Like many people, you probably use stairs to access different floors in public areas or a business. You probably have never experienced a fall on stairs before. This is likely because the property owner maintains the stairs you regularly use. An unsafe set of stairs may cause you to fall and suffer a serious injury.
While not all falls result in major injuries, falls that do cause serious harm may lead to a prolonged health problem, disability, and even death. Healthline goes through various scenarios in which you could have a serious problem following a stair injury.
Medical emergencies
In the most serious situations, you may need medical assistance immediately after falling down stairs. You could be unconscious or at least unable to move without aid. Even if you can move, your injuries may be severe. You could have a severe headache or nausea, bleeding that will not stop, or numbness in your limbs. These injuries may threaten your life without treatment.
Bone fractures
Fracturing a bone is another serious outcome of a stair fall. Healthline points out that you double your risk of fracturing your foot or ankle as opposed to falling from standing up. Even worse, you may suffer an injury to the head or your neck, resulting in paralysis or another serious injury. And if you are a senior, fracturing your hip could lead to permanent disability.
Signs that manifest later
Even if you do not think you need a visit to the hospital or a doctor, it does not mean your stair injury has not seriously harmed you. You may have suffered a concussion, damage to nerves or the spine, or other internal injuries. However, some injuries do not produce symptoms until later.
You could experience a variety of symptoms that indicate something is wrong. You may have persistent back pain that worsens over time. You may have lingering headaches, blurry vision, numbness in your extremities, or weak muscles. Remedies like over the counter medicine or packing an injured area with ice may fail to work. An examination from a doctor might help you to understand your medical options.
