Every year, more than 110 emergency room visits are logged in the United States. While there are a number of reasons for them, many people who suffer from stomach pain may find themselves asking, “is there a 24 hour emergency room near me?” The chances are decent that there is one but there are also things you can do at home to help with your discomfort.
- Try some bitters and soda. While people often only think of the cocktails they can make when they think of bitters and soda but they can also be used to help with a variety of stomach complaints including nausea. Take five to six drops of bitters and add them to ginger ale, tonic or club soda. Often, the ingredients in bitters include fennel, mint, cinnamon and ginger. All of these have anti-emetic properties, which explains how they can help with nausea.
- Go for the ginger. There is a reason so many people like to drink ginger ale (even without the addition of bitters) when they are suffering from nausea. Research into ginger has shown it has properties that help with a variety of stomach problems. You can get ginger candies or drink ginger ale. If you can get some that is all natural, you may have better luck. You can also make your own tea by crushing some ginger root. This is more enjoyable than asking, “is there a 24 hour emergency room near me?”
- Try some chamomile tea. There are a lot of good things that can come along with a cup of chamomile tea. It can relax you after a long day. There are also anti inflammatory properties of chamomile tea that can ease stomach discomfort (it can also help with joint pain). If you are having spasms or painful cramping, this tea may help.
- Be a BRAT about your food. The BRAT stands for “bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These foods are thought to be much easier on your stomach and this diet can help if you are suffering from diarrhea in addition to nausea. The reason this works for diarrhea is that the foods listed have very little fiber and are known to be more binding. It is good to switch to a bland diet if your stomach is upset but you want to eat something.
- Try some peppermint. Peppermint has properties that make it good to eat if you have an upset stomach that is painful and is leaving you nauseated. Peppermint tea, the best way to get peppermint when your stomach is bothering you, has menthol. Menthol is a natural pain killer.
- Drink some apple cider vinegar. Note that apple cider vinegar is very acidic so if heart burn if your problem, this is not the solution. You should cut the apple cider vinegar with some warm water and honey. This also has anti bacterial properties so many people drink it daily to prevent problems.
- Drink some water with baking soda. This is great for heart burn. The sodium bicarbonate is a basic substance that can help neutralize the acid in your stomach. It really works wonders. This is also great because most people have baking soda in their homes.
There are times you are really going to have to call around ask the people you know, “is there a 24 hour emergency room near me?” Some stomach problems need to be evaluated and treated in a hospital, at local emergency clinics or family medical center. This list is not exhaustive. You should consider going if you have any of the following:
- Severe pain that will not go away. This can be an indication of a serious problem that needs medical intervention and evaluation.
- Prolonged nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. This can easily lead to dehydration and needs to be evaluated.
When you have questions about asking “is there a 24 hour emergency room near me?” you are best served by having a primary care doctor or a family physician to whom that question can be directed. When you have a family doctor, they can help you determine what level of medical care you need when you have problems with your stomach. Some problems can be taken care of at walk in medical clinics.
