Winter is a great time - with the holiday season comes food, family, friends, and fun. But the slick weather conditions can also lead to accidents. While some slip and falls are just that, others can end up injuring you more than you know or expect. But when do you know when you should see a doctor? We put together our guidelines, but keep in mind you should always listen to your body. Everyone is different, and we recommend seeing a doctor if you are questioning aches/pains you are feeling.

First, let’s talk about the most serious of injuries - a fall that involves hitting your head. These can result in even life-threatening conditions and we recommend seeing a doctor immediately. You should go to the emergency room if you experience any of the following after your fall:

• Amnesia 
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizure
• Vomiting
• Excessive bleeding (bleeding over 15 minutes while applying pressure)

While none of this may happen immediately, you should carefully monitor yourself for the day or two after your incident. If you start to develop intense headaches, vomiting, loss of consciousness, loss of balance, or difficulty breathing, we recommend that you visit the emergency room. Now that we’ve taken care of the worst of the worst, let’s chat about when you should see a primary care doctor. All falls don’t result in head injury, several of them might result in you injuring another limb or part of your body. If you experience any of the following, it’s time to see your doctor!

• Unable to put weight on your injured body part
• Severe pain
• Unable to move the body part
• You are prone to fractures, breaks, and severe bruising after injuries

Once again this is not an exhaustive list of when you should see your primary care physician, as everyone reacts differently to injury, but it certainly is one that we want you to be aware of. If you have any doubts about your injuries, or how your body is reacting after a fall, see a doctor promptly. If you have seen a doctor, and have any additional questions concerning an injury you’ve sustained, we recommend that you reach out to your primary care physician. Your primary care physician can help guide you on the right path, and ensure that your injury is nothing serious. If you do develop an injury, one that might require physical therapy, we are here to help.  At North Platte Physical Therapy, we are here to help meet your needs. We serve the communities of Wyoming and Nebraska with 22 clinics offering a full range of physical therapy services. Contact us today for more information.