We Are Here to Help With Your Asthma

The Urgency Room is Here For Your Asthma Needs.

Asthma can be a frightening condition. If it isn’t under control or kept in check, an asthma attack can occur and cause a need for medical care—in some cases, an asthma attack can be fatal.

The Urgency Room, with locations in Eagan, Vadnais Heights and Woodbury, can help in the event you need help managing your asthma. If you’re experiencing coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath, you may have asthma. Our highly experienced physicians can help in a fraction of the time it would take at your typical emergency room.

Each Urgency Room is owned and operated by the Emergency Physicians Professional Association (EPPA) and upholds the highest possible care standards. Our state-of-the-art facilities incorporate everything needed to treat everything from chest pain and high fevers to kidney stones and acute injuries. Your breaks, sprains, coughs and asthma won’t have to wait for hours to be addressed—instead, you’ll be seen quickly by one of our physicians faster than you would be seen in your average emergency room or urgent care.

Before stopping by, you can always check your expected wait time at each UR location across the Twin Cities. Don’t spend your valuable time just waiting to be seen. When minutes matter most, come to your nearest Urgency Room location to be treated and on your way to living your life sooner.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is an incurable condition that includes the narrowing or swelling of your airways. In addition to swelling airways, they may also produce mucus, making it especially difficult to breathe. If you have asthma, your symptoms might be very minor to more prominent. Asthma might simply be a nuisance to some while it’s an inhibitor to others and their daily activities.

You might develop asthma for a number of reasons. More than 22 million people have asthma in the United States alone, so it isn’t a rare or uncommon condition to have. Adults may develop asthma later in life due to exposure to irritants or dust in the workplace. For example, someone who works in a woodshop may develop asthma from prolonged exposure to sawdust in the air; this is called occupational asthma.

If you think you have asthma, some symptoms you may experience include:

• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing at night, making it difficult to sleep
• Pain while breathing
• Feeling unable to fully inhale or exhale air
• Difficulty breathing especially during exercise

How Can Asthma Be Treated?

While asthma doesn’t have a cure, it can be managed to the point where it doesn’t interrupt your day-to-day activities. Several steps may be taken to treat your asthma and control its symptoms. Since the severity of asthma can vary depending on your age, activity level and common exposure to irritants, it’s important to keep your physician up to date with changes in your symptoms so your treatment plan can be changed accordingly.

Treatment ranges from quick-relief to long-term care. Quick-relief treatment options are often referred to as rescue inhalers. These are for use before exercise (if your doctor thinks it’s necessary) or during an asthma attack. These medications will quickly open up your airways, making it possible for you to breathe. Some common quick-relief treatments include albuterol or a nebulizer.

Long-term asthma medications are meant to be taken every day. These medications usually take a few days before they reach effectiveness. Some common long-term medications include fluticasone, which is inhaled, or a bronchodilator, which is a pill that relaxes the muscles around the airways. These long-term asthma medications help reduce the chances you’ll have an asthma attack. They may be used in conjunction with other drugs that help stave off the odds of an attack—such as allergy medication.

How Can The Urgency Room Help?

No matter which Urgency Room is nearest you, our physicians will know how to quickly and effectively treat your asthma symptoms in the timeliest way possible. Don’t trudge through life not being able to breathe fully or fear risking an asthma attack. Stop by one of our Woodbury, Eagan or Vadnais Heights locations today and get the high-quality asthma care you need to better your breathing and get back to living life fully.

Call us today or stop by anytime. Each Urgency Room location is open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM 365 days of the year—that means even holidays and weekends. Skip the waits and finally get the care you deserve now.

Get Ultrasounds When You Need Them

Don’t wait for an ultrasound. Instead, come to your nearest Urgency Room location, conveniently situated for easy access by anyone in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Whether you live in the heart of the Twin Cities or in a neighboring suburb, you’re a short drive from an Urgency Room in Eagan, Vadnais Heights or Woodbury. Our state-of-the-art facilities are home to the medical technology you need in your times of medical need. From breaks and sprains to kidney stones and ultrasounds, our physicians are capable of assessing, diagnosing and treating the symptoms you walk through our doors with.

Each standalone Urgency Room is owned and operated by the Emergency Physicians Professional Association (EPPA), which means you’re guaranteed to be in good hands when coming to us for care. Our patients are satisfied time and time again with the level of care they receive from our caring team. Each UR is open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, 365 days of the year—that means we’re open holidays, too. Each location is outfitted with equipment such as X-Ray machines, CT scanners, ultrasounds and high-complexity labs to examine and investigate a broad range of ailments, pains, illnesses or injuries—including when you may need an ultrasound.

What is an Ultrasound?

When you hear the word “ultrasound,” you may first imagine that only pregnant women need ultrasounds. While you are correct, an ultrasound is actually a versatile tool that can be used to examine a variety of symptoms. Ultrasounds are typically used when examining pregnant women because they are a safer alternative to X-Rays as they do not use radiation.

Ultrasound, also known as sonography, is aptly named as it uses sound to create images of inside the body. By using a combination of high-frequency sound waves and ultrasound gel placed directly on the skin of the area being examined, a probe is able to create an image of blood flow or body organs throughout your body. The probe being used transmits the sound waves through the gel placed on the skin. The sound waves bounce back to the probe and a computer is able to craft images based on how the sound waves are bouncing back. These sound waves also capture internal movement in real time, so physicians can watch how blood is flowing, organs are acting or a baby is moving as the ultrasound is being conducted.

Ultrasound technology has come a long way since its medical uses were first explored in the 1950s—it is ultimately a result of many decades of sonar development for underwater purposes. Today there are several types of ultrasound imaging that exist: conventional and Doppler. A conventional ultrasound reveals what’s happening internally through two-dimensional images, however, advancements in ultrasound technology enable physicians to see three-dimensional ultrasound images. Doppler ultrasounds are ideal for examining blood flow through different parts of your body or organs. Types of Doppler ultrasound include color Doppler, which utilizes different colors overlaid on the ultrasound image. The colors represent the direction and speed of blood flowing through the different vessels being examined. Advances in ultrasound technology allow physicians to see more detail than ever before, which enables them to see more of what they need in order to accurately diagnose and treat you.

When Do You Need an Ultrasound?

If you come in to your nearest Urgency Room with symptoms such as pain, swelling or suspected infection, you may have an ultrasound taken of the afflicted area. Ultrasounds are excellent for observing organs and vessels, such as:

• Heart
• Live
• Gallbladder
• Spleen
• Pancreas
• Blood vessels, including the aorta
• Brain (in infants)
• Ovaries
• Scrotum
• Uterus
• Eyes

The majority of internal organs and vessels can be examined with the use of an ultrasound. It’s quick, painless and easy while able to tell a lot about what’s happening inside of your body. Since an ultrasound can detect abnormal blood flow, physicians will be able to identify some of the following:

• Blocked arteries
• Blood clots
• Closed veins
• Poor blood circulation

A physician may be able to get all the information they need from an ultrasound, but ultrasound results may lead to the need for further testing, such as an MRI. The physicians at The Urgency Room will be able to determine the best course of action for you and your needs.

When Minutes Matter, Come to The Urgency Room

When you’re experiencing pain from swelling or infection, don’t put off getting the medical help you need today. While going to your typical emergency room could mean waiting hours in a crowded waiting room until you can be seen, The Urgency Room is known for its efficiency and speed when it comes to seeing patients. You’ll wait a fraction of the time that you would anywhere else. Each location in Woodbury, Vadnais Heights and Eagan has live waiting times posted here so you will always know what to expect when you come to our facilities. Stop enduring pain now by coming in for the high-quality medical care you deserve.

Have more questions? Check out all of our comprehensive services and capabilities here. Our extensive list of services and ailments we treat will have you coming to us for more than ultrasounds. Whenever you need a medical service that fulfills the gap between a crowded emergency room and a pricey urgent care clinic, The Urgency Room is ready for you. Our easily accessible locations and convenient hours make us second to none for treating your urgent medical needs. Even after you leave, our aftercare videos will help answer questions and support you on your road to recovery.

For ultrasounds and much more, come to the caring hands at your nearest Urgency Room. We’re ready and waiting to help you as soon as possible.

Get to The Urgency Room for Pediatric Care in Minutes

Kids are known for their fearlessness and curiosity, and while those are admirable characteristics that foster growth, sometimes they lead to trouble. Casts, bandages and stitches seem to be the necessary accessories throughout childhood, but when the time comes, do you know where to go? When your child doesn’t feel well or endures bumps and bruises, you want to get them the care they need fast—and The Urgency Room can provide just that.

The Urgency Room is an innovative take on urgent care. As freestanding facilities, each Urgency Room around the Twin Cities is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment to treat urgent medical needs in a fraction of the time than it would take at the average emergency room. Each UR is owned and operated by members of the Emergency Physicians Professional Association (EPPA), meaning you’ll only receive excellent care by seasoned physicians who prioritize your child’s care.

The Urgency Room isn’t just known for its efficient care and short waiting times—it’s also known for its convenient locations and hours. Located in Eagan, Woodbury and Vadnais Heights, each Urgency Room sits right off major highways and is easily accessible. You can also depend on us to be open 365 days per year, including holidays, from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. You can’t always predict when your young one will find its way into trouble, so that’s why our schedule was made to try and fit yours. When your child is most active, we’re ready in case anything should happen.

When Your Child is Hurt, The Urgency Room is Here

When your child needs care in a matter of minutes instead of hours, bring them to your nearest Urgency Room near Minneapolis or St. Paul. Our physicians are trained to handle acute injuries, broken bones, sprains, strains, stitches and illnesses. We can also ensure that your child has a nearby hospitals should your child need a higher level of care should their injuries be more severe than originally anticipated.

The Urgency Room is equipped to handle children. According to the Institute of Medicine, children “make nearly a third of all ER visits,” but “a mere 6% of hospitals have all the pediatric supplies they need.” With that fact in mind, consider the cost of going to a crowded emergency room, waiting long spans of time just to be seen, and then discovering your child can’t receive treatment for their injury because that ER isn’t equipped to handle them. Save the headache, worry and time by coming directly to your nearest UR for urgent pediatric care.

What does being equipped to treat children actually mean? It means having children-friendly equipment and staff on-site, i.e., smaller catheters and similar equipment. Aside from needing special equipment to handle smaller bones and veins, children also require special know-how. While they may appear to be, children aren’t just smaller versions of adults, therefore they can’t be treated like adults. Aside from smaller anatomies, children’s body temperatures rise quicker, fevers are hard to bring down, and illnesses may show different symptoms or come on more unexpectedly than in an adult. Because of this, physicians have to have pediatric knowledge under their belt, which many emergency rooms simply don’t have at the ready. Our Urgency Rooms are equipped with X-ray machines, CT scanners, ultrasounds, high-complexity labs and sedation for adults and children.

High Fevers and Children

If your child has developed a high temperature, it could be wise to consider seeking medical treatment, especially if it happened suddenly and unexpectedly. If a fever causes a child’s temperature to only reach 102 degrees Fahrenheit, ample rest and lots of fluids could keep a worsening fever at bay. However, if their temperature spikes above 102 degrees, seeking care is a safe choice. Even if nothing more is required than more rest, fluids and over-the-counter medicines, it’s better to be safe and be reassured that nothing more serious is happening with your child.

Dehydration often comes with high fevers. If your child isn’t taking in as much fluid as they should, odds are high that they are dehydrated. Coming to the Urgency Room ensures they can receive fluids with the catheters that are the right size. Many times hospitals or emergency rooms simply aren’t equipped with small enough I.V.s, meaning your child has to endure poke after poke while their veins are trying to be found. Don’t put them through that—come to where you know your child can be cared for right away with the right pediatric equipment.

Severe Headaches

If your child looks unlike itself and is very lethargic or apathetic toward even their favorite foods or TV shows, seek medical care soon. A minor headache can be helped with pain relieving medicines, however, a headache that incapacitates them is something to worry about. These headaches could arrive on their own or be accompanied by blurred vision, confusion, fever, etc., and could be a signifier of a more serious infection or illness, such as meningitis. If your child is overcome with pain from a sever headache, don’t wait! Seek medical aid at your nearest Urgency Care where we know how to assess, diagnose and treat children when they don’t feel well.

Broken Bones 

When a child breaks a bone, it’s different than if an adult were to break the same bone. Broken bones are the fourth most common injury among children under six years of age. The younger the child, the more flexible are their bones. This makes them better at absorbing shock and enduring impacts. Having knowledge of children’s bones is critical to proper healing. Because kids’ bones are still growing, setting them incorrectly could cause them to heal poorly, with damage to growth plates at the ends of bones, or continue growth incorrectly (slow growth or even growth at an angle).

Children are a Priority at The Urgency Room

When it comes to your pediatric care needs, physicians at The Urgency Room are ready. From assessment to treatment, each location in Eagan, Woodbury and Vadnais Heights is equipped to care for your child when it comes to high fevers, broken bones, worrisome scrapes, severe headaches and more. Don’t waste precious time in the waiting room of an ER only to find out it doesn’t have what your child needs for proper care. When minutes matter, especially when it comes to the health of your child, come to your nearest Urgency Room today.

What to do When You Cut Your Finger

Your hands are the most versatile tools you can imagine. They tie, type, zip, poke, grip, grab and hold onto everything within an arm’s reach. They handle nearly everything you interact with during the average day—including the more dangerous things. With your fingers being in everything from sand to water to laundry to cooking, cuts are bound to happen. What happens when you get one, though? What should you do when you get a more serious cut on your finger? Each Urgency Room through the Twin Cities is here to help you when you seriously wound

your finger as well as when you experience a minor cut.

You Cut Your Finger, Now What?

Cutting your fingers can be a serious event and should be addressed immediately so to avoid developing an infection. Whether your finger has a small cut to a bigger gash, your first priority is to assess the wound and its severity. Is it a clean cut or a jagged tear? How deep is the cut? See exactly where the source of bleeding is stemming from and proceed from there. Remember, though, no matter how bad the cut, remain calm. A calm mind will be able to prioritize what needs to happen and focus on helping your cut.

1. Stop the Bleeding
   The very first step to treating a cut finger is to stop the bleeding. One way to stop bleeding from a small, simple cut is to run it under cold water. This will help contract the blood vessels to slow bleeding. Another easy way to stop bleeding from any sort of wound is to apply firm and steady pressure to the cut. Make sure you use a clean cloth or piece of gauze—don’t grab the nearest dirty towel and apply it to your wound.
   
   If your cut is particularly serious or bleeding heavily and the cloth you apply starts to become saturated with blood, don’t remove it—you risk removing whatever clot had started to form over the cut. Instead, place more clean cloth or gauze over the existing cloth or gauze. Consider wrapping it with more gauze or bandages until the bleeding subsides.
   
   If you cut your finger in a way that a flap of skin is extending over the wound, don’t take it off. As tempting as it may be, removing that flap of skin may prolong your healing process. If you accidentally cut a portion of your finger off, make sure to place the severed portion in a clean plastic bag to bring with you to the doctor. If you can, pack the plastic bag in ice.
   
    
2. Clean Your Cut
   While you may be tempted to, don’t use hydrogen peroxide, iodine or Mercurochrome. You may have seen your grandmother dump this stuff on even minor cuts in the past, but the truth is that hydrogen peroxide and iodine can cause tissue damage while Mercurochrome has high levels of mercury—all should be avoided.
   
   Once the bleeding has subsided, remove the gauze or bandages and simply wash with water. If you wash with water and soap, ensure the soap is relatively mild and that you wash it out of the wound completely so to prevent irritation to your cut.
    
3. Bandage the Cut
   Once the cut on your finger has stopped bleeding, been cleaned and dried, it’s time to dress the wound. To reduce the risk of infection and help numb any pain or swelling that you may be starting to feel, apply a small amount of an antibacterial cream. After that’s applied, cover your wound with a sterile bandage. Make sure to clean the wound and replace the bandage daily. Keep a close watch on your cut to make sure it’s healing properly. Depending on your age, your health and the severity of the cut, it could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to fully heal.

When You Should Go to a Physician for Your Finger Cut

While the majority of minor cuts to your fingers can be cared for in your home, there are times when a cut should be seen by a physician. If a cut is especially large, deep, or resulted in part of your finger missing, head to your nearest Urgency Room to be seen quickly by caring and experienced physician.

When to Go to the Urgency Room for Your Finger Cut:

• The cut won’t stop bleeding
• Part of your finger has been cut off
• The area around the cut feels numb
• The area around the cut is swollen
• You can see the bone
• The edges of the cut are jagged or torn
• You notice infection or discharge developing in the days after cutting your finger

If you need to see a physician for a cut on your finger, come to your nearest Urgency Room. With convenient locations situated off of major highways running through the Twin Cities, coming to our Woodbury, Vadnais Heights or Eagan locations is an easy trip. Often times you’ll only wait a few minutes to be seen by our nurses and physicians, meaning you can be in an out in a fraction of the time when compared with your average waiting room stuffed with people. You can check out live waiting room times at each location here and decide how soon you want to be seen for your cut finger.

Each Urgency Room is owned and operated by the Emergency Physicians Professional Association (EPPA) and is staffed with highly qualified and experienced physicians, nurses and medical technicians. Check out our comprehensive medical services offered when you need it most. Each location is open 365 days per year, including holidays, from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. whether you cut your finger while cutting sandwiches for the kids’ lunches or carving the Thanksgiving turkey, The Urgency Room will be here when you need us for even your worst cuts on your fingers.

Swimmer's Ear

We are in the dog days of summer and that means our kids are itching to get in the water. Swimming, splashing, and playing in the water is fun and great exercise for our kids. Occasionally all of this fun can lead to water in your child’s eyes, nose, and even ears. Swimmer’s ear is often caused by water that is trapped in your ear which fosters bacteria growth. This infection can run from the outside of your head to your ear drum.

There are a few key warning signs of swimmer’s ear. These signs include-

• ·         Pain in the outer ear
• ·         Itchiness
• ·         Fluid or pus leaking from the ear
• ·         Difficulty hearing

Doctors commonly prescribe ear drops to relieve swimmer's ear. Many doctors will recommend avoiding swimming, using hearing aids, in-ear head phones, and excessive cleaning of your ears while you are recovering from swimmer’s ear.

Watch our aftercare video for additional information on swimmer’s ear and how to apply ear drops.

Tick Tips

Did you know that approximately 300,000 people are infected with Lymes disease each year? Because Minnesota is a heavily wooded state, it’s pertinent that we stay alert for ticks to prevent Lymes disease. Here are some tips and tricks that you need to know to prevent a tick from grabbing hold of you!

• ·         Ticks love wooded, humid environments. Steering clear of these environments can lower your chance of encountering ticks.
• ·         Ticks enjoy crevices of the body. Be sure to check the back of your knees, under your arms and in your belly button during your tick check.
• ·         Don’t just do a tick check on your kids and yourself. Be sure to check your pets as well.
• ·         Place your clothes in heated dryer after being in a wooded area. The heat will kill any hidden ticks.
• ·         Bug spray containing DEET can help keep ticks at bay.
• ·         Keeping your play sets away from heavily wooded areas in your yard can help prevent ticks.
• ·         Keep deer out of your yard. Ticks feed on deer and keeping them out of your yard can help keep tick population in your yard down.

Lymes disease can be serious business. Keep your family safe and keep a watchful eye for ticks.

CT Capabilities at The Urgency Room

What Is a CT Scanner?

Computed tomography, or CT as it’s widely known as, is commonly used to quickly and accurately detect internal injuries. While a CT scanner functions differently than an X-Ray machine, it still uses X-Rays as a means of taking images of different parts of the body. Much larger than a traditional X-Ray machine, CT scanners use a gantry, which is a large metal circle that stands vertically. When receiving a CT scan, the patient lays flat on a bed that moved through the center of the gantry. While the bed moves horizontally through the gantry, moving X-Ray tubes within the gantry rotate around the patient, capturing images from all angles instead of just one like with a standard X-Ray.

A CT scanner’s X-Rays make full rotations around a patient in order to capture “slices” of the patient. Instead of receiving a flat image, physicians are able to obtain images of internal cross-sections that they can assemble, take apart turn and examine from different angles. The resulting 3D images enable physicians to be able to examine the skeleton, organs and tissues of a patient while trying to pinpoint abnormalities such as bleeding, fluid or tumors.

When Do You Need a CT Scan?

When your medical urgency calls for more information than a standard static X-Ray can provide, a CT scan may be in order. CT scans are quick and painless, and they provide a vast amount of crucial information in regard to internal injuries specifically as they can detect blood vessels and soft tissues along with bones. For example, if you are feeling severe internal discomfort when you come into your nearest Urgency Room, a CT scan could see if you’re suffering from excess fluid or internal bleeding—things a standard X-Ray may not detect as well.

CT scanners are excellent tools to detect:

- Broken bones

- Tumors

- Infections

- Blood clots

- Excess fluids

- Cystic fibrosis

- Injuries from trauma

Along with being able to detect and locate those internal abnormalities, a CT scanner can also help physicians identify issues such as heart disease or cancer. As with a standard X-Ray, you must be free of metal jewelry or accessories before getting a CT scan. In some instances, you may be asked to take or be injected with a substance called a contrast medium. When taken by mouth or injected through a vein, a contrast medium will help highlight specific areas to be examined during a CT scan. It could help identify a clot or internal bleeding among other medical problems.

Having a CT scan taken of your body can take just minutes with our advanced equipment. Once completed, our physicians will be able to examine the results on digital images of your internal injuries or ailments. The CT scan is a very safe and reliable procedure that helps physicians at your nearest Urgency Room identify, assess and treat what could be causing you pain and discomfort.