I am creating this post because, in my chiropractic experience, I see this being a real issue for patients. An issue that causes severe problems to patients both in short term and long term speaking. In this blog, I want to discuss some of the issues I see patients are having, and what are ways we can prevent them by having options of what to do after going to the ER.
The ER Visit: A Vital Step
Before I dive into the issues and solutions, I want to say that going to the ER is a great way to get evaluated for severe accidents, injuries and symptoms. Some of the common reasons I see patients go to the ER are because they were recently in a car accident or suffered some kind of personal injury like trip and falls, getting hit by objects, sports injuries, etc. Other reasons may be due to acute or chronic pain that the patient is unsure of why it started, but it has become debilitating in some form or fashion. At the ER, patients will be evaluated by a doctor. They may get imaging done to better understand what is going on with the patient. If further testing or surgery is needed, then patients are admitted in and the patient is cared for at the hospital. However, if there is nothing serious that requires emergent treatment, then the provider may typically prescribe medication to help with the symptoms and allow the patient to go home. This is during the time that there is typically some miscommunication that occurs. In my experience, whenever I have requested records for a patient from an ER. The doctor's notes will usually include a statement that says “Follow up with a….” The ER provider is a specialist for emergency situations, so they will always have patients follow up with their PCP or general practitioner for mild to moderate conditions or other specialists for moderate to severe issues. It is this miscommunication that leads to problems for patients.
The Miscommunication Issue
Many problems can develop from miscommunication between patients and the ER. One of the biggest problems is that patients do not follow up with any other provider after going to the ER. Because of lack of knowledge and/or guidance in the proper steps of care, this leads to patients continuing with their routine without properly treating or correcting the issue that is causing the problems. Most patients may think, “well I was evaluated at the ER and was given medication, so that is all I need to do.” That will lead to a return in symptoms or symptoms worsening. For some injuries, it takes time for the problem to manifest to their most severe state. For example, disc injuries like bulges, herniations, protrusions and extrusions might take up to 4 weeks after a car accident to fully develop into its worse state. That means symptoms may not present themselves until 4 weeks later after that date of injury. If the patient was seen at the ER prior to this manifestation, then that miscommunication may lead to patients thinking the symptoms are just part of their life now. If the patient doesn’t seek further care, then they may go on about their life always in pain, but never doing anything about it, which can lead to more pain, high amounts of stress, and their body dysfunctioning which develops into more severe issues. It is always best to follow up with another provider, outside of the ER, to be fully evaluated for further care or more recommendations.
The Consequences of Non-Follow-Up
Getting a second opinion after going to the ER will benefit patients greatly for their future health. You can always start off by seeing your PCP or general practitioner. They are meant to monitor your overall health, but are great resources for specialist referrals. Chiropractors can play the role of a PCP, however, it is out of our scope of practice to prescribe medications. We can be great resources for other specialist care if needed. A lot of times, the symptoms patients are suffering from that take them to an ER are due to physical/postural problems that lead to dysfunctions in the body. Therefore, it is great to see physical treating providers to seek the care needed for improvement in injuries and conditions. Those providers include physical therapists and chiropractors. They can always include medical providers into the care to help with decreasing symptoms and inflammation or speed up the recovery process through the use of prescriptions, or other specialists if the conditions are more severe and require a medical specialist to administer and monitor care. In my experience, symptoms like radiating symptoms down arms and legs, sciatica, disc injuries from accidents or chronic disc degenerations, sprains and strains, acute and chronic neck and/or back pain are common conditions that can be treated by physical physicians like chiropractors and physical therapists. Depending on the clinic’s treatment options, there are many treatments that these physical physicians provide that will help to correct imbalances in the body that lead to other tissue irritation, like nerves, tendons and ligaments. By treating the imbalances, symptoms will decrease, strength will increase and overall body functions can improve. Medication from medical providers can help speed up the process and maintain the level of success. The most important takeaway here is to follow up with another provider within a week of going to the ER.
The Importance of Second Opinions
Overall, there is a miscommunication when patients are getting discharged from the ER, and that is patients do not realize they need to follow up with another provider after their ER visit. The other providers will continue with the necessary care to treat and correct the problems causing the symptoms. If left untreated, the problems will get worse and can lead to other issues or conditions. Some of the most helpful forms of care can be provided by physical physicians like chiropractors and physical therapists. They can help improve imbalances in the body, which will allow the body function better overall. Get the care that you need by following up with another provider, so you don’t continue with life in pain.
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