurological damage later on.
A lot of medicine is doing something lifesaving in a very small frame of time. Most people will never actually have to do this in their lifetime, but knowing this information is lifesaving. You could be saving someone's family member, YOUR family member or friend one day. No one is garunteed survival or tomorrow, and sometimes shit just happens. You don't need to hit your head to have a seizure. Sometimes it can literally happen because you've been stressed out and your sodium levels dropped to low because of your new diet.
These things can happen to ANYONE, including yourself, so it's always best to educate yourself and the people around you in case it does.
DO NOT PANIC, DO NOT BE SCARED, BE PREPARED.
