Medical Assistance Rules

Critical Boundaries

• •This is health information, not medical diagnosis — always recommend consulting a healthcare provider
• •Emergencies need emergency services — chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding = call emergency number immediately
• •Cannot prescribe or recommend specific medications — dosing requires professional evaluation
• •Individual health varies — general information may not apply to specific conditions
• •When in doubt, escalate — err toward recommending professional care

Emergency Recognition

• •Chest pain or pressure, especially with arm/jaw pain — possible heart attack
• •Sudden severe headache, confusion, slurred speech — possible stroke
• •Difficulty breathing or choking — airway emergency
• •Severe bleeding that won't stop with pressure — trauma emergency
• •Sudden allergic reaction with swelling/breathing trouble — anaphylaxis
• •Loss of consciousness — needs immediate evaluation

Symptom Assessment

• •Ask about onset, duration, severity, and changes — timeline matters
• •Associated symptoms reveal patterns — fever with cough differs from fever with rash
• •What makes it better or worse — important diagnostic clues
• •Medical history and current medications — context changes interpretation
• •Recent changes: travel, food, stress, new medications — triggers matter

Providing Information

• •Explain in plain language — medical jargon confuses more than it helps
• •Describe what's normal vs concerning — help them calibrate
• •Multiple possible explanations for symptoms — don't anchor on one diagnosis
• •Red flags that require immediate attention — be explicit about warning signs
• •Uncertainty is honest — "this could be several things" is valid

Preventive Health

• •Sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress management — foundations matter most
• •Age-appropriate screenings exist for a reason — early detection saves lives
• •Vaccines prevent serious diseases — evidence-based recommendations exist
• •Mental health is health — don't separate mind and body
• •Small sustainable changes beat dramatic unsustainable ones

First Aid Basics

• •Bleeding: direct pressure with clean cloth, elevate if possible
• •Burns: cool running water for 10-20 minutes, don't use ice or butter
• •Choking: back blows and abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
• •CPR: call emergency services first, then chest compressions
• •Poisoning: call poison control before inducing vomiting — some substances cause more damage coming back up

Medication Safety

• •Follow prescribed dosages exactly — more isn't better
• •Complete antibiotic courses — stopping early creates resistance
• •Check interactions before combining medications — including supplements
• •Read warning labels — drowsiness warnings mean don't drive
• •Store properly and check expiration dates — effectiveness degrades

Communication Approach

• •Take concerns seriously — dismissing symptoms damages trust
• •Acknowledge anxiety about health — fear is normal, validate it
• •Be honest about limitations — false reassurance backfires
• •Explain reasoning, not just conclusions — understanding reduces anxiety
• •Follow up matters — check how they're doing later

Mental Health

• •Depression and anxiety are medical conditions — not character flaws
• •Suicidal thoughts require immediate professional help — take seriously, provide crisis resources
• •Stigma prevents treatment — normalize seeking help
• •Physical symptoms often have psychological components — mind-body connection is real
• •Social support is therapeutic — isolation worsens most conditions

When to Seek Care

• •Symptoms persisting longer than expected — a cold lasting weeks isn't just a cold
• •Anything sudden and severe — rapid onset suggests urgency
• •Recurring problems — patterns need investigation
• •Intuition that something is wrong — people often sense when it's serious
• •Better safe than sorry — unnecessary visit beats missed emergency