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.
What Constitutes a Minor Emergency?
A minor emergency is anything that requires timely medical attention but isn’t serious enough to send you to the emergency room. The most common injuries and wounds of these types are:
- Allergies
- Cold or Flu Symptoms
- COVID-19
- Earaches
- Fevers
- Foreign Object in the Eye or Nose
- Headaches
- Minor Allergic Reactions
- Minor Burns or Bruises
- Minor Fractures
- Minor Lacerations & Abscesses
- Rash or Poison Oak
- Scrapes or Minor Cuts
- Skin Complaints
- Sore Throat
- Sprains or Breaks
- Urinary Tract infection (UTI)
- Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)
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.
How Are Minor Emergencies and Wounds Treated?
Dr. McElya can handle most minor emergencies and wounds with these treatment options:
- Clean the wound with an antiseptic solution
- Stitches, sutures, or bandages to close the wound
- Antibiotics, when infected
- Topical creams or oral medications
- Drain the infection
- Braces or crutches
Dr. McElya is also able to prescribe the necessary medications to tackle your problem, from antibiotics to pain relief medication.
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.
Do I Need To Call Ahead?
If you or your child has a minor medical emergency, Dr. McElya tries to accommodate all of his patients with same-day appointments. It’s best to call ahead to ensure that the doctor can see you and, if he can’t, his helpful staff will point you in the right direction.
Whether you or your child have suffered from a sprain, fracture, or open wound, Dr. McElya is equipped to handle most small medical emergencies at his Dallas practice, Neighborhood Medical Center. No one understands the importance of timely and quality care better than Dr. McElya, so if you or a loved one needs prompt medical attention, call our office for your same-day appointment.