4 ms·

Are there cases in which a rash is a legit emergency?

by netizen-936824 5y ago

programmer_dude 5y ago
Rashes can appear in cases of allergic reactions, those can be deadly.
derbOac 5y ago
Yes, depending on the scenario. MRSA and other bacterial infections are good (and unfortunately too common) examples.
- handrous 5y ago
  Yep, the gap between the point where most people would start to think a skin-infection-caused rash is bad enough that they might need help, and the point at which it's moved deeper in the body and begun to infect other tissue, can be pretty damn short, and by the time you've noticed (say) joint aches or immobility, it may be too late for simple solutions. If you've hit that point on a Saturday morning but think "well it's the weekend, I'll try to see my doctor on Monday" but then it's looking really bad by Saturday night (not implausible) and you can't get to an urgent care for whatever reason (none nearby, or just not open), you really don't want to wait until Monday to have a professional look at it. ER's not a crazy choice. If it's truly bad that's where the urgent care will probably send you, anyway.
tyingq 5y ago
Anaphylaxis often first shows as a rash. Toxic shock syndrome and MRSA too. Probably others.
debacle 5y ago
Shingles could be one, actually. It can lead to permanent neurological issues.
majormajor 5y ago
That sounds like a question for a doctor. If something happened in the middle of the night to you, where you would find a doctor in the middle of the night if not at the ER?
- avereveard 5y ago
  Just copy Italy, we have a backup for the primary care/general practitioner under the form of Guardia medica, which does the same level of triage they'd do but in night shifts
Fomite 5y ago
MRSA (see also 'spider bites'), meningitis, adverse reactions to a drug, Staphylococcal scaled skin syndrome (especially in infants), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (which can be a reaction to medication), toxic shock syndrome, among others.
Broken_Hippo 5y ago
Yup. Allergic reactions, especially to medication. And let me tell you, that rash is absolute agony. So. Much. Freaking. Itching. I wished it was pain instead. I would have tried about anything to get it to stop. It was all over my torso, and just horrible. It is really important to get it taken care of before it gets worse - you don't want to, say, take more medicine and not be able to breathe. The other thing that can cause a rash-like appearance is an infection, though they usually describe this as red streaks (from a cut, anyway). If this is happening on a friday night, you shouldn't wait until monday to take care of it.

Are there cases in which a rash is a legit emergency?

programmer_dude 5y ago

Rashes can appear in cases of allergic reactions, those can be deadly.

derbOac 5y ago

Yes, depending on the scenario. MRSA and other bacterial infections are good (and unfortunately too common) examples.

handrous 5y ago
Yep, the gap between the point where most people would start to think a skin-infection-caused rash is bad enough that they might need help, and the point at which it's moved deeper in the body and begun to infect other tissue, can be pretty damn short, and by the time you've noticed (say) joint aches or immobility, it may be too late for simple solutions. If you've hit that point on a Saturday morning but think "well it's the weekend, I'll try to see my doctor on Monday" but then it's looking really bad by Saturday night (not implausible) and you can't get to an urgent care for whatever reason (none nearby, or just not open), you really don't want to wait until Monday to have a professional look at it. ER's not a crazy choice. If it's truly bad that's where the urgent care will probably send you, anyway.

tyingq 5y ago

Anaphylaxis often first shows as a rash. Toxic shock syndrome and MRSA too. Probably others.

debacle 5y ago

Shingles could be one, actually. It can lead to permanent neurological issues.

majormajor 5y ago

That sounds like a question for a doctor. If something happened in the middle of the night to you, where you would find a doctor in the middle of the night if not at the ER?

avereveard 5y ago
Just copy Italy, we have a backup for the primary care/general practitioner under the form of Guardia medica, which does the same level of triage they'd do but in night shifts

Fomite 5y ago

MRSA (see also 'spider bites'), meningitis, adverse reactions to a drug, Staphylococcal scaled skin syndrome (especially in infants), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (which can be a reaction to medication), toxic shock syndrome, among others.

Broken_Hippo 5y ago

Yup. Allergic reactions, especially to medication. And let me tell you, that rash is absolute agony. So. Much. Freaking. Itching. I wished it was pain instead. I would have tried about anything to get it to stop. It was all over my torso, and just horrible. It is really important to get it taken care of before it gets worse - you don't want to, say, take more medicine and not be able to breathe. The other thing that can cause a rash-like appearance is an infection, though they usually describe this as red streaks (from a cut, anyway). If this is happening on a friday night, you shouldn't wait until monday to take care of it.