A woman was mortified after being sent to A&E for what she considered a “silly” reason – and it didn’t go down well with the nurse who triaged her and was reportedly “annoyed” at her for “wasting hospital time”. Initially, she sought help from her GP but was then referred to A&E for further treatment.
The NHS clarifies the accident and emergency department is intended for “serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies”, with all patients “assessed by a doctor or nurse before any treatment takes place” – a process known as triage. This system is in place so staff can identify who requires immediate attention, prioritising more severe cases.
A&E departments are notoriously crowded, and it’s not uncommon for people to endure lengthy waits before they’re seen. One woman found herself in this predicament after being bitten by an alpaca, which she deemed a “silly” reason for a hospital visit.
Alpacas are a species of South American camelid mammal, typically known for their friendly and gentle nature, but accidents do occur.
The alpaca, named Ben, broke the woman’s skin with his bite, leading her to worry about potential infection. After consulting her GP, she was directed to A&E for crucial follow-up care.
In a Reddit post titled “What’s the silliest reason you have had to go to the GP or A&E?” the woman shared details about the unusual incident.
She wrote: “I was once bitten by Ben the alpaca. I was feeding him and he bit me very hard. It broke the skin and I was bleeding. After a couple of days, I saw my GP because it bled quite a bit and I was worried that it was starting to get infected.
“They gave me antibiotics and then sent me to A&E to get a tetanus shot, because they ‘don’t do that anymore’.
“I felt so embarrassed when I got to the hospital and the nurse who triaged me was annoyed at me/GP for wasting hospital time. To be fair, I felt the same. What an absolute waste of time!”
She continued: “Ben the alpaca was not harmed and he’s still a beautiful boy and I drop into see occasionally. He’s bit me more than once and I keep putting my hand near his mouth.
“I deserve everything I get! No more doctor visits though for 10 years until my tetanus shot runs out again!”
She then invited fellow Reddit users to reveal the “silliest” reasons they’d needed hospital treatment – and people were eager to share their stories.
One person said: “First pregnancy, 35 weeks, didn’t know what labour was supposed to feel like so went to maternity assessment unit thinking I had a UTI because I’d been having vague back pain and cramping.
“Nope was 5cm dilated in active labour, pretty sure the midwife thought I was an absolute moron”.
Another person confessed: “I got pecked in the eye by a chicken once.”
And another recounted: “Spilt a cup of tea at work, slipped in the spilt tea, I went down and instinctively tried to protect the tea, however it splashed in my eye.
“Boss took me to A&E because I got boiling hot tea in my eye and was very diplomatic about not calling me an idiot.”
Someone else shared: “I once had to go to A&E because I had the worst stomach pains I’ve ever had. I was 14 and could barely even stand because I was in so much pain. After a quick examination they thought I was at risk of a burst appendix so I was kept overnight for observation and they planned to operate the next morning.
“During the night I did the biggest fart I’ve ever experienced in my life. Weirdly, all the pain disappeared after that.”
If you’re uncertain whether you need to visit A&E, NHS 111 can provide advice based on your symptoms.