emergency care baby Tag

Top 10 Reasons to Go to the ER

Healthcare today gives you more choices than ever before. You can go to the doctor’s office, urgent care clinic, telehealth visit or emergency room. Even with all these choices, some choose to stay home and tough it out. But there are times when the emergency room is absolutely the right choice. The board-certified physicians at Medco ER in Plano, TX, have compiled ten reasons when going to the ER is your only option.

“If you’re wondering whether or not to go to the ER, ask yourself if it is not getting better over time, if pain has you sidelined, or if there is one of the warning signs of a serious condition,” said Medco ER’s Medical Director, Dr. Nasir Khan. “If you answer yes to any of those points, it’s best to come immediately and let us examine you.”

Blood Loss

Whenever the body is losing blood, a trip to the ER is the right thing to do. This could include any of the following:

• Coughing blood
• Vomiting blood
• Passing blood in the stool
• Excessive bleeding from a laceration
• Bleeding from a fracture
• Uncontrolled bloody nose

Fracture or Tear

If you have an injury and you’re not sure whether it is broken, fractured, torn or just bruised, your doctor at Medco ER can help. We can X-ray the area, apply a brace, or refer you to a specialist when needed.

Warning signs include: numbness or cold in the extremity that is injured, pain when moving the limb, bleeding accompanying the fracture, bone protruding, or misalignment of the limb. For any of these symptoms, go to Medco ER immediately.

Breathing Difficulties

If you or someone you love is struggling to breathe, pulling hard at each breath, making a wheezing sound with a breath, showing blueish discoloration around the mouth or fingertips, or has chest tightness, go to the nearest ER immediately. Whether it is a complication of COVID-19, an asthma attack, COPD or another cause, breathing difficulties must be addressed as an emergency.¹

Chest Pain

Sudden or growing pain in the chest, jaw, neck, arm or back could indicate a heart problem that is an emergency. Other symptoms could include:²

• Tightness in chest
• Uncomfortable fullness feeling
• Heartburn
• Squeezing feeing in chest
• Pain in one or both arms
• Cold sweat
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath

Stroke Symptoms

Symptoms of a stroke can come on suddenly and unexpectedly. If someone exhibits these symptoms, call 911 immediately.² Every minute counts.

• Confusion or disorientation
• Arm weakness
• Partial paralysis or difficulty moving
• Unexplained drowsiness
• Difficulty speaking
• Change in vision
• Face drooping

Loss of Consciousness

Any time someone has lost consciousness, whether for a short time or is unresponsive, take them to the nearest ER or call 911. Loss of consciousness accompanied by seizures should also be seen by a physician immediately.

Head Injury

If you have fallen and hit your head, been hit in the head by an object, or had a severe shaking of the head, you might sustain a head injury or a concussion. Here are some warning signs³ that require a visit to the ER:

• Pain from the injury
• Confusion or disorientation
• Loss of consciousness
• Ringing of the ears
• Sudden drowsiness or fatigue
• Vision changes
• Nausea or vomiting
• Slurred speech

Burns

If you are suffering from a burn, consider the severity. Just going by pain level alone isn’t enough since minor burns often hurt worse than major burns.⁴ If it covers a large area, has penetrated deep, has discolored the skin, has swollen the area or has caused blisters, a trip to Medco ER is a good idea.

Abdominal Pain

Pain in the abdomen can indicate one of several conditions. All of them require immediate medical intervention. “If you’ve experienced abdominal pain for any length of time, it’s a good idea to come in and let us check you out,” said Dr. Khan. “It could be anything from a bleeding ulcer to gallbladder stones to a cyst. With a thorough examination and imaging scan, we should be able to diagnose the problem.”

Extreme Pain

If you’re experiencing extreme pain that isn’t responding to over-the-counter medication and isn’t getting better with time and rest, your body is trying to tell you something. It’s time to go to Medco ER.

• Migraine or headache
• Back pain
• Shooting pain
• Chest pain
• Pain when eating
• Pain that takes away your appetite
• Throbbing pain
• Eye pain
• Toothache
• Stomach pain

What to Expect at Medco ER

When you go to Medco ER, you can expect to receive fast, quality healthcare with little-to-no wait time. Open 24/7 every day of the year, Medco ER gives you fast access to a board-certified physician and much of the same imaging equipment found in a hospital emergency department. Our in-house pharmacy carries rapid results labs and medications needed to treat many conditions. Try one of our two convenient locations for rapid response healthcare.

• Plano: 3960 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX 75023 (on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road)

            Call us @ 469-747-0370

• Carrollton: 2745 E Belt Line Road, Carrollton, TX 75006 

            Call us @ 469-840-4600

¹ https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/shortness-of-breath/basics/definition/sym-20050890

² https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/heart-attack-and-stroke-symptoms

³ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594

⁴ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12063-burns

What to do When Your Child has a Foreign Object in the Body

Toddlers and children tend to put things in their mouths as they explore and learn about their world. Many parents have at least one story of discovering a penny in a diaper, and most others have swept something out of their baby’s mouth just in time. However, once in a while, a foreign object enters the body—either accidentally or on purpose—and the consequences are much more serious. When this happens, the physicians at Medco ER & Urgent Care are standing by with expert help available.

“We’ve seen young children who have inserted a foreign object into a nostril or ear canal or have swallowed a button battery, but we’ve also seen adults who have accidentally inhaled or swallowed something harmful, or have gotten a shard embedded in their eye,” said Medco ER & Urgent Care’s Regional Medical Director, Dr. Tariq Vora. “In any case, we know exactly what to do to help the patient.”

Dangers of Foreign Object in the Body

If a foreign object remains lodged inside the body, any of a number of dangerous things can occur. The body can go into shock, nearby organs can be damaged, infection can grow, and tissue can be permanently scarred. Occasionally, if left untreated, death can occur.

“It’s common sense to know that you need to have an emergency physician help with an impalement or other obvious foreign object penetration, but especially with little children, it takes a careful diagnosis to discover the problem if it is internal,” said Dr. Vora.

Symptoms of a Foreign Object Lodged Inside the Body

Throat:

If something is stuck in the esophagus, the patient may still be able to swallow, though there will be a burning pain. Even after the object has passed into the stomach, the esophagus may still hurt as if it was still lodged there. When the esophagus is completely blocked, the patient will be unable to swallow saliva and will drool and spit. The saliva may contain blood, which indicates trauma in the throat. There may be a vomit reflex with nothing coming up. The patient will have difficulty breathing. At Medco ER, we are able to resolve the obstruction in the esophagus at times with IV medication or refer to a GI specialist in more complicated situations.

Eye:

Easiest to recognize, a foreign body in the eye causes obvious symptoms. Watery eyes, runny nose and pain when blinking are all symptoms of something in the eye. A tiny sliver of glass, metal or wood in the eye can cause extreme pain. At Medco ER, we have the tools to identify and remove the foreign body from the eye using anesthetic eye drops with pain relief.

Stomach and Intestines:

If there is a foreign body in the stomach or intestines, the patient can experience cramps, pain and bloating. Abdominal cramps and area tenderness may be present. Nausea and vomiting may also occur. Young children may seem lethargic and stop eating. It is important to identify certain types of foreign objects (such as a battery) in the stomach, which require urgent medical attention.

Skin:

Also reasonably easy to diagnose, a foreign object embedded in the skin is often visible. A raised, painful lump that gathers fluid may be the first indication. If the area becomes red and pus is present, there is likely something in the skin. At Medco ER, we can oftentimes remove the foreign object from underneath the skin and treat the infection right away.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of a foreign object in the body usually includes an imaging tool such as an X-ray, CT scan or endoscopy. Your physician will do a thorough diagnosis to discover the type and location of the offending object.

Treatment

“To remove a foreign object, surgery may be required,” said Dr. Vora. “An endoscopy procedure may be able to retrieve an esophagus or stomach invader without further surgical intervention. A foreign object in the rectum may be able to be removed manually. An object in the eye or skin is usually able to be removed with minimal difficulty.” Once the object is removed and the wound closed, further treatments such as IV fluids, antibiotics or a tetanus shot may be needed to help the body heal.

Fast Help at Medco ER & Urgent Care

When you suspect there’s something wrong with your child, or when someone has an encounter with a foreign object in his or her body, the emergency physicians at Medco ER & Urgent Care are standing by to offer top healthcare services. Our no-wait ER is open 24/7 for all your medical needs. Our highly trained staff respond quickly to determine the severity of each condition and to provide appropriate care to each patient.

• Plano: 3960 Legacy Drive on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road.

            Call us @ 469-392-4000.