From The Front Lines

Fainting can be a scary event for everyone involved. According to emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen, 99% of the time, there are no serious health concerns. But if you're around when someone hits the floor, how should you respond? Learn the facts about fainting and what you can do when it happens.

A trip to the ER is different for patients with diabetes compared to those without. Diabetes can lead to more serious complications doctors would be concerned about, as well as influence diagnostics and potential treatments. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains why it’s important your physicians know your diabetic status early with emergency treatment.

A severe asthma attack can be dangerous and an alarming situation for both the victim and those around them. Do you know what to do if you find yourself needing to assist someone during an asthma attack? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen walks through step-by-step what you should do to assess the situation and best help during someone else's asthma attack.

You’ve seen the alarming headlines about “dry drowning” in which a child passes away days after inhaling water. It’s definitely a nightmare scenario, but does it really happen? The short answer: not exactly. What actually happened is called “secondary drowning,” and it is preventable if you know what to look for. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains how the media has the story wrong, what dry drowning is and what you really should be looking for to prevent delayed aspiration.

Typically, an emergency room doctor reviews a patient's vital signs before actually seeing the patient. The four main vital signs—blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature—reveal a lot of important information. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about how ERs use vital signs to triage patients and what indicators he looks for to determine if a patient needs urgent help.

With summer almost here, many people are rolling out those dusty lawn mowers to trim their lawns. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen discusses some common injuries that lawn mowers can cause and offers important safety tips to follow.

In the United States, there are two breeds of poisonous spiders to be worried about: the black widow and the brown recluse. We’ve all heard horror stories about these creepy creatures, but what really happens if you get bit by one? And what can doctors do about it? Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen shares the surprisingly non-lethal symptoms of a spider bite.

Maybe it’s some redness on your skin. Maybe a small cut has become inflamed. Maybe an ingrown hair has become a little more worrisome. Is your skin infection something to worry about and when should you seek immediate care? Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the symptoms you should be on the lookout for in case a skin infection becomes life-threatening.

Helmets are a vital piece of safety equipment for many activities and may save your life. But we may be depending on helmets a little too much. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen shares some of his first-hand experiences with helmet safety from the ER. He reminds listeners to still play it smart when it comes to safety, even if you're wearing a helmet.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication when an infection spreads to the bloodstream. It’s not too common for most people, but at-risk patients might not even realize the infection has spread. Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains the complication of sepsis, how to tell if you might be at risk and how to identify signs that you should get to the hospital immediately.

Abuse of opioid painkillers is a nationwide epidemic. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says while ERs do use opioids, practices for prescribing and monitoring their use by patients have gotten stricter. Dr. Madsen talks about some suggestions for recognizing and avoiding an opioid addiction and some available alternatives to pain treatment.

Your recent ear piercing is red and swollen and you suspect it might be infected — should you go to the emergency room? On this ER or Not, emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen discusses the potential serious complications that can come from an infection of the ear, including hearing loss and hospitalization. Learn what you need to look for and when to seek immediate care.

Summer is here, and for many that means getting back on the bicycle and enjoying the outdoors. For ER doctors, it means seeing more patients injuring themselves on those bicycles. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the most common bike injuries he sees during this time of year and share tips on how to keep out of the ER.

Believe it or not, sometimes people can break bones and not realize it. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says some bones are more prone to fractures. Swelling, trouble moving a joint, or lingering pain after a few days can all be indications of a bone fracture. Learn about some other symptoms of broken bones if you suspect you may need an X-ray to find out for sure.

Spring is here and it’s time to start that spring cleaning. But if you come across mouse droppings you could be exposed to hantavirus. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen discuss the virus and simple cleaning steps you can take if you find mouse droppings.

Splinters can be painful and irritating, despite how small they can be. There are plenty of strategies to remove that bothersome embedded chunk under your skin but which one is the safest? Should you use a safety pin, tweezers or a pocket knife? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen describes the best way to remove a splinter at home and how to tell if a splinter is serious enough for emergency room care.

Do your ears ring after a noisy concert or because of a loud work environment? Could it indicate something serious? Hear what emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says ear ringing can mean, whether it's something to worry about, and some actions you can take if you are concerned.

On this episode of Seven Questions for a Specialist, The Scope speaks with emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen. What’s the most common thing he sees in the ER? What’s the one thing everyone should know to avoid the ER? Find out what answers Dr. Madsen has for these questions and more.

Does a car accident warrant a trip to the ER? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says any head injuries, neck pain or a painful abdomen means you need to get to the ER. But what should you do if a paramedic gives you a choice? ER or Urgent Care? Find out what to consider if you are in a car accident.

Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says if you suspect a food allergy is making it hard for you to breathe, call 911 immediately. Food allergy symptoms can range from mild itching to more severe breathing difficulty. And some food allergies can develop later in life with foods people had no problems with when they were young. Listen to find out the difference between food "allergies" and food "sensitivities.”