The key word to emphasize here is change, whether it’s in appearance or consistency of the stools, says Dr. David Armstrong, a gastroenterologist at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre at McMaster University in Hamilton. “Some people have a 20- or 30-year history of constipation, and I wouldn’t want them to feel they have to suddenly run to the emergency.” However, if the constipation is suddenly accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, nausea or abdominal pain, you should get immediate medical attention. Anything that’s troublesome for more than a few days, such as diarrhea, should prompt a visit to your family doctor, adds Armstrong. If you have blood in your stools, or they’re black or tarry-coloured, that needs to be checked out as well.
Possible causes: infectious or bacterial gastroenteritis, food poisoning, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and colitis), irritable bowel syndrome, some types of cancer such as colon cancer.
5. Changes in mental state
Disorientation, confused thinking, hallucinations or sudden aggressive behaviour all require immediate medical attention, says Gillis. “If a person has diabetes, the low blood sugar that is making her confused can quickly lead to low blood sugar that is life-threatening.”
Possible causes: diabetes, an adverse reaction to a new medication, infection, head injury, stroke, dementia, psychotic breakdown.
6. New, or more severe, headaches (especially in those over age 50)
Most headaches are simply annoying and disappear by themselves with the help of a mild painkiller. But in some cases, they can signal a more serious disorder. “The first thing we look at is onset and severity,” says Gillis. A headache that comes on suddenly and feels like the worst headache of your life – what’s often described as a “thunderclap” headache – requires immediate medical attention. You should also go to the emergency room if you have a headache that begins or worsens after a head injury, or if the headache is accompanied by a high fever, stiff neck, weakness, numbness or speaking difficulties.
Possible causes: stroke, aneurysm, meningitis, brain tumour, concussion, bleeding on the brain after head trauma.
7. Short-term loss of vision, speech OR movement control
These are all signs of a possible stroke, and the sooner you get treatment, the better your outcome, says Gillis. Studies show that fewer than two per cent of stroke patients arrive at a hospital within the first three hours of a stroke – the time limit that makes them eligible for potential treatment with clot-dissolving medication. In the case of transient ischemic attacks (TIA), or mini-strokes, the symptoms (slurring, numbness of the face, arm or leg, drooping of the mouth, tingling, difficulty moving your arm) disappear within a few minutes to hours, but immediate medical attention is still required to make a recurrence less likely.
Possible causes: stroke or TIA.
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