Emergency medicine is something that you never think about until you need it. Last year, it is estimated that 100 million Americans visited the emergency room.

It is important to recognize the signs of when to go to the emergency room. Signs of a medical emergency can include, but are not limited to:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Chest of upper abdominal pain/pressure
• Fainting
• Sudden dizziness, weakness or change vision
• Sudden, severe pain
• Bleeding that won't stop
• Severe or persistent vomiting blood
• Coughing up or vomiting blood
• Suicidal or homicidal feelings

In the event of an emergency
If you have an emergency, please call 911, consult your doctor or go directly to the emergency room. The emergency rooms at Shands HealthCare offer treatment from board-certified emergency physicians.