Minor Emergency & Wound Care
From tripping over the dog to accidentally slicing your finger with a knife, accidents happen all the time. Add kids to the mix, and it seems as if there’s a never-ending potential for minor emergencies. No one understands this better than Dr. Martin G. McElya, who’s equipped to handle most small medical emergencies at his Dallas practice, Neighborhood Medical Center.
When You Should Go To The Emergency Room
First, to determine whether your injury is minor or not, you should always err on the side of caution. If any of the following are present, seek urgent care by calling 911 immediately:
- Excessive bleeding
- Unconsciousness
- Severe pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Poisoning or overdose
- Allergic reaction
If you’re at all unsure, call Neighborhood Medical Center for advice.
What Can I Do Until My Appointment?
This largely depends on the nature of your injury, but there are a few rules of thumb for minor emergencies:
- Sprain or fracture means you should follow the RICE method. Rest, apply Ice and Compression, and Elevate the area while you wait for your appointment.
- Bleeding wounds require you to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound with a clean cloth or gauze to stem the flow of blood. Also, try and keep the laceration from becoming larger by holding the edges together.
In any medical situation, it’s best to ask our medical staff for recommendations on how to care for your injury until you can be seen by the doctor.