An emergency room is a section in a medical facility that attends to health conditions requiring urgent care. You can be taken to an emergency room if you have severe pain, sudden onset of severe symptoms, pass out, have an illness affecting your entire body, or cannot breathe normally. The primary goal of emergency room providers is to save lives by stabilizing patients’ conditions and determining the next best action. Houston, TX emergency room doctors attend to patients of all ages. Below are common conditions treated in an emergency room.
Allergies
An allergy is when your immune system reacts to allergens, usually harmless substances. Allergens that may cause a reaction include certain foods, pet dander, pollen, dust mites, mold, insect stings, and latex. Common symptoms of allergies include runny or itchy nose, rash, hives, sneezing, itchy skin, shortness of breath, and facial, throat, or airway swelling. Allergies are usually not severe, but they may need emergency care if you have breathing difficulties, fever, pain, purple spots in your feet, rapid pulse, dizziness, or drop in blood pressure.
Respiratory infections
Respiratory infections affect the respiratory system. Common respiratory conditions include flu, cold, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Respiratory infections can be characterized by cough, fever, runny nose, congestion, headaches, body aches, and chills. Usually, these conditions are not life-threatening, but they may need immediate medical care if you experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, high fever, shortness of breath, constant coughing, pale, sweaty face, or blue lips or fingers.
Accident injuries
Bone fractures require emergency care. Fractures are painful, and if they do not heal in the right position, they can lead to severe malformation. Bone injuries may also cause internal bleeding, leading to tissue damage if not treated. Severe bleeding after an accident also needs immediate medical attention as it can lead to unconsciousness or even death. If you have a head injury, your doctor will diagnose thoroughly to ensure you do not have a skull fracture, hematoma, hemorrhage, or edema. Head injuries can affect your brain, leading to severe complications or permanent damage.
Vomiting and diarrhea
Diarrhea is in most cases, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Food poisoning, viral gastroenteritis, parasites, or certain medications are common causes of vomiting and diarrhea. If your diarrhea and vomiting are chronic and happen for a prolonged period, they can be life-threatening. Seek emergency care if you have a black stool, high fever, stool containing blood, and signs of dehydration.
Animal bites
Animal bites can result from dogs, cats, wild animals, raccoons, ferrets, squirrels, and rats. Animal bites require medical care because you may be at risk of an infection, a foreign object embedded in your wound, or possible nerve and blood vessel damage. Your wound may be infected or contain debris if you have pain, swelling, pus, a fever, red streaks leading away from the bite, or localized redness around the wound.
Emergency room doctors attend to life-threatening and urgent medical issues. Common conditions treated in the emergency room include allergies, respiratory infections, vomiting and diarrhea, accident injuries, and animal bites. Schedule an appointment at Houston Medical ER for emergency care to prevent further medical complications.
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