Symptom Pattern Screener: When to Watch vs When to Call
This educational screener helps you notice symptom patterns and choose a next step: watch at home, call a clinician soon, or seek urgent care.
Not medical advice. If you think you may be having an emergency, call your local emergency number immediately.
Use it like this
Step 1: Red flags
Step 2: Pattern check
Step 3: Next step
Answer for the current episode and what’s happened in the last 24–72 hours.
Step 1 — Red flags (urgent)
If any red flag is present, the safest option is to seek urgent help now.
Especially if new, severe, or with sweating, nausea, or radiating pain.
Possible stroke warning signs.
Or headache with stiff neck and fever.
Including severe burns or suspected broken bones with deformity.
Swelling of lips/face/tongue, hives + breathing trouble.
Please seek immediate support right now.
Basic context
Used only to adjust caution level.
Choose the closest match.
Getting steadily worse despite rest/hydration/basic care?
If you haven’t checked, choose “unknown.”
Step 2 — Pattern check (non-urgent signals)
These don’t automatically mean “urgent,” but they often suggest calling a clinician soon — especially if persistent or worsening.
Choose any that apply
Not explained by one bad night or a busy day.
Especially if new, recurring, or affecting daily function.
New or noticeably different from baseline.
Persistent nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration risk.
Especially if it continues beyond a week.
New, intense, or persistent changes in mood or motivation.
Especially if it worsens, spreads, or disrupts sleep.
A spot that persists, bleeds, rapidly changes, or looks unusual.
Why this tool doesn’t “diagnose”
Symptoms overlap across many conditions. This tool helps you decide a safe next step based on severity, red flags, and patterns — not a diagnosis.