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The human body is capable of amazing things. So, when a person doesn’t feel well, it can be tempting to simply try to let the body heal on its own instead of seeking medical attention. That plan of action is fine for certain situations, but some symptoms indicate a more serious medical condition. This community is fortunate to have at its fingertips an emergency department staffed night and day with physicians and nurses poised to offer quality healthcare.
The following are 10 symptoms or conditions that require an immediate trip to see those caring individuals at Freeman Neosho Hospital.
1. Loss of consciousness.
2. Symptoms of a heart attack that last more than three minutes, including pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest; tightness, burning, or aching under the breastbone; and chest pain with lightheadedness.
3. Signs of a stroke, including sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body; sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye; loss of speech or trouble understanding speech; sudden severe headaches that arise without a cause; and unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls.
4. Severe shortness of breath.
5. A wound that won’t stop bleeding, even after 10 minutes of direct pressure.
6. Ingestion of potential poison (contact Missouri Poison Center first at 1.800.222.1222)
7. Unexplained drowsiness or disorientation.
8. Coughing up or vomiting blood.
9. Vomiting that is severe or persistent.
10. Suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
Freeman Neosho Emergency Department is staffed with physicians and nurses qualified to aid patients experiencing any of these symptoms. Freeman Neosho Emergency Department treats on average 17,000 patients during each year, making it one of the state’s busiest critical access emergency departments. The May 22, 2011, tornado caused patient volumes at Freeman Neosho Emergency Department to swell to nearly 19,000.
Because of this increase in patient flow, Freeman Neosho Emergency Department is undergoing an expansion. Thanks to the forward-thinking attitude of the hospital’s board of directors, three Emergency Department rooms are being added to the six already in place. One of those is an ambulatory care room, available to treat patients with less severe conditions. By increasing its size, Freeman Neosho Emergency Department will more quickly triage and treat those thousands of patients who arrive on our doorstep each year. The Neosho community can look for this project to be completed during the month of February 2012.
Tony Mitchell is the Freeman Neosho Hospital Emergency Services Director.
The human body is capable of amazing things. So, when a person doesn’t feel well, it can be tempting to simply try to let the body heal on its own instead of seeking medical attention. That plan of action is fine for certain situations, but some symptoms indicate a more serious medical condition. This community is fortunate to have at its fingertips an emergency department staffed night and day with physicians and nurses poised to offer quality healthcare.
The following are 10 symptoms or conditions that require an immediate trip to see those caring individuals at Freeman Neosho Hospital.
1. Loss of consciousness.
2. Symptoms of a heart attack that last more than three minutes, including pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest; tightness, burning, or aching under the breastbone; and chest pain with lightheadedness.
3. Signs of a stroke, including sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body; sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye; loss of speech or trouble understanding speech; sudden severe headaches that arise without a cause; and unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls.
4. Severe shortness of breath.
5. A wound that won’t stop bleeding, even after 10 minutes of direct pressure.
6. Ingestion of potential poison (contact Missouri Poison Center first at 1.800.222.1222)
7. Unexplained drowsiness or disorientation.
8. Coughing up or vomiting blood.
9. Vomiting that is severe or persistent.
10. Suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
Freeman Neosho Emergency Department is staffed with physicians and nurses qualified to aid patients experiencing any of these symptoms. Freeman Neosho Emergency Department treats on average 17,000 patients during each year, making it one of the state’s busiest critical access emergency departments. The May 22, 2011, tornado caused patient volumes at Freeman Neosho Emergency Department to swell to nearly 19,000.
Because of this increase in patient flow, Freeman Neosho Emergency Department is undergoing an expansion. Thanks to the forward-thinking attitude of the hospital’s board of directors, three Emergency Department rooms are being added to the six already in place. One of those is an ambulatory care room, available to treat patients with less severe conditions. By increasing its size, Freeman Neosho Emergency Department will more quickly triage and treat those thousands of patients who arrive on our doorstep each year. The Neosho community can look for this project to be completed during the month of February 2012.
Tony Mitchell is the Freeman Neosho Hospital Emergency Services Director.
