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These common health problems can sometimes signal a medical emergency. Should you head to the ER? Here’s how to tell;

Every year we read about people who ignored what seemed like a minor problem—an “achy flu” or “just a headache”—then wound up in the hospital. When actress Sharon Stone went to the emergency room because of a splitting headache, doctors found bleeding on the brain in time for her to make a complete recovery. Sadly, singer Laura Branigan never got that
far. After a bad headache that lasted two weeks, she died in her sleep of a brain aneurysm in 2004.

So how do you know when a symptom that seems minor actually signals that something is seriously wrong? By paying attention to the company it keeps. An upset stomach may simply be the result of something you ate. But if you have one more than a couple of times a month, along with certain other symptoms, alarm bells should go off. A headache is usually just a headache, and an over-the-counter pain reliever generally takes care of it. But when pain is sudden and severe—or lasts longer than three days—get emergency help, says Lori Heim. M.D., president-elect of the Academy of Family Physicians.

Don’t worry that you might be overreacting; if it turns out you’re wrong, that’s a good thing. The tragedy would be waiting too long and losing valuable time that could save your health—or your life. To protect yourself and your family, learn the signs that could mean you’ve reached the tipping point for each of these five problems.