Assessment

Call emergency services if the person was knocked out, even briefly, or shows red flags: confusion, drowsiness, repeated vomiting,...

Use FAST: Face drooping on one side, Arm weakness or numbness, Speech difficulty or slurring, Time to call emergency services imme...

Warning signs: excessive thirst and urination, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid deep breathing, fruity smelling breath, con...

Widespread hives together with swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, or feeling faint may be anaphylaxis:...

Key signs: fever with severe headache, neck stiffness, dislike of bright lights, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness, cold hands and f...

Think sepsis when someone with an infection develops any of: slurred speech or confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, passin...

Suspect internal bleeding after major trauma such as falls or crashes, or with some medical conditions such as stomach ulcers or e...

A deep vein thrombosis usually shows as pain, swelling, tenderness, and warmth in one calf or thigh, sometimes with reddened skin....

Watch any healing wound for spreading redness around the edges, increasing pain, swelling, warmth, pus or cloudy discharge, a bad ...

Most back pain eases within weeks, but some signs need urgent assessment. Call emergency services for loss of bladder or bowel con...

A TIA, sometimes called a mini stroke, causes the same sudden symptoms as a stroke, such as face drooping, arm weakness, speech di...

Delirium is a sudden change in alertness and thinking, often worse at night, with muddled conversation, agitation or unusual drows...

The first act of first aid is looking. Before approaching any casualty, stop, look, and think: is there traffic, fire, electricity...