Medical Emergencies: Warning Signs & When to Call 911

Call Emergency Services Immediately For:

If you or someone near you has any of the following, call your local emergency number (911 in the US) right away. Do not wait to see if symptoms improve.

• Signs of a heart attack: chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the arm, jaw, or back, shortness of breath, cold sweat, or nausea.
• Signs of a stroke (FAST): Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call emergency services. Also sudden numbness, confusion, vision loss, or severe headache.
• Difficulty breathing or choking.
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis): swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, widespread hives, wheezing, or fainting — use an epinephrine auto-injector if available.
• Heavy, uncontrolled bleeding or a deep wound.
• Sudden severe pain, especially in the chest or abdomen.
• Loss of consciousness, a seizure, or unresponsiveness.
• Signs of a serious infection (sepsis): high fever with confusion, very fast breathing, a rash that does not fade under pressure, or extreme illness.
• Thoughts of harming yourself or others — in the US, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

When to Seek Urgent (Same-Day) Care

• A high fever that will not come down, or any fever in a baby under 3 months.
• A wound that is red, warm, swollen, or has red streaks spreading from it.
• Dehydration with little or no urination, dizziness, or persistent vomiting.
• A new, severe, or rapidly worsening symptom you cannot explain.

When in doubt, it is always safer to seek care. Emergency clinicians would far rather see someone who turns out to be fine than miss something serious.