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The information contained in this brochure has been carefully
reviewed for accuracy. It is not intended to replace the advice of
your physician or health care provider.
©2014 Wellness Council of America 200226
Information may not be reproduced, copied, cited or circulated in any printed
or electronic form without written permission from the publisher.
SA
17002 Marcy Street, Suite 140 | Omaha, NE 68118
402.827.3590 | welcoa.org
A
P U B L I C A T I O N
O F
M
At Its Best
BROCHURES
PL
E
You’re In Charge…
Because It’s
Your Own
Health
No one has as much to gain
from your health as you do.
Unlock the secrets of good
health and take an active role
in your own care.
›› Following a healthy lifestyle to help prevent illnesses
and injuries.
›› Taking charge of your health and your access to
care by having enough knowledge about health
conditions to be able to make quick, accurate health
care choices.
›› Taking care of yourself!
Means:
Self-Care
Self-Care
Look Closely…
Doctors and other health care professionals play an
important role in your health—especially when you are
sick or hurt. What do they have to gain? A happy patient
perhaps? Payment for services? A repeat customer? No
one has as much to gain from your health as you do—so
make sure you are taking an active role! Put yourself
in charge of your own health (and the health of your
family). When a medical situation arises, ask yourself:
›› Should I go to the doctor?
›› Should I call the doctor’s office?
›› Is this life-threatening? Do I call 911 for help or go
to the emergency room?
›› Should I wait and see?
›› What treatments can I do at home now to help this
medical condition?
Knowledge is key during this decision-making process.
The more you know about health problems, how to take
care of health problems, and the health care delivery
system, the more confident you will be that the choices
you make are going to be safe and effective.
Getting Medical Help
Home treatment is a great option for many illnesses
and injuries, but sometimes a visit to the doctor is
a must. Make sure to get medical attention if the
symptoms you are experiencing are severe, seem strange
and unusual, stick around for more than a few days, or
constantly return.
If you are experiencing severe chest pain, shortness of
breath, bleeding, stomach pain, vomiting or other severe
problems, you need to call for medical help. For lifethreatening conditions, call 911, your local emergency
access number, or go to a hospital. For all other
conditions, call your doctor to find out your next step.
Self-Reflection
BROCHURES
If you are having strange and unusual pains or
problems, it is a good idea to check with your doctor.
Some examples include lumps, unexplained weight
loss, changes in moles or freckles, blurred vision or
unusual numbness or weakness.
If you are having symptoms that seem to remain
constant or get worse after several days of following
your home treatment plan or your symptoms seem to
return several times, again you should discuss these
problems with your doctor.
Top 10 Home Treatment List
With the help of sound self-care information, you may often
safely and effectively treat these basic health concerns at home:
1. Colds and flu
2.Backaches
3. Sprains and strains
4. Cuts and bruises
5.Headaches
6.Constipation
7.Allergies
8.Heartburn
9.Fever
10.Cough
To help you develop a home treatment plan, consult medically
sound self-care books, and resources. Look for information
from government agencies or through your local affiliates
of health-serving organizations such as the American Lung
Association or the American Red Cross.
A number of health-related websites can help you make health
decisions too. Government (.gov), educational (.edu), and notfor-profit (.org) websites usually always offer reputable
and easy-to-follow information and advice.
BROCHURES
When you should…
See A Doctor
Despite the healthiest of intentions we all still get sick. It’s
inevitable that we will all experience some sort of injury or
illness, whether it’s the common cold, a headache, or perhaps
something more serious like chest pain. The good news is that
with a little self-care knowledge on your side, you can quickly,
confidently, and effectively address these issues when they
arise. Indeed, sound medical self-care information and advice
can help you not only manage your own health and health care,
but also become better and more responsible consumers of
health care.
Choosing A Doctor
One of the most important health care choices you will
make is selecting a doctor. Here are a few helpful tips for
selecting a doctor who will work for YOU.
›› Make sure your doctor accepts your health insurance.
›› Ask relatives and people you respect for
recommendations.
›› Check with the local medical society. You can specify
the type of doctor you are looking for by location,
gender, specialty, and age. This may be particularly
helpful if you are new in your community.
›› Grab intake forms. A great primary care physician wants
to know somewhere between 5 and 20 pages of information about a person before they come in. If the intake
form only asks about age, place of work, and insurance
information, you may want to keep looking around.
Whether you ultimately choose home treatment or decide
to get professional medical help, the process is the same.
Use this simple three-step process to determine your best
treatment option.
#1: COLLECT
Collect as much information as you can about the injury
or illness you’re experiencing. How long have you had the
problem? How much pain are you in? How did it happen?
Has it happened before? What did you do then? Did it
work? Do you have any resources like a self-care book or
guide that tell you about possible treatments?
Accurate and complete information about your injury
or illness is necessary to develop a treatment plan that
is safe and effective. These are the same questions your
health care professional might ask you. It’s important
to know the answers. Your treatment is often based on
what you can tell the doctor about your condition.
M
›› Ask about office hours, staffing, and fees. Make
sure your insurance is accepted by the hospital
where the doctor sends patients.
Source: Self-Care —Published by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Situations Of Circumstance
SITUATION 2: The Great Gasp
SA
SITUATION 1: No Sprain, No Pain
Jane and her mom are shopping at the mall. Jane’s mom steps off a
curb, accidentally twists her ankle and feels immediate pain. Jane’s
mother says, “It’s nothing, just get me to the car.” Jane knows it’s
not an emergency, so she helps her mother limp to the car and
drives home. Here’s what they do next:
They COLLECT information. Jane consults a self-care book she was
given at work by her employer for such instances. She looks in the
index under sprains and strains and finds a checklist to consult.
There are no bones sticking out, no loss of feeling in the ankle, and
the ankle doesn’t look blue or feel cold. (If so, Jane would have
taken her mother immediately to get emergency care or phoned
the doctor.)
They CREATE a treatment plan. The book suggests using the RICE
method (rest, ice, compression, elevation) as a home treatment.
They COMPLY with the treatment plan and watch for signs of
improvement. The book suggests an over-the-counter pain
reliever for pain and inflammation. Jane’s mother decides the
pain is not great. She’s OK without an aspirin or other
medication. Jane checks her mother during the
afternoon. By dinner time, the ankle swelling has
begun to go away. Her mother wants to get up
but decides she can be coaxed into staying
on the couch with her ankle elevated for a
few more hours. By the time the evening
is over, Jane’s mother can put weight on
her ankle and walks carefully around the
house. (If there had been no improvement,
or a worsening of the swelling or other
symptoms, Jane and her mother had agreed
to call the doctor or go to the neighborhood
walk-in clinic that evening.)
#2: CREATE
Create a treatment plan. You might be comfortable
using home treatments such as ice packs for a sprain
or strain and warm salt water for a sore throat. You
might even want to get a second opinion by calling your
doctor, nurse, or physician’s assistant and letting them
know what you plan to do. If you decide to make a trip
to see your doctor, make sure you take an active role in
developing the treatment plan.
PL
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To See Or Not To See A Doctor...
#3: COMPLY
Comply with the treatment plan and see if the illness or
injury gets better. “Watching and waiting” is sometimes
the best medicine. Whether following a treatment plan
developed with the help of a
medical professional or one
you created alone, you are
responsible for sticking to
the plan and monitoring
the condition for
improvement.
Co
mp
ly w
tre
ith
a tm
the
en t
an d
pla
n
see
if t
illn
he
ess
or
g et
inju
s b
ry
e tt
er.
Tom was visiting his kids and grandchildren several hundred miles
away from his home. They were playing jump rope in the driveway
(well, Jim wasn’t jumping, he was turning the rope), and Jim began
to feel dizzy.
He felt pain in his chest and couldn’t seem to catch his breath.
He didn’t say anything; the kids were having a good time. Yet
the pain would come and go. He thought it
was just from the activity. However, he
began to feel sweaty (on a cool day) and
finally realized that this pain was serious.
He didn’t want to be a bother to his
kids, but he asked for a drink of water
and described his symptoms. Jim’s son
knew there was a family history of heart
attack, even though his father had never
had one or complained about heart
pain before. Nonetheless, he
suggested that his father get
in the car. They were going to
the emergency room. There
was no sense in waiting.
Jim was definitely having
unexplained symptoms
and unusual pain.
In the final diagnosis, it
doesn’t matter if Jim was
having a heart attack
or not. He chose the
right course of action
by seeking immediate
medical care. It was
truly an emergency.
THE RICE METHOD
REST. Jane’s mother lies on the couch to take the pressure off her
ankle. Sometimes this can be frustrating, but it’s temporary—
just until the pain goes away!
ICE. Starting as soon as possible after the injury, Jane applies
an ice pack to the ankle. Ice can help decrease swelling,
inflammation, and pain. The book suggests that she repeat
application of the ice pack every hour for the first 24 to 48 hours,
leaving the ice pack on the injured area for 15
to 20 minutes.
COMPRESSION. When you
are not applying ice, gently
wrap the ankle with
an elastic bandage.
This helps control
swelling and
gives the ankle a
little support and
protection.
Be careful not to wrap the
elastic bandage too tightly!
ELEVATION. As often as she can, Jane’s mother raises her
foot by resting it on a chair or pillow. This helps keep
extra fluid from pooling in her ankle and can decrease
swelling.