What symptoms will get you admitted to the hospital?

September 21, 2025 •

5 min read

An estimated 140 million Americans visit the emergency room annually, with many requiring inpatient admission for serious medical conditions. Understanding what symptoms will get you admitted to the hospital is vital for making timely, life-saving decisions when a medical crisis strikes, ensuring you or a loved one receives appropriate and immediate care.

Quick Summary

Hospital admission is required for severe or life-threatening conditions, such as heart attack, stroke, major trauma, severe infections like sepsis, and mental health crises posing a danger to oneself or others. The final determination for admission is based on a physician's assessment of the patient's stability, the need for continuous monitoring, and the nature of the required treatment.

Key Points

Cardiac Events: Severe chest pain, pressure, or tightness, especially when accompanied by shortness of breath or pain radiating to the arm or jaw, signals a potential heart attack and warrants immediate hospital admission.
Neurological Crisis: Sudden or severe symptoms like facial drooping, weakness on one side, slurred speech, or the 'worst headache of your life' point to a stroke or other critical brain issue, necessitating emergency care and likely hospitalization.
Respiratory Failure: Severe shortness of breath, bluish lips, or coughing up blood are signs of respiratory distress that require continuous oxygen therapy or monitoring, leading to hospital admission.
Systemic Infections: A high, persistent fever combined with other severe symptoms like confusion, chills, or lethargy can be a sign of sepsis, a life-threatening infection that requires inpatient treatment.
Major Trauma: Significant injuries from accidents, severe burns, deep wounds, or uncontrolled bleeding are clear indicators for hospital admission to receive surgical intervention, intensive care, or specialized treatment.

Deciding Factors for Hospital Admission

When you arrive at an emergency department, a medical team assesses your condition to determine the appropriate level of care. This decision is not made lightly and is guided by clinical necessity. Factors considered include the severity of your symptoms, your vital signs, the diagnosis, and the need for specialized treatments or continuous monitoring not feasible in an outpatient setting. In general, if a condition poses an immediate threat to your life, limb, or vision, or requires care beyond two midnights, it often warrants hospital admission.

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Emergencies

Symptoms related to your heart and lungs are among the most common reasons for hospital admission due to their life-threatening potential.

Critical Cardiac Symptoms

Chest Pain: Pressure, tightness, or squeezing in the chest is a classic symptom of a heart attack. This pain may radiate to your arm, jaw, or back and is often accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness.
Irregular Heartbeat: A rapid, irregular heartbeat (more than 120-150 bpm at rest) accompanied by shortness of breath or fainting is a cause for immediate medical attention.

Severe Respiratory Distress

Shortness of Breath: Sudden or severe difficulty breathing can indicate a heart or lung issue, such as a pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, or acute asthma attack.
Coughing or Vomiting Blood: This is a critical symptom that requires immediate investigation to determine its source and prevent further complications.

Neurological Symptoms Warranting Inpatient Care

Serious neurological symptoms can point to a stroke, aneurysm, or other severe brain conditions.

Stroke Warning Signs

These symptoms come on suddenly and require a prompt call to 911 for the best outcome.

Facial drooping on one side
Weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
Slurred speech or difficulty speaking
Loss of balance or coordination
Sudden vision changes

Other Critical Neurological Issues

"Worst Headache of Your Life": A sudden, severe headache, unlike any you've experienced before, could signal bleeding in the brain.
Change in Mental Status: Unexplained confusion, disorientation, unusual behavior, or unresponsiveness indicates a serious underlying issue.
Seizures: A new-onset seizure or one lasting longer than five minutes requires emergency medical care.

Abdominal and Systemic Conditions

Sometimes, seemingly less severe symptoms can escalate into an emergency, particularly if they indicate a major infection or organ failure.

Acute Abdominal Pain

Severe Abdominal Pain: Intense, persistent abdominal pain, especially if localized, could indicate a burst appendix or other organ damage.
Persistent Vomiting or Diarrhea: If these symptoms are severe or persistent, they can lead to dangerous dehydration, especially in children and the elderly. Vomiting blood also requires immediate attention.

Severe Infections and Fever

High or Sustained Fever: A very high fever (over 104°F in adults or 100.4°F in infants under three months) that doesn't respond to medication, or is accompanied by other severe symptoms like a stiff neck, confusion, or rash, needs evaluation.
Sepsis: A severe infection that has spread throughout the body, causing fever, chills, and confusion, is a critical reason for admission.

Trauma and Other Severe Injuries

Major injuries are a straightforward reason for hospital admission, as they often require surgery, intensive monitoring, or specialized wound care.

Traumatic Injuries

Severe Burns: Particularly those on the face, hands, feet, or joints, or if they cover a large area of the body.
Major Head Injuries: Any loss of consciousness, confusion, or severe headache after a head trauma needs a hospital stay.
Uncontrolled Bleeding: A wound that won't stop bleeding with pressure requires immediate intervention.

Mental Health Crises

Involuntary commitment is a legal process for admitting a person to a psychiatric unit against their will when they are deemed a threat to themselves or others due to a mental health condition.

Self-Harm or Suicidal Ideation: Expressing thoughts of harming oneself or others is a critical mental health emergency.
Severe Paranoia or Confusion: Sudden, severe changes in mental state or psychotic episodes require immediate evaluation and monitoring.

Comparing Emergency Care Options: ER vs. Urgent Care

This table helps clarify the difference between needing urgent care and hospital admission.


Condition / Symptom	Go to the Emergency Room (ER)	Go to Urgent Care / See a Doctor	What will get you admitted to the hospital?
Chest Pain	Severe, crushing chest pain, especially with shortness of breath or radiating pain.	Mild, fleeting chest pain unrelated to physical exertion or other severe symptoms.	Persistent or severe chest pain indicating a heart attack or other cardiac event.
Breathing	Sudden, severe shortness of breath, inability to speak, bluish lips.	Wheezing with asthma that responds to an inhaler, moderate flu symptoms with a cough.	Persistent, severe respiratory distress requiring continuous oxygen, ventilation, or treatment for conditions like pneumonia or pulmonary embolism.
Bleeding	Uncontrolled bleeding from a deep wound; vomiting or coughing up blood.	Minor cuts or scrapes that stop bleeding with applied pressure.	Bleeding that cannot be controlled, internal bleeding, or bleeding related to an underlying condition.
Pain	Sudden, severe, unexplained pain anywhere in the body, especially abdominal or head pain.	Minor back pain, muscle aches, or moderate pain that can be managed with over-the-counter medication.	Severe pain related to a condition requiring surgery or intensive monitoring, like appendicitis or a fractured bone breaking the skin.
Fever	High fever (over 104°F) accompanied by severe symptoms like stiff neck, confusion, or rash.	Low-grade fever with a common cold or flu.	Fever that is sustained, very high, or indicative of a severe systemic infection like sepsis.

Conclusion: Seeking the Right Medical Care

Knowing what symptoms will get you admitted to the hospital is crucial for navigating serious health events. While some issues can be handled in an urgent care setting, life-threatening conditions like a heart attack, stroke, or major infections require the intensive monitoring and advanced resources only a hospital can provide. Always err on the side of caution and seek immediate medical help for any severe or sudden symptom, especially those affecting your heart, lungs, or brain. Remember that a medical professional's evaluation is the only way to determine if your symptoms warrant a hospital stay.

For more detailed information on emergency symptoms and when to seek immediate medical attention, consult the resource provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine, as they have comprehensive guides on identifying urgent conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A high fever alone is not always a reason for admission, but if it's very high (over 104°F in adults), persistent, or accompanied by severe symptoms like a stiff neck, confusion, or rash, it warrants a hospital stay. For infants under three months, any fever over 100.4°F is an emergency.

Observation status is for patients who require monitoring for less than two midnights, typically to determine if their condition will improve with short-term treatment. Hospital admission (inpatient) is for patients who are expected to need care for longer than two midnights due to the severity of their condition or the complexity of treatment.

A person may be admitted to the hospital involuntarily for mental health reasons if they pose an immediate threat of danger to themselves or others, or if their condition prevents them from meeting their basic needs, such as eating or sheltering.

Not every concussion requires a hospital stay. However, if a head injury results in loss of consciousness, severe headache, confusion, repeated vomiting, or significant fatigue, you will likely be admitted for monitoring.

Yes, a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is a medical emergency. Symptoms like difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, hives, and a rapid heartbeat can quickly become life-threatening and require immediate hospital care and monitoring.

Persistent or severe vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which can be life-threatening, especially for the young and elderly. If you cannot keep fluids down and experience dizziness or light-headedness, hospitalization for IV fluids is likely necessary.

Yes, sudden and severe pain anywhere in the body, especially in the abdomen or chest, can be a sign of a critical issue that requires immediate investigation and treatment in a hospital setting to prevent complications.