When to Go to the Emergency Room: 15 Red Flag Symptoms

Knowing which symptoms require emergency care can be life-saving. The following symptoms warrant immediate presentation to an emergency department or calling emergency services — do not drive yourself if you are experiencing cardiac or neurological symptoms.

Cardiovascular emergencies: crushing chest pain or pressure, especially with radiation to arm, jaw, or back with sweating or nausea (heart attack); sudden severe chest pain with shortness of breath and rapid heart rate (pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection); sudden severe palpitations with near-fainting (dangerous arrhythmia).

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Neurological emergencies: sudden face drooping, arm weakness, or speech difficulty (FAST — stroke); sudden thunderclap headache — worst headache of your life (subarachnoid hemorrhage); sudden confusion, seizure, or loss of consciousness; sudden vision loss; severe weakness or numbness of one side of body.

Other emergencies: high fever with severe headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light (bacterial meningitis — hours matter); severe abdominal pain with rigid abdomen (peritonitis or surgical emergency); difficulty breathing at rest; coughing or vomiting blood; signs of severe allergic reaction — throat swelling, hives, difficulty breathing (anaphylaxis); uncontrolled bleeding; suspected poisoning or overdose; major trauma. When in doubt: go to the emergency department or call emergency services. It is always better to investigate and be reassured than to wait with a serious condition.

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