Category Archives: Abdominal Pain

Providing Comprehensive 24 Hour Pediatric Emergency Care

 

When your child needs 24 hour pediatric emergency care, you expect to get a prompt diagnosis for your child. For most of the illnesses and injuries which send kids to the ER, parents need to perform followup care at home. It is important you ask your doctor the right questions to understand your child’s diagnosis. This way, you can provide the right care at home after your visit. At Highland Park Emergency Room and Preston Hollow Emergency Room, our medical professionals will always take the time to answer questions from Dallas parents about their children’s conditions. We also always provide the right information for follow up care to keep your child healthy.


Questions to Ask Your Doctor When Your Child is Sick



If your child is sick or hurt, you want the right facility to provide the right diagnosis. When you visit Highland Park Emergency Room or Preston Hollow Emergency Room for 24 hour pediatric emergency care, we have the right tools to help. For example, we have an onsite diagnostic imaging like CT scans and X-rays to provide prompt care. In addition, we also have an onsite lab to conduct comprehensive diagnostic testing. You will be able to find out your child’s results quickly, and ask for details on the recovery process. Asking your doctor what to do at home to help your child get better faster is also important. Additionally, the doctor will also let you know if any follow up visits to their doctor are needed.



Getting 24 Hour Pediatric Emergency Care for Your Kids



It is important for parents to know where to find a provider of 24 hour pediatric emergency care.  Not only do you want prompt and effective service, but the main thing is making you child feel better.  You also want a caring doctor who will explain everything thoroughly. Highland Park Emergency Room and Presotn Hollow Emergency Room offer both to Dallas parents. Contact us today to find out more about how your child can get a high level of care at our freestanding emergency rooms in the Dallas area.

Highland Park Emergency Room | 214.761.3174
5150 Lemmon Ave. Ste. 108 | Dallas TX 75209

Preston Hollow Emergency Room  |  214.761.3106
8007 Walnut Hill Lane  |  Dallas TX 75231

A 24 Hour Emergency Clinic Can Treat Food Allergies

common foods that people are allergic toEach year, nearly 200,000 people visit a 24 hour emergency clinic due to anaphylaxis, a serious and potentially deadly allergic reaction to food. Broken down incrementally, that averages out to one person experiencing a severe allergic reaction to food every three minutes. Considering that food is supposed to function as a source of health, energy, and nourishment for our bodies, an astonishingly high amount of people are harmed by the intake of specific foods. Highland Park Emergency Room are ready to help.

Food Allergies are Increasing, and the Reasons are Unclear

A recent statistic put out by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network estimates that between 12 million and 15 million Americans deal with food allergies to some degree. While no one can pinpoint or outline the exact reasons why food allergies occur, the amount of people who are affected by them has increased steadily over the last few decades. Scientists are quite certain that food allergies are genetic, but exactly which genes they come from is yet an unanswered question. Moreover, many people develop food allergies later on in life, and this has left many allergy experts scratching their heads as to the possible causes.

Top Food Allergies and Intolerances

While we still have many unanswered questions about food allergies, we do have some leads about which foods typically produce allergic responses. The top foods that cause allergic reactions are peanuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, and dairy. This list is not exhaustive of course, and if you continuously suffer from minor allergic reactions without knowing the cause, it is recommended that you get tested to avoid any future problems that could land you in a 24 hour emergency clinic. Notably, there is a difference between food intolerance and food allergies. Intolerance to wheat, for example, might cause uncomfortable bloating and hives, while a wheat allergy may cause swelling that obstructs breathing completely. Usually, people who suffer from a food intolerance can digest small amounts of the food. People who suffer from a severe allergy, however, may go into shock if they have a bite of the food they are allergic to. Given the risks involved and the dramatic differences between each person, it is very important that individuals with food allergies/intolerances are aware of which foods they react to and how severe the reaction is.

A 24 Hour Emergency Clinic Responds to Anaphylaxis Quickly

At our Highland Park, Lakewood & Preston Hollow Emergency Room locations, we understand how serious an allergic reaction to food can be. These >medical emergencies happen unexpectedly, and victims do not always have epinephrine (in the form of an EpiPen) available to calm symptoms. People who suffer from a severe allergic reaction to food should not hesitate; it is important that victims of anaphylaxis visit a 24 hour emergency clinic immediately. Contact Highland Park or Preston Hollow Emergency Room for more information.

Do You Know the Warning Signs of Appendicitis?

young woman sitting on edge of bed, clutching stomach due to abdominal painAbdominal pain is a common symptom that people usually ignore. Considering all the delicious food that summer offers, it is hard to distinguish indigestion from anything serious. However, abdominal pain is a warning sign for many serious conditions, including appendicitis. At Highland Park Emergency Room, we know how important it is to diagnose appendicitis quickly in order to avoid ugly complications, including peritonitis and death.

Appendicitis Warning Signs

Appendicitis happens when your appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus. As a result, the appendix will continue to swell and can rupture, which can be fatal. Knowing the symptoms of this condition can help you seek medical care quickly to avoid any complications.

Abdominal pain

>Abdominal pain can mean a lot of different things. It can be caused by a simple stomach ache, muscle soreness, and any number of things. Typically, the abdominal pain associated with appendicitis is a dull pain near the belly button or upper abdomen. The pain becomes sharper as it moves to the lower right abdomen.

Loss of Appetite

If you have abdominal pain but you still have an appetite, chances are you do not have appendicitis. People suffering from appendicitis lose their appetite. The pain can be so debilitating that a meal is the last thing on your name.

Nausea

The pain from >appendicitis can also cause nausea and/or vomiting. If you do vomit, you might not feel any relief because, unlike a regular stomachache, appendicitis is a lot more serious.

Fever

Along with other symptoms, a fever can occur. If you have other symptoms point to appendicitis and a temperature above 99 degrees, then appendicitis could be the cause of your pain.

Inability to pass gas

Appendicitis pain, from abdominal pain to a fever, can feel ceaseless. An indicator that something is more than just abdominal pain or a sour stomach will be an inability to pass gas. With the inability to pass gas, it’s virtually impossible to feel any kind of relief.girl holding onto stomach with both hands due to abdominal pain

No one symptom is a telltale sign of appendicitis. If you live in the Dallas area, have one or more of these symptoms and think that it might be attributed to appendicitis, stop by or call Highland Park Emergency Room today. Contact us today!

How to Know if You Have a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Paper with urinary tract infection and pills.A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is a very common condition that people get. In fact, UTIs are the second most common infection type that people come down with.  They can occur anywhere in the urinary tract, and it could be caused by fungus, by a virus, or by bacteria. Bacteria is the most common cause of urinary tract infections.  You will need to see a doctor if you suspect you have contracted one, whether bacteria or another pathogen is the cause of it. Highland Park Emergency Room provide diagnostic care and treatment for not only UTIs, but other major and minor emergencies as well.

Determining if You Have a Urinary Tract Infection

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection can vary from person to person. In general, however, some of the common red flags that could suggest you might have a UTI include:

  • a strong urge to urinate which often results in passing only a small amount
  • a burning feeling during urination
  • passing urine that looks cloudy, red, pink, or the color of coke

When women come down with it, they frequently feel pelvic pain in the area located around the public bone.  Both men and women with a UTI usually have urine which smells very strongly.  Young man doctor  holding a urine and blood sample for urinary tract infection diagnosis

Getting Treatment Help for a Urinary Tract Infection

Many adults discount the symptoms or treat those symptoms as something else.  You need to get a diagnosis and make sure you treat a UTI before the infection spreads and complications arise. Treatment is usually possible with antibiotics and you can get fast relief from symptoms as well as making sure you don’t experience further health issues. Contact us today or visit Highland Park Emergency Room for help treating this issue before it gets worse. We’re here to help.

Is it a Cramp or Something Worse?

close up of a torso of a person experiencing abdominal pain

Abdominal pain could be caused by cramps, and can sometimes be a minor inconvenience that goes away on its own. Sometimes, however, abdominal pain is a sign of a very serious condition like appendicitis.  Effectively self-diagnosing your abdominal pain is difficult because you may be unable to tell exactly what the cause of the discomfort is. Don’t take a chance on your pain going undiagnosed if it could be something serious. If you are in the Dallas area, visit Highland Park Emergency Room to get help.

Causes of Abdominal Pain

Common causes of abdominal pain that can require an ER visit include:

  • food poisoning
  • viral gastroenteritis, which is also called the flu
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • menstrual cramps
  • acid reflux
  • urinary tract infections
  • indigestion; gallstones
  • endometriosis
  • appendicitis Female having abdominal pain. Abdomen bloating concept.

You should look for other symptoms that could help  a doctor shed more light on what the cause of your abdominal pain is. You should also consider whether you may have eaten anything contaminated or been exposed to the flu.  You can share this information with a medical care provider when you seek a full diagnosis of your condition.

When to See a Doctor for Abdominal Pain

Deciding when to go to the doctor is a challenge, especially if you have limited or no insurance coverage and if you are worried about having a long wait when you seek medical help. Waiting too long to get help can be detrimental to your health though, so you want to get medical help in a timely manner. The good news is, care is available at  Highland Park Emergency Room for affordable prices. Treatment is provided by qualified professionals, and you should be able to get an accurate diagnosis and get on the road to recovery quickly. Contact us today for more information.

Should I go to An Urgent Care or ER? How to Decide:

For the most part, when you need to go to an Emergency Room is obvious. For major medical emergencies, everyone knows to go to an ER. But what if it’s not life-threatening? What if it’s a serious condition, but you don’t think it’s a medical emergency? Can you still go to the ER? Should you? Sometimes it’s not always easy to decide where to go. While going to the Emergency room is always an option you have, it might not always be the best option. We will tell you what you need to know to help you decide.

What is the main difference between Urgent Care and an Emergency Room?

We get asked this question a lot. A first glance, you may not see a difference at all. And in fact, there is very little that separates these two medical facilities apart. The major difference though, is that an Urgent Care center is not required to have always a Physician on staff. These means it’s entirely possible for you to go to an Urgent Care center, and never be seen by a Physician.  Also, what separates these two facilities is the level of care you would get.

“Recognizing the differences between ‘emergency’ and ‘urgent’ care can be confusing, because both terms imply there is a medical need that needs to be addressed quickly,” says Shawn Evans, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. “However, there are distinct differences between emergency rooms and traditional urgent care centers, including the level of care that can be provided at each.”

Emergency Rooms provide medical care at any time, day or night. However, unlike urgent care centers, they are equipped and staffed for even the most complex or critical needs, including life- and limb-threatening situations ranging from heart attack and stroke to traumatic injuries following a car accident.


At Highland Park Emergency Room,  you no longer have to deal with the less than sterile crowded waiting rooms of a traditional ERs while you suffer with symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, fever or other alarming conditions.

 

Features of our facilities include:

  • Board-certified emergency medicine physicians
  • ER/ICU trained nurses
  • Specialty trained healthcare professionals
  • Open 24/7, including holidays
  • Private patient rooms
  • Inviting atmosphere with no wait time
  • Adult and pediatric urgent care services
  • Well-stocked on-site pharmacy with IV medications such as antibiotics, cardiac antiarrhythmics, and blood thinners.
  • Digital imaging equipment including X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds
  • Laboratory tests such as complete blood counts, metabolic panels, cardiac enzymes, liver tests, urinalysis, and drug screens