Click on the dropdown below that relates closest to what you're experiencing to find the best course of action to take. Recognizing medical symptoms and taking the proper care path can help you recover faster and even save your life. Open the guide to fully view symptoms and conditions.
Symptoms:
Care at home for mild symptoms. Here is what you can do: OTC Pain Relievers, rest in a quiet, dark room, and ice or heat to neck or shoulders
Contact your physician if: you have a headache with fever or vomiting, you have a headache lasting more than 2 days, or you have dizziness interfering with daily activities.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: severe headache, localized weakness or numbness or blurred vision.
Care at home for mild symptoms. Here is what you can do: Drink plenty of fluids, especially sports drinks or clear soups. Eat bland foods (crackers, toast, scrambled eggs, apple sauce).
Contact your physician if: illness lasts more than 2 days, if there is blood in diarrhea, or you have a fever of 102 degrees or greater.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: persistent abdominal pain or signs of dehydration: dizziness, sunken eyes, marked weakness.
Care at home for mild symptoms. Here is what you can do: drink plenty of fluids, refrain from exercise and use OTC medicines (expectorants with guaifenesin, cough suppressants with dextromethorphan).
Contact your physician if: you have a cough with significant fever, you have worsening thick mucus or phlegm, or a cough that interferes with sleep or persists for a week.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing.
Care at home for mild symptoms. Here is what you can do: take acetaminophen and drink plenty of fluids.
Contact your physician if: you are unable to bring fever below 103 degrees, you have a fever lasting more than 2 days, you have a rash, or you have redness, swelling or tenderness of skin.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, repeated vomiting or diarrhea, or severe headache and/or stiff neck.
Care at home for mild symptoms. Here is what you can do: increase fluid intake. Give acetaminophen (or ibuprofen if older than 6 months.
Contact your physician if: you are unable to bring fever below 103 degrees with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, if newborn (under 2 months) has fever over 100.4 degrees, if child has fever lasting more than 5 days, or if child has fewer than 4 wet diapers per day.
Go to the Emergency Room if child is experiencing any of the following symptoms: confused/lethargic, severe headache with vomiting or stiff neck, seizure, or difficulty breathing.
Conditions:
For care at home, here is what you can do: monitor blood pressure regularly, avoid excessive salt, maintain exercise routine, and take prescribed medication.
Contact your physician if: blood pressure is higher than your typical reading.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: severe headache, persistent nosebleed, and/or chest pain.
For care at home, here is what you can do: avoid excessive salt, take prescribed medications, and weigh yourself daily.
Contact your physician if: you experience weight gain, have worsening swelling of ankles, you have shortness of breath while lying down or awakening from sleep, or you have worsening exercise tolerance (e.g. climbing stairs).
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing or chest discomfort.
For care at home, here is what you can do: take prescribed baseline/rescue medications, avoid cigarette smoke and other irritants, and avoid exercise when asthma flares.
Contact your physician if: you have shortness of breath interfering with daily activities or increased need for rescue medication.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing or persistent wheezing.
For care at home, here is what you can do: take prescribed controller/rescue medications, avoid cigarette smoke and other irritants, and treat asthma triggers like allergies or URI symptoms.
Contact your physician if: child has persistent daily nighttime cough, child uses rescue medication more than 2x/week or more frequently than normal, or child has shortness or breath, wheezing or cough during exercise.
Go to the Emergency Room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: confusion/drowsiness, worsening breathing interferes with eating or playing, or wheezing/breathing problems despite rescue medications.
For care at home, here is what you can do: wear a medical alert bracelet, monitor your blood sugar, and take prescribed medications.
Contact your physician if you experience any of the following symptoms: increased thirst, nausea/vomiting, trembling/weakness, persistently elevated blood sugar, recurrently low blood sugar.
Go to the Emergency Room if you have: Persistent low blood sugar, especially with confusion/loss of consciousness and rapid breathing.