It’s always something stupidly inconvenient, right? Like a sore throat that kicks in right before bed, your child wakes up warm and miserable at 2 a.m., a random rash pops up after everything’s closed, or the bottle of pain relief that was definitely in the cabinet last week has apparently vanished, and you just can’t find it anywhere. Sometimes health issues happen at the most inconvenient of times, like in the middle of the night, or on a holiday, or on a Sunday, or some other day when everything is closed.
How are you supposed to reclaim your day, or even have a better next day if there is nothing that can help you? You clearly have an idea of what to do in case of an emergency, but when it’s not an emergency, but it’s still bad, what can you even do? Sure, you should always prepare, but sometimes, things happen unexpectedly, so it’s not like you can prepare for every possibility.
Pause Before Turning it into a Bigger Problem
Okay, first things first, not every symptom needs a full panic spiral. Which, honestly, can be easier said than done, especially depending on what’s happening to you. Like a scratchy throat, a mild headache, a small skin irritation, or a fever that’s just started can feel huge in the moment, mostly because of the timing.
Plus nighttime has a way of making everything feel more intense. The house is quiet, nobody wants to leave, and even a small problem just seems worse. Again, a lot of places are closed; it’s not like you can see your doctor, and unless you are in an emergency, you can’t call EMS or go into the emergency room either. So what are you supposed to do, just tough it out?
Well some people do, but depending on what’s happening, that might not be a good idea. But it can help to just slow down first. Check the basics. Is there a fever? Has anything new been eaten, touched, or used on the skin? Is somebody just overtired, dehydrated, or run down? Those simple questions can make the whole thing feel more manageable. Basically, how severe is the problem?
Use What’s Helpful, But Not Everything at Once
And this can’t be stressed enough here! For whatever reason, this is where people can get a little too ambitious. You can’t throw everything in the house at yourself and just expect magic to happen. A cool cloth, fluids, rest, a thermometer, basic pain relief, or keeping an eye on symptoms can do a lot more than frantically trying five different things in twenty minutes.
If it’s in the middle of the night, it can be hard to find some options. If there’s an after-hours pharmacy around you or even urgent care, then those two options will help and can make it manageable.
Photo by Ron Lach
Know When “Minor” Stops Feeling Minor
Most of these badly timed problems stay in the annoying category, but not always. Obviously, some common sense will need to be used, especially if there’s trouble breathing, signs of dehydration, confusion, symptoms getting worse fast, or a child who seems especially unwell are all good reasons to stop treating it like a wait-and-see situation. Again, there is urgent care and there is the emergency room if you really do need it.
It’s always something stupidly inconvenient, right? Like a sore throat that kicks in right before bed, your child wakes up warm and miserable at 2 a.m., a random rash pops up after everything’s closed, or the bottle of pain relief that was definitely in the cabinet last week has apparently vanished, and you just can’t find it anywhere. Sometimes health issues happen at the most inconvenient of times, like in the middle of the night, or on a holiday, or on a Sunday, or some other day when everything is closed.
How are you supposed to reclaim your day, or even have a better next day if there is nothing that can help you? You clearly have an idea of what to do in case of an emergency, but when it’s not an emergency, but it’s still bad, what can you even do? Sure, you should always prepare, but sometimes, things happen unexpectedly, so it’s not like you can prepare for every possibility.
Pause Before Turning it into a Bigger Problem
Okay, first things first, not every symptom needs a full panic spiral. Which, honestly, can be easier said than done, especially depending on what’s happening to you. Like a scratchy throat, a mild headache, a small skin irritation, or a fever that’s just started can feel huge in the moment, mostly because of the timing.
Plus nighttime has a way of making everything feel more intense. The house is quiet, nobody wants to leave, and even a small problem just seems worse. Again, a lot of places are closed; it’s not like you can see your doctor, and unless you are in an emergency, you can’t call EMS or go into the emergency room either. So what are you supposed to do, just tough it out?
Well some people do, but depending on what’s happening, that might not be a good idea. But it can help to just slow down first. Check the basics. Is there a fever? Has anything new been eaten, touched, or used on the skin? Is somebody just overtired, dehydrated, or run down? Those simple questions can make the whole thing feel more manageable. Basically, how severe is the problem?
Use What’s Helpful, But Not Everything at Once
And this can’t be stressed enough here! For whatever reason, this is where people can get a little too ambitious. You can’t throw everything in the house at yourself and just expect magic to happen. A cool cloth, fluids, rest, a thermometer, basic pain relief, or keeping an eye on symptoms can do a lot more than frantically trying five different things in twenty minutes.
If it’s in the middle of the night, it can be hard to find some options. If there’s an after-hours pharmacy around you or even urgent care, then those two options will help and can make it manageable.
Know When “Minor” Stops Feeling Minor
Most of these badly timed problems stay in the annoying category, but not always. Obviously, some common sense will need to be used, especially if there’s trouble breathing, signs of dehydration, confusion, symptoms getting worse fast, or a child who seems especially unwell are all good reasons to stop treating it like a wait-and-see situation. Again, there is urgent care and there is the emergency room if you really do need it.
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