From The Front Lines

The holidays are here and you’re getting ready to hit the road for a well-deserved vacation—the one thing you should always remember to take with you is a first aid kit. Emergency room physician Troy Madsen, MD, says the majority of the items most people would include in their kits, he leaves out. Dr. Madsen goes through his top three first aid travel kit items and tells you why it’s important to never travel without them so that you won’t have to spend countless hours in the ER.

From alcohol poisoning to rushing the field at football games, emergency room physician Troy Madsen, MD, discusses the top eight reasons he sees college students come into the ER.

Should you go to the ER if you have a really bad toothache? Find out in this episode of ER or Not with emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen from the University of Utah Hospital.

If your child plays outdoor sports, it's important to make sure their body doesn't get too warm. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the difference between heat exhaustion verses heat stroke. Learn what heat stroke is, what it does, the symptoms, and what to do if your young athlete appears to have it.

During the summer months, heat exposure can be common. But could it be life-threatening? According to emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen, heatstroke is an extremely dangerous condition that can lead to organ and brain damage. Learn how to identify the symptoms of heatstroke, prevent overheating, and determine when it’s time to call 911.

The ER is for emergencies—we know this. But which health conditions classify as "emergencies" can be confusing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, especially, it's important to know the guidelines of coming into the ER. Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the ABC(and D)s of when you should go to the emergency room.

Sitting for long periods of time may be as harmful to your health as obesity and smoking. On today’s Health Hack, Dr. Troy Madsen has a few ways you can get up and moving throughout the day to stay healthy.

Generally, people who are young and healthy aren't necessarily prone to dying—but, there are still exceptions. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the top three health conditions that can kill people who are otherwise healthy and the warning signs that may be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions.

What would you do if you develop a urinary tract infection while traveling abroad? On today’s Health Hack, emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains why bringing an antibiotic with you when traveling may save your vacation.

Your child stuck something small deep up their nose. So far up there, you can’t seem to retrieve it. Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen shares a useful—but kind of gross—health hack that may save you a costly trip to the emergency room.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, today’s Health Hack may be for you. Dr. Troy Madsen explains how cutting one large soda a day can lead to losing up to a pound a week.

An ingrown toenail can be extremely painful and, in some cases, require antibiotics and a procedure. On today’s Health Hack with Dr. Troy Madsen, learn how to stop an ingrown toenail before they even start.

Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen shares a recent eye-opening study about using over-the-counter pain relievers rather than opioids. Learn how to safely treat your pain on this Health Hack.

Three or four servings of fruit and vegetables may be all you need in a day for significant health benefits. Dr. Troy Madsen shares some easy ways to get your daily recommended servings on this Health Hack.

Broken bones hurt all the way up until you get a cast on it. On today’s Health Hack, emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains how to make a simple DIY splint to help immobilize an injured limb while you wait for treatment.

Chronic lower back pain is one of the most common types of pain in the United States. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says yoga can reduce lower back pain and may be a cheaper alternative to the typical treatments of physical therapy and painkillers for relief.

Have you stubbed your toe bad enough you think you may have broken it? Save yourself an expensive trip to the ER—emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains how you can do the same procedure you'd receive at an urgent care.

The presence of electric scooters are increasing in a lot of cities, and with them comes the increase in related injuries coming into ERs. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about who's actually getting injured by electric scooters, the types of injuries, and how you can prevent yourself from ending up in the ER.

You have a piece of food stuck in your throat. Maybe a piece of steak you didn’t chew well enough. It isn’t blocking your airway, but it’s definitely not going anywhere anytime soon. Should you go to the ER? Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen tells us when that lodged bit of food is an emergency and shares a surprising at-home remedy to try.

In one way or another, you find yourself punctured with a freshly sharpened No. 2 pencil. There might even be a bit of a dark spot from the graphite underneath the skin. Are you in danger of lead poisoning? Should you go to the emergency room immediately? On this episode of ER or Not, Dr. Troy Madsen settles your childhood fears about pencil-related injuries.