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Most Common Ailment At The State Fair? Indigestion

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- What happens if you get sick at the Minnesota State Fair?

You don't have to leave the fair. You can get care right on site.

"Whenever you have that many people in one space, some people fall down, some people have a headache," Regions Hospital emergency medicine physician Dr. Aaron Burnett said. "We're happy to treat any of them."

The Minnesota State Fair has two first aid stations that have doctors, nurses, and paramedics working around the clock. They treat 3,500 fairgoers every year. The services and medications are free.

If a call comes in with someone needing help, St. Paul firefighters are dispatched to pick them up anywhere on the fairgrounds. Most have symptoms of dehydration and exhaustion from overheating.

"For the 12 days of the fair, we're the busiest ER in the state," Burnett said. "[At] Regions we see about 200 a day, at the fair we get over 400 on a regular basis."

Another problem is fainting.

Some people get a little queasy at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center. But the most common problem comes down to too much food on a stick.

"The most common medication we give out is Tums," Burnett said. "We see a lot of indigestion at the fair."

Burnett says the best thing you can do to stay healthy at the fair is to drink water and stay hydrated. If you do get an unexpected bee sting, allergic reaction, or a headache, they've got you covered.

The first aid stations do not do lab work or baby deliveries. The two stations are across from the West End Market and inside the 4H building.

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