Watch Our Patient After Care Videos

Learn the signs of a heart attack in this video.

Chest Pain

Chest pain can represent a variety of ailments and illnesses, ranging from the inflammation of the chest wall to acid reflux to heart attack. At The Urgency Room, your health is our priority, and we’re dedicated to getting you on your feet again. To that end, we’ve put together some helpful information on what to do after you’ve visited one of our offices and been diagnosed with chest pain.

You most likely had an evaluation today that included an electrocardiogram (also known as an EKG test), a chest X-ray, and laboratory work. At this time, your UR physician found no signs that your chest pain is due to a life-threatening condition. However, some serious problems may not show up right away. Make an appointment with your primary doctor for further outpatient evaluation within three days of your visit to The Urgency Room. And if your doctor has referred you for a heart stress test, please get one scheduled as soon as possible.

Signs of Heart Attack

One dangerous cause of chest pain is a heart attack. While symptoms can vary, here’s what to watch for:

• Heaviness or pressure in your chest that can radiate to your neck, back, or arm
• Shortness of breath

In women, the signs of heart attack can be very atypical—women don’t necessarily feel the tightness of chest that men report. Instead, they may notice the following symptoms:

• A feeling of indigestion or nausea
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Shortness of breath

Keep in mind that any diagnosis for chest pain is based on your medical history and physical exam. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great diagnostic test for chest pain that can show you’ve had a heart attack. In fact, reading an EKG to determine your heart health is like trying to determine the plot of a movie from a single frame: your EKG is always moving, and it only helps us if we see stress or strain on the EKG. If your results are normal, that doesn’t mean your heart pain isn’t real—it just means that you’re not doing damage to your heart.

At-Home Care

Once your physician clears you to head home, there are a few general steps you can take to protect your health:

• Get plenty of rest and keep hydrated
• Don’t overexert yourself or exercise unless otherwise instructed by your physician
• Take Aspirin, Tylenol, or ibuprofen as directed by your doctor

Come back to the UR if you notice the following symptoms:

• Your chest pain changes, gets worse, starts to happen more often, or comes with less activity
• You are short of breath
• You get very weak or tired
• You pass out or faint
• You develop any new symptoms like fever, cough, numb legs, or you cough up blood

We hope you take good care of yourself now that you’re home. Remember—it’s never a bad idea to get checked out if you’re worried about something.

DISCLAIMER:

These videos are intended to provide helpful health information to the general public. They are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat health problems, and you should not use these videos in place of a call or visit to a medical professional. Talk with your physician about the proper treatment for your particular condition, and always follow your physician’s advice. If you think you need an ambulance or are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 immediately.

DISCLAIMER:

These videos are intended to provide helpful health information to the general public. They are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat health problems, and you should not use these videos in place of a call or visit to a medical professional. Talk with your physician about the proper treatment for your particular condition, and always follow your physician’s advice. If you think you need an ambulance or are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 immediately.

The cornea replaces itself every five days. Your eye should start to feel better in the next two days. Learn what you can do to help your eye in our video.

Corneal Eye Scratch

Corneal abrasions often feel like there’s a speck of sand in your eye that won’t come out. These injuries can cause severe eye pain, watery eyes, and blurred vision. You may feel intense pain in your eye at bright light. If you have suffered an injury to your eye, visit the closest Urgency Room immediately to be seen by a board-certified emergency physician.

A corneal abrasion is a scratch on the cornea, the clear layer of tissue that covers the colored part of your eye. Corneal abrasions are caused by an object scratching your eye and creating a tear in that tissue.

Take a look at some of the most common causes of this injury:

• Fingernails
• Animal paws
• Branches
• Pieces of paper
• Tiny pieces of rust
• Wood
• Glass
• Plastic
• Contact lenses

Diagnosing a Corneal Abrasion

When you seek urgent care for an eye injury, your healthcare provider will examine your eye for damage. He or she will likely use a machine called a slit lamp to take a closer look at your eye. This diagnostic tool can only found in an emergency room or optometrist’s office.

First, your doctor may use a dropper to administer a dye to your eye. This will highlight the extent of the damage to your cornea when viewed with the slit lamp. After your healthcare provider evaluates the injury, you’ll be given a treatment plan to follow, which typically involves at-home care instructions.

Treatment for Corneal Abrasions

This type of injury is typically treated at home. Eye scratches are quite common and will usually heal on their own, helped along by some at-home care. If your doctor gave you specific care instructions, be sure to follow them.

Here are a few steps you can take to help you recover from your corneal eye scratch:

• Tylenol and ibuprofen will help with the pain from the abrasion
• Use antibiotic ointment or eye drops as directed by your healthcare provider
• Finish any medications with antibiotics in them
• Avoid wearing contacts until your eye is healed

Will an Eye Patch Help?

Many people think that a patch over the eye will help the cornea heal, but this belief is incorrect. If you patch your eye, you may actually delay the healing process and increase your risk for infection. It’s much better to go without a patch, as the cornea replaces itself every five days.

When to Return to the Doctor

Your symptoms should gradually improve over the next two days. If you don’t see improvement, it’s vital to see an eye doctor right away.

Come back to the Urgency Room if:

• You can’t get in to see an eye doctor
• Pain is worse
• Vision difficulties are increasing
• You notice yellow drainage from your eye scratches

Corneal abrasions and other injuries that cause eye pain need to be handled with care in order to avoid infections and other complications. If you’re concerned about any new developments in your health, you’ve got a team of health professionals ready to help you—stop by your local Urgency Room to receive emergency care with minimal wait times.

Fevers are a normal reaction to illness and inflammation. Fever reducing tips can be found in this video.

A fever is your body’s normal reaction to illness or inflammation. When your temperature goes up, it’s a sign that your body is doing what it should to protect you. Keep in mind that a fever is typically not dangerous—but it can make you feel miserable. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to reduce your fever and help yourself feel better.

First things first: if you have a fever and are concerned about your health, see a healthcare provider as soon as possible. Here at The Urgency Room, we staff board-certified physicians who can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. During your examination, if your Urgency Room healthcare provider finds no signs that your fever is from a dangerous or life-threatening problem, he or she will likely tell you that it’s okay to go home. However, sometimes the signs of a serious illness don’t show up right away. If you have new or worsening symptoms, you may need to be seen again at The Urgency Room or by your primary doctor.

Dealing with a Fever at Home

Once your doctor has sent you home, you can take a look at this helpful list to get you started on the road to recovery. Additionally, this information is meant for adults experiencing a fever. If your child has a fever, you may need to take different steps.

Fill Prescriptions

Make sure to fill any prescriptions the doctor gave you right away, and take your medication as directed. Since most infections are caused by a virus, antibiotics won’t help—but your doctor may prescribe other medication.

Finish Antibiotics

If your doctor does determine that your fever is due to something besides a virus, you may have received antibiotics. Make sure to finish the entire course as directed—even if you no longer have a fever.

Take Care of Your Body

Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids—especially water. Additionally, the clothes or blankets that you have on won’t change your fever, so feel free to do whatever is comfortable for you.

Have a Lukewarm Bath

Fevers can often make you feel quite cold or hot. If you’re feeling too warm, bathing or sponging in lukewarm water may provide some relief and help you feel better.

Use Over-the-Counter Medications

Taking over-the-counter fever medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can bring your temperature down and may help you feel more comfortable. Be sure to read and follow the package directions—they’ll explain how much you should take and when to take it. Ask your doctor if you have any questions, and remember that it’s important that you don’t drink alcohol while you have a fever or are taking pain medications.

When to See a Doctor

Come back to The Urgency Room if you’re not getting better after three to five days, or you experience any other symptoms that worry you. Return right away if you experience the following:

• Any of the symptoms you have get much worse
• Feelings of sickness
• You’re too weak to get up
• New symptoms appear, such as abdominal pain or chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Severe headache
• Vomiting—so much that you can’t keep fluids or medications down
• Confusion or unusual drowsiness
• Seizure or convulsion

Your Urgency Room doctor may have told you to follow up at your clinic—be sure to call right away to make an appointment. Even if you’re feeling better, it’s a good idea to check in with your primary physician. If you have any trouble getting in to see your regular doctor, come back to one of our convenient locations for a follow-up visit.

Whenever you’re concerned about your health, just stop by The Urgency Room. Our experienced doctors and staff are here for you. We hope you feel better soon!

Fevers that develop from an illness are not dangerous and will not cause brain damage. Learn more about how to best take care of your child with a fever watch this video

Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation will all help care for your fracture. Further information on your broken bone can be found in this video.

Gallstones can get much worse if left untreated. Watch this video after you have been diagnosed with gallstones.

Stress headaches and migraines are the most common form of headaches. Learn what you can do at home to ease the pain of your headache.

There are many causes of heart palpitations. Learn about the potential causes from our video.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation and spasm of the air passages of the lung. Common symptoms of this condition include:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Congestion
• Fever
• Wheezing
• Chest pain due to coughing

If you suspect you’ve contracted this illness, head to the nearest Urgency Room to receive care from a board-certified emergency physician. We’ve compiled some helpful information on what to do after your doctor sends you home.

At-Home Care for Bronchitis

Bronchitis can last several weeks, and be quite uncomfortable, so you might not feel like yourself for a while. After your doctor clears you to go home, you can take some steps to help yourself feel more comfortable. As with any illness, drinking fluids and getting plenty of sleep can help your body heal. Here are a few more tips.

Fill Prescriptions

Fill any prescriptions your doctor wrote for you and begin taking them right away as directed. The vast majority of cases of bronchitis are caused by a virus. The virus causes inflammation in the lungs, causing cough and wheezing. If inflammation is severe, your doctor may prescribe an inhaler or steroid. Antibiotics don’t treat viruses and do not prevent lung complications from bronchitis. If your doctor decided your bronchitis was caused by a bacterial infection, then you may need an antibiotic. Finish the entire course of antibiotics, even if you’re feeling better.

You may have been given a prescription for an inhaler, which can help loosen tight air passages. Use this as needed, but not more often than directed. Note that inhalers work much more effectively when used with a spacer, which can be purchased at the UR or at a pharmacy.

Your healthcare provider may have prescribed you a steroid to reduce inflammation. Used long-term, these steroids can have serious side effects; but they are typically not a problem when used over short periods. If you’re taking a steroid, you may notice restlessness or an increased appetite. Patients with diabetes may noticed elevated blood sugars while taking a steroid Medication.

Ease Symptoms With Non-Prescription Medication

Non-prescription cough or cold medications may help alleviate your symptoms, but most cough medicines will not make the cough go away completely.

If you have a fever, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can bring it down and may help you feel more comfortable. Be sure to read and follow the directions on the package, and ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Avoid Smoking

Don’t smoke while you’re ill, as this can make your symptoms worse. If you’re a smoker, this could be a good time to quit! Consider using nicotine lozenges, gum, or patches to reduce your cravings.

When to Return to the Doctor

If your Urgency Room healthcare provider told you to follow up at your clinic, be sure to call right away and schedule an appointment.

Occasionally, bronchitis can develop into more serious illnesses, including pneumonia. Please come see us right away if you experience the following:

• Your breathing gets much worse
• You are very weak
• You feel much more ill

Additionally, watch out for any new symptoms, such as:

• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Vomiting that prevents you from keeping fluids or your medicine down
• Fever that returns after being absent for a few days.

Please come see us again if you have any concerns about your health. We hope you feel better soon!

One in three people have high blood pressure. Learn what helps to reduce blood pressure in this video.

Kidney infections usually happen as a result of an untreated UTI. Learn more about your kidney infection from our video.

Be sure to filter your urine so you can catch and save your kidney stone to bring to your doctor to be examined. Details of how to manage the care of your kidney stone are in this video.

There are two types of nosebleeds. Learn the difference between them in our video.

Open wounds can affect nerves, muscle, bone and connective tissue. Follow up care information about your open wound can be found in this video.

Middle ear infections are common in children. Learn why these infections are more common in children in our video.

Otitis Media or Middle Ear Infections

Middle ear infections can be painful and distressing, especially for young children who don’t understand what they’re experiencing. If you or your child are experiencing pain or tenderness of the ear, visit your nearest Urgency Room to get checked out by a board-certified physician.

Your healthcare provider may diagnose you or your child with otitis media, which is an infection of the middle ear. This occurs most often in young children and is uncommon in adults. Kids tend to get middle ear infections after coming down with an upper respiratory infection or a cold. Here’s what you need to know about these infections.

Middle Ear Infections in Kids and Adults

The eustachian tube is a canal in the ear that helps equalize air between your throat and ear. When a child is sick, that tube can become infected.

Children between the ages of 6 and 18 months are at the highest risk for otitis media because their eustachian tubes aren’t fully developed. At this stage, the tube is in a more horizontal position, so fluid is easily trapped. Otitis media is uncommon in adults, since the fully developed eustachian tube lies at an angle, allowing fluid to escape down the back of the throat.

The infection can be acute, coming on over a period of one to two days, and can last weeks or even months. Chronic otitis develops when the infection persists.

People with acute otitis might experience the following:

• Pain near the ear
• Tenderness around the ear
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Rash on the stomach

Treatment

We treat most people with inner ear infections with antibiotics. Depending on your age, your doctor may also recommend anti-fever medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help reduce inflammation. If the pain is severe, your doctor might prescribe numbing ear drops that can give mild to moderate pain relief.

At-Home Care

Once you’re home, continue to manage any symptoms you or your child may be feeling. Be sure to follow the recommendations made by your doctor.

Keep in mind that fluid can be present in the middle ear for several weeks, but that doesn’t mean the infection is still there. It can take a while for the body to absorb the fluid or for it to drain out of the eustachian tube.

Here are a few at-home care steps you should take while monitoring your sick child:

• Finish all of the antibiotics in the prescription, even if your child is feeling better
• Keep your child well hydrated
• Monitor their temperature
• Make sure they get plenty of rest

Schedule a follow-up visit with your primary care physician to see if the medications and treatment plan were effective, as well as to help you determine if it’s necessary for your child to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

If you notice the following in your child, follow up with your doctor or return to the Urgency Room:

• Fever not getting better, even with anti-fever medications
• Looking ill
• Persistent vomiting
• Fewer wet diapers than normal within a 12-hour period

There are four types of pinkeye. Learn the difference between these types of pinkeye in our video.

Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is a thin membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and the whites of the eyes. Depending on the type of pink eye you’ve contracted, you may need to stay home for a few days to avoid spreading the infection. If you suspect you or your child are suffering from conjunctivitis, head to the closest Urgency Room to be diagnosed by a board-certified physician.

We’ve put together some information on the various types of pink eye, as well as some helpful instructions for what to do at home and when to return to the doctor.

Types of Pink Eye

Here’s a breakdown of the four main types of conjunctivitis. Each type requires a different approach. Both bacterial and viral pink eye, for example, spread easily from objects you’ve touched, such as a door handle or toy. You can also pass conjunctivitis by sharing an object that has touched your eye, such as a towel or pillowcase. If you have either of these types of pink eye, wash your pillowcases and towels daily, and avoid contact lenses.

Viral

Viral conjunctivitis is typically caused by the common cold virus and is not treated with antibiotics—because viruses don’t respond to them. You can try an over-the-counter antihistamine or decongestant eye drops, which may help to relieve the itching and irritation you may feel. This type of pink eye usually lasts three to five days.

Bacterial

Bacterial conjunctivitis is treated with an antibiotic ointment or eye drops. Because this type of pink eye is so contagious, children with pink eye can’t go back to school or daycare until they’ve been on antibiotic drops for at least 24 hours.

Nonspecific

Nonspecific conjunctivitis can be caused by dry eye, chemical exposure, or a foreign body in the eye—like dust or an eyelash. Symptoms generally improve with no treatment within 24 hours.

Allergic

Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms are caused by allergies. This type of pink eye is typically treated with allergy medications.

At-Home Care

In addition to following your doctor’s instructions, stick to the following:

• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes.
• If you wear makeup, go without it until your symptoms clear up.
• Avoid contacts until your eye is no longer red. Throw away your contact case and disinfect or replace your contact lenses.

Seeking Medical Care

No matter what kind of conjunctivitis you or your child are suffering from, the symptoms should improve within two days if you’re following your doctor’s instructions. In the event that the symptoms fail to improve, come see us at The Urgency Room, or make an appointment with your regular doctor for a second eye exam.

Return to the Urgency Room immediately if you notice the following:

• Blurry vision
• Increasing eye pain or drainage
• Redness or swelling in the skin around the eye
• Fever

If you have any ongoing concerns about your health, give us a call or come see us at the Urgency Room anytime for fast, high-quality care you can rely on. We wish you a speedy recovery!

Having pneumonia makes a patient more susceptible to the flu. Be sure to get a flu shot if you’ve recently had pneumonia.

Respiratory infections can last up to a month. Learn about the proper at-home care of a respiratory infection in this video.

Sinusitus is the inflammation or swelling of the tissues that line your sinuses. Learn the signs and symptoms of sinusitus in this video.

The most common cause for a sore throat is a virus. Tips to ease the pain of a sore throat are inside this video.

Treatments for sprains and strains can vary. Learn helpful tips to care for all sprains in our video.

It’s important to drink liquids when you have the stomach flu because of the increased risk of dehydration associated with the stomach flu. Learn what will help you feel better when you have the stomach flu in our video.

Diseases from tick bites can take months to appear. Get to the UR if you have any symptoms of disease after having a tick bite.

If not caught early enough, the infection from an UTI can travel up to the kidneys. This video contains this and other info about UTIs.