Minor Illness and Injuries Treatment Clinic in Houston, TX

Illnesses and injuries happen to all of us. They can be minor nuisances or they can cause us a great deal of discomfort. Illnesses and injuries can heal quickly, or turn into something that becomes chronic, requiring attention for a long time.

Illnesses can be caused by many different factors. They are often the result of infections caused by viruses or bacteria like the flu, pneumonia, food poisoning, and others. They can also be the result of a breakdown in how our body functions, whether from a genetic cause or lifestyle choices, like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and others.

Injuries are the result of some types of traumatic events, like an accident. Injuries happen most often to people who participate in athletic activities. Muscle strains and sprains, cuts, and bone breaks are all injuries. In the U.S. millions of people are injured every year. They range from minor to life-threatening.

Injuries can be a variety of things that can do damage to the body. Common injuries are bruises, animal bites, burns, dislocations, electrical injuries, sprains and strains, fractures, and wounds.

Wounds sometimes fall into their own category of injury because they deal with a break in the skin or other body tissues. Wounds include cuts, scratches, scrapes, and punctures. Minor wounds are not usually serious but do require cleaning. Serious wounds can be life-threatening and may require a visit to the doctor.

Illnesses can fit into two categories, acute or chronic. Illnesses that are chronic will often be designated as a disease. Acute illnesses will come on suddenly and often will pass in a short time. The most common illnesses are colds, the flu, diarrhea, conjunctivitis (pink eye), headaches, mononucleosis, and stomach aches.

Injury prevention is the effort one makes to prevent an injury or reduce its severity. There are many ways to do things that are meant to prevent or at least reduce the effects of an accident. Seat belts in a car or the protective clothing we wear when participating in sports are meant to prevent or limit injuries. Another way to prevent injuries is to keep an exercise routine that stretches and strengthens muscles.

Chronic diseases, like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer are some of the most common health problems in the U.S. Many of these diseases are preventable because they are linked to poor lifestyle choices like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, and physical inactivity. Chronic diseases are the main cause of death (70% of annual deaths) and disability. These diseases diminish the quality of life and add to rising health care costs.

You have the control to inhibit most chronic diseases; eating right, cutting back on drinking alcohol, getting exercise, and not smoking can have a prevailing impact on preventing diseases. Preventing chronic diseases not only makes your life better, but it will also save you money over time as you make fewer visits to see doctors and pay for fewer medications.

The first thing you should do if you find someone has been injured is to call 911. The next thing you need to do is to evaluate what has happened and what the injuries are. The person shouldn’t be moved unless they are at risk of greater injury if they aren’t moved. If they are bleeding, put gentle pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. If the person has rapid breathing, they may be going into shock, have them lie down and elevate their legs.

If you are not trained in first aid, do what you can to keep them comfortable and not cause further injury. For more information, call us or book an online appointment. We serve patients from Houston TX, West University Place TX, Bellaire TX, Jacinto City TX, Galena Park, TX, and South Houston TX.