Do you have a problem in the chest area, such as pain or an injury?
Yes
Symptoms in chest area
No
Symptoms in chest area
How old are you?
Less than 12 years
Less than 12 years
12 years or older
12 years or older
Do you have only breathing problems with no other symptoms?
Do you have moderate or severe belly pain?
This is not the cramping type of pain you have with diarrhea.
Is your main symptom a cough?
Do you have symptoms of shock?
Do you have any shortness of breath that is not caused by pain?
Pain may make it hurt to breathe, but this is not the same as being short of breath.
Would you describe your
shortness of breath as severe, moderate, or mild?
Severe
Severe shortness of breath
Moderate
Moderate shortness of breath
Mild
Mild shortness of breath
Have you been diagnosed with angina?
Yes
Diagnosed with angina
Has there been a change in your angina over the past week?
Yes
Change in angina in the past week
No
Change in angina in the past week
Is your treatment plan controlling the angina?
If the plan is working, it should either make the symptoms go away or get them back to the level they were at before the angina got worse.
Yes
Treatment plan is controlling symptoms
No
Treatment plan is controlling symptoms
Over the last few months, have you been getting angina more often or has it been worse than usual?
Yes
Angina occurring more often or getting worse
No
Angina occurring more often or getting worse
Have you had any symptoms that you think may have been caused by your heart?
These could include pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest or a nearby area, like your neck or shoulder. Other symptoms can include shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, or lightheadedness.
Yes
Possible heart symptoms
No
Possible heart symptoms
How recently did you have these symptoms?
Within the past week
Heart-related symptoms within the past week
More than a week ago
Heart-related symptoms more than a week ago
Have you had an injury to your chest in the past 2 weeks?
Yes
Chest injury within past 2 weeks
No
Chest injury within past 2 weeks
Is there any blood in your urine?
This can happen if you get hit in the ribs or side and damage the kidneys.
Are you coughing up blood?
This means blood that is coming up from your chest or throat. Blood that is draining down from your nose into your throat (because of a nosebleed, for example) is not the same thing.
How much blood is there?
A lot of bright red blood [2 tsp (10 mL) or more]
Large amount [2 tsp (10 mL)] of bright red blood in sputum
Streaks of bright red blood
Streaks of bright red blood in sputum
Specks or spots of blood
Specks or spots of blood in sputum
Has this been going on for more than 2 days?
Yes
Specks or spots of blood in sputum for more than 2 days
No
Specks or spots of blood in sputum for more than 2 days
Do you take a medicine that affects the blood's ability to clot, such as aspirin, warfarin (such as Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), or clopidogrel (Plavix)?
These medicines can cause bleeding and can make it harder to control bleeding.
Yes
Takes medicine that affects blood's ability to clot
No
Takes medicine that affects blood's ability to clot
Do you have pain in your ribs or the muscles of your chest?
This type of pain may feel worse when you press on or move the area or when you take a deep breath.
How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?
8 to 10: Severe pain
Severe pain
5 to 7: Moderate pain
Moderate pain
1 to 4: Mild pain
Mild pain
Has the pain:
Gotten worse?
Pain is getting worse
Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?
Pain is unchanged
Gotten better?
Pain is getting better
Do you know what caused the pain, such as severe sneezing or coughing?
Yes
Pain is from sneezing, coughing, or other known cause
No
Pain is from sneezing, coughing, or other known cause
Has the pain lasted for more than 2 days?
Yes
Pain for more than 2 days
No
Pain for more than 2 days
Do you have pain deep in one leg?
Sudden chest pain that occurs with deep pain or swelling in one leg can be a symptom of a blood clot that has moved from the leg to the lung.
Do you think the chest problem may be causing a fever?
Do you have a new rash on only one side of your chest? The rash may be in a strip or band.
Yes
New rash on only one side
No
New rash on only one side
Have you had symptoms for more than a week?
Yes
Chest symptoms for more than a week
No
Chest symptoms for more than a week
Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind
of care you may need. These include:
-
Your age. Babies and older
adults tend to get sicker quicker.
-
Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart
disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care
sooner.
-
Medicines you take. Certain
medicines, herbal remedies, and supplements can cause symptoms or make them
worse.
-
Recent health events, such as surgery
or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them
more serious.
-
Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug
use, sexual history, and travel.
Try Home Treatment
You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be
able to take care of this problem at home.
- Try home treatment to relieve the
symptoms.
- Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any
concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect).
You may need care sooner.
Pain in adults and older children
-
Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain
is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and
can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
-
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your
normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days.
Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's
there.
-
Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain,
but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.
Severe trouble breathing means:
- You cannot talk at all.
- You have to
work very hard to breathe.
- You feel like you can't get enough
air.
- You do not feel alert or cannot think clearly.
Moderate trouble breathing means:
- It's hard to talk in full
sentences.
- It's hard to breathe with activity.
Mild trouble breathing means:
- You feel a little out of breath but can still talk.
- It's becoming hard to breathe with activity.
Shock is a life-threatening condition that may quickly occur
after a sudden illness or injury.
Symptoms of shock (most of which will be present) include:
- Passing out (losing consciousness).
- Feeling very dizzy or
lightheaded, like you may pass out.
- Feeling very weak or having
trouble standing.
- Not feeling alert or able to think clearly. You
may be confused, restless, fearful, or unable to respond to questions.
Shock is a life-threatening condition that may occur quickly
after a sudden illness or injury.
Symptoms of shock in a child may include:
- Passing out (losing consciousness).
- Being very sleepy or hard
to wake up.
- Not responding when being touched or talked to.
- Breathing much faster than usual.
- Acting confused.
The child may not know where he or she is.
Symptoms of a heart attack may
include:
- Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
- Sweating.
- Shortness of
breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain, pressure, or a
strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both
shoulders or arms.
- Lightheadedness or sudden
weakness.
- A fast or irregular heartbeat.
The more of these symptoms you have, the more likely it is that
you're having a heart attack. Chest pain or pressure is the most common
symptom, but some people, especially women, may not notice it as much as other
symptoms. You may not have chest pain at all but instead have shortness of breath, nausea, or a strange feeling in your chest or other areas.
Seek Care Today
Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The
problem probably will not get better without medical care.
- Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms
and arrange for care.
- If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't
have one, seek care today.
- If it is evening, watch the symptoms and
seek care in the morning.
- If the symptoms get worse, seek care
sooner.
Make an Appointment
Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical
care.
- Make an appointment to see your doctor in the
next 1 to 2 weeks.
- If appropriate, try home treatment while you
are waiting for the appointment.
- If symptoms get worse or you have
any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.
Seek Care Now
Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.
- Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and
arrange for care.
- If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have
one, seek care in the next hour.
- You do not need to call an
ambulance unless:
- You cannot travel safely either by driving
yourself or by having someone else drive you.
- You are in an area
where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.
Call 911 Now
Based on your answers, you need
emergency care.
Call
911
or other emergency services now.
Call 911 Now
Based on your answers, you need
emergency care.
Call
911
or other emergency services now.
After you call
911 , the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength (325 mg) or 2
to 4 low-dose (81 mg) aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself.
Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger
Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger
Coughs, Age 12 and Older
Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older
Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older
Coughs, Age 11 and Younger