Memorial Heights 24 HR Emergency Center

Understanding What Qualifies as an Eye Emergency

The eye is an extremely delicate structure, so injury to the area can cause permanent damage and lead to vision loss if not properly treated. For this reason, it’s important to seek emergency care following an eye injury. Even if an eye problem seems minor, there can still be some structural damage that can lead to permanent vision problems.

Black Eye

A black eye is an extremely common injury that can be directly caused by trauma to the eye or face. The bruised color around the eye is the result of bleeding underneath the skin. In most cases, the color and swelling will disappear within two weeks. However, in some cases, the swelling around the eye can create intense pressure and damage. Cases in which the injury was caused by direct force can lead to hyphema, or accumulating blood in the front area of the eye. 

Chemical Injury

Work-related chemicals or household cleaning products can cause chemical burns in delicate eye tissue. With acid burns, the cornea may temporarily cloud and heal in a few weeks following the incident. However, accidents involving alkaline substances, such as chemical drain cleaners or sodium hydroxide, can permanently damage the cornea and lead to permanent vision loss. Individuals who experience chemical eye injuries should immediately rinse their eyes with water and visit the nearest urgent care center.

Foreign Object in the Eye

The cornea is the clear tissue that protects the front surface of the eye, so any foreign object that enters the eye can lead to serious damage to the cornea. Not only do large foreign objects in the eye warrant immediate medical attention, but smaller substances such as sand, dust, and debris may also need to be looked at by a doctor.

To learn more about emergency care services in Houston, contact Memorial Heights 24 Hour Emergency Center. We are a freestanding emergency room equipped to handle a range of medical emergencies. You can reach us at (281) 914-4015.

A Look at Pneumonia

If you are experiencing a persistent cough, running a fever, or having difficulty breathing, you may have developed a serious lung infection called pneumonia. Most people who develop pneumonia can treat this condition at home in about two to three weeks. However, individuals with weakened immune systems, such as older adults or babies, may become very ill.

You can contract pneumonia from a variety of sources in your daily life, including school or work. Pneumonia is a bacterial infection, and the symptoms can manifest rather suddenly. One of the biggest signs that you have contracted pneumonia is if you begin to cough up mucus that is rusty or green in color. You may also feel tired and weak or begin to experience chest pains. Doctors can help you treat and alleviate these symptoms by prescribing antibiotics to fight the bacterial infection in your lungs.

Are you experiencing symptoms of pneumonia? Learn how Memorial Heights 24 Hour Emergency Center of Houston can help by giving us a call at (281) 914-4015.

What's That Pain in Your Chest?

One of the most common reasons that individuals are brought to the emergency room is because they are experiencing chest pain. While painful sensations in the chest may simply be heartburn, they can also be signs of a heart attack. Learning to recognize the difference between these symptoms can help people learn when to seek emergency care.

As this video explains, heart attacks typically lead to pain in the left arm along with shortness of breath and dizziness. With heartburn, chest pains may spread to the throat and cause chronic cough. If you are unsure of whether or not you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack or heartburn, you should err on the side of caution and seek emergency medical care.

You can visit Memorial Heights 24 Hour Emergency Center of Houston 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call us at (281) 914-4015 to learn more about our services.

Symptoms of a Severe Allergic Reaction

Although many allergic reactions are mild, in some cases, a severe reaction known as anaphylaxis occurs. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate emergency care to counteract. Because it is impossible to determine the extent of an allergic reaction, always seek medical care at the first indications of a severe reaction.  

Skin Reactions

Often, the first sign of an impending allergic reaction is a sensation of tingling or warmth. The skin may subsequently break out into hives, welts, wheals, or a rash, which can cause redness and intense itching. The hands, feet, and areas of the face may swell, causing difficulty moving, blinking, speaking, or even breathing.  

Difficulty Breathing

Severe allergic reactions are frequently marked by swelling of the nose, tongue, mouth, and throat. Wheezing, gasping, and trouble taking normal breaths may follow. This type of swelling can occur extremely quickly and cut off adequate oxygen supply to the body within minutes. Urgent care is needed to reestablish an open airway and prevent further difficulty or cessation of breathing.  

Fainting

Allergic reactions may cause a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure, also called shock. An irregular or rapid heartbeat may also develop. Combined, these reactions cause dizziness, confusion, and sometimes fainting. Loss of consciousness is an immediate signal that medical care is needed to stabilize blood pressure and treat the cause of the reaction.  

Fear or Worry

Persons experiencing a severe allergic reaction report feelings of anxiety, fear, distress, and even intense feelings that they may die. Never ignore these feelings; seek medical care immediately to address the allergy regardless of whether physical symptoms have manifested.  

Recognizing the signs of a severe reaction can prepare you to act quickly and seek treatment to restore health. Memorial Heights 24 Hour Emergency Center provides prompt care for anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions. Our experienced physicians will help you understand the nature of your reaction and avoid future triggers. You can explore our full range of urgent care services in Houston by clicking on our website or calling (281) 914-4015.

What You Need to Know About Concussions

Concussions are injuries to the brain that frequently occur following a car accident, fall, or blow to the head. While there may be no outward sign of injury, it’s essential to visit an urgent care center for diagnosis if symptoms of confusion or memory loss occur. While many concussions will heal without care, in some cases, treatment and rest are needed to prevent further problems. 

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion occurs when the brain is injured inside the skull. Under normal circumstances, the brain stays relatively immobile in the skull, surrounded by a cushioning layer of fluid. During an accident or blow to the head, however, the brain may move suddenly within your head. Contact with the skull causes injury to the brain’s tissues, known as a concussion. 

What Are the Signs of a Concussion?

Loss of consciousness following a blow to the head is not a sure sign of concussion. Many people suffer concussions without losing consciousness. Common signs and symptoms of concussions in older children and adults include mental disorientation or confusion, difficulty concentrating or remembering new information, headaches, blurred vision, and balance problems. Changes in mood or sleep patterns may occur as well. In very young children, changes in behavior, constant crying, headaches, and trouble balancing or walking may occur. Even if these symptoms appear days after an accident or fall, visit an urgent care center for evaluation.  

How Will a Doctor Treat a Concussion?

Once your physician has diagnosed a concussion, rest is most often recommended. If symptoms worsen or new ones appear, contact an urgent care center for direction. Signs that emergency care is needed include sudden loss of consciousness, seizures, increased confusion, slurred speech, severe headache, and nausea or vomiting.  

Visit Memorial Heights 24 Hour Emergency Center for diagnostic and emergency care services in Houston. Our stand-alone emergency facility offers a full laboratory and digital imaging center for immediate diagnosis and treatment of injuries. You can learn more about concussions and other brain injuries by visiting our website, or call us today at (281) 914-4015.