What we Treat
Chest Pain, Heart Attack, and Stroke
Anyone who has experienced serious chest pain knows that it can be a frightening experience, and for good reason. Chest pain can indicate a serious cardiac episode, including a heart attack. But chest pain is not the only sign of a heart attack. Different patients experience different symptoms. Similarly, signs of a stroke can vary dramatically from patient to patient.
Both heart attack and stroke require immediate medical care at an emergency center. At Mount Sinai emergency centers, our team of Emergency Medicine (EM) doctors will help determine the cause of your chest pain or head pain. If you’re having a heart attack or stroke, our experts are well-prepared to provide emergency interventions, from administering lifesaving medication to using defibrillators that restart the heart to emergency surgery.
If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, call 911, or visit the closest emergency center:
Heart Attack:
- Chest pain usually in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or goes away and then comes back; some people describe the pain as pressure, squeezing, fullness, or sharp pain
- Weakness, light-headedness, or the feeling that you are going to faint
- Excessive sweating, often accompanied by chills or feeling cold
- Pain in the jaw, neck, or back
- Arm or shoulder soreness
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea accompanied by one or more of these other symptoms
Stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of your body
- Drooping on your face, including one eye or one side of your mouth
- Sudden confusion
- Difficulty speaking — both putting words together or making word sounds
- Trouble understanding the words someone speaks
- Sudden vision difficulty in one or both eyes
- Sudden difficulty walking, standing, or balancing
- Sudden onset of dizziness
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Adult and Geriatric Care
The physicians and care providers at Mount Sinai’s emergency centers can handle nearly any medical issue by applying rapid care to stabilize patients for discharge or admission to the hospital. The following list contains the more common conditions we see in the emergency department.
Adult and Geriatric Care: Falls and Injuries
Adult and Geriatric Care: Illnesses
Adult and Geriatric Care: Falls and Injuries
The origins of acute pain are different for every case, and the duration of symptoms vary.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, your physician or care provider will order a series of routine laboratory tests to help identify the source of pain and the most effective methods for alleviating your pain.
- Medication: To reduce pain and address physical distress, we may prescribe medication.
- Specialist referrals: Once stabilized, we may refer you to a specialist for further treatment.
An airway obstruction occurs when any part of the airway is blocked, either partially or completely preventing air flow. Most airway obstructions require immediate medical assistance.
Treatment Options
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): CPR should be performed when a person is unconscious and cannot breathe. CPR requires placing the heel of your hand in the center of the patient’s chest and using your upper body weight to press down on the chest repeatedly. The emergency department medical team or EMS may perform CPR when a patient’s airway is blocked, and he or she cannot breathe.
- Epinephrine: Epinephrine is typically used by people who have serious allergic reactions called anaphylaxis, which causes their throats swell. Epinephrine can be administered using an EpiPen.
Wounds caused by animals or insects usually only result in minor pain; however, some can provoke allergic reactions and even death.
Treatment Options
- Blood transfusions: Loss of blood may be mitigated through blood transfusions.
- Medication: To prevent infection, reduce pain, and address physical distress, we may prescribe antibiotic medication.
- Stitches, staples, or glue: Tissue damage from dog and animal bites may be addressed with stitches, staples, or glue.
- Surgery: Surgery may be required to address more extensive tissue damage.
Hot liquids, the sun, flames, chemicals, electricity, and steam can cause burns, resulting in tissue damage. Most minor burns can be treated at home; however, major burns require emergency medical help.
Treatment Options
- For second-degree burns, we clean, rinse, and dress the burn with sterile bandages, especially when there is blistering present. Second-degree burns may also require surgery.
- Third-degree burns may require a specialist’s intervention to remove the damaged tissue. This may require a transfer to a burn unit. Follow-up care requires regular cleaning by professional medical staff.
Breaks, Fractures, and Sprains:
A sprain occurs when the ligaments connecting bones at a joint tear. A fracture occurs when a bone is hit with more force than it can withstand, causing it to break. Both require immediate medical attention.
Treatment Options
- Compression: To avoid swelling, medical staff may compress the area with an elastic bandage, without wrapping it too tightly, which can block circulation.
- Imaging: The ED doctor will take X-rays to diagnose the type of injury and determine treatment.
- Splints and/or casts: Splints and/or casts may be necessary to immobilize your bone and ensure it heals straight.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery is required, where pins and screws will be used to realign the bones.
A concussion is an injury to the brain that can cause temporary loss of normal brain function. Varying levels of concussions require medical attention.
Treatment Options
- Imaging: CT scans may be required to help diagnose and pinpoint the concussed areas.
- Rest: Initial treatment often includes rest from physical and mental activities, which allows the brain to heal.
- Therapy: More serious concussions may require targeted, ongoing therapy.
A cut or laceration may occur when a sharp object or heavy force breaks the skin. Most cuts are minor; however, some require medical attention.
Treatment Options
- Stitches, staples, or glue: Lacerations can be treated using a closure technique that allows for quicker healing and reduced patient discomfort.
If a patient develops bleeding from the gums or anywhere inside the mouth, suffers from a severe infection, injures the tongue or jaw, or has a severe toothache, our team can help.
Treatment Options
- Analgesics: Oral painkillers and injections can help treat discomfort.
- Antibiotics: We use oral and intravenous antibiotics to prevent or treat oral infections.
- Specialist referrals: Once the patient is stabilized, we often refer him or her to a specialist for follow-up care.
Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of Breath:
Many conditions cause difficulty breathing, including a blocked airway, blood clots, lung disease, heart disease, infections, and more.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, your Mount Sinai emergency doctor may order a series of routine laboratory tests to identify the cause of your breathing trouble.
- Medication: For those with certain lung diseases and conditions, medications can help relieve shortness of breath.
- Specialist referrals: When necessary, our team refers patients for further follow-up with a specialist, a respiratory therapist, or even meditation or mental health counseling.
Dislocation occurs when the bones of a joint move out of their proper place. An extreme dislocation may require immediate medical assistance.
Treatment Options
- Manipulation: Your Mount Sinai emergency doctor may manually move the bones back to their original position.
- Medication: Certain medications can help alleviate pain.
- Rehabilitation: Depending on the severity of the dislocation, physical therapy exercises might be necessary to help with the healing process. Our team will provide a referral.
Damage to the eye can occur from chemical burns, contact with foreign objects, and blows to the eye. Most eye injuries are considered a medical emergency. Immediate medical attention is necessary to prevent loss of vision, especially with more severe injuries.
Treatment Options
- Minimally invasive surgeries: Eye injuries may require additional treatments, such as laser treatments.
- Noninvasive procedures: Treatment for an eye injury depends on the severity of the injury; however, our team will first examine and flush the eye.
Falls and Other Sudden Accidents:
Falls are quite common, especially among older people. These falls or other sudden accidents can cause fractures or other severe injuries.
Treatment Options
- Treatment options for falls and other sudden accidents depend on the injuries that occur, which may include sprains, breaks, dislocations, and concussion.
Head and facial injuries can occur in the brain, skull, and scalp. They can be closed or open (penetrating the scalp and skull to enter the brain) with varying levels of severity. It is difficult to determine the severity of head injuries, so it is important to respond to every head injury seriously with professional medical assistance, including imaging of the head.
Treatment Options
- Medicine: Medicine may be prescribed after a brain injury to avoid seizures or to relieve head pressure.
- Rehabilitation: Serious head and facial injuries require rehabilitation to restore full brain functions, such as mobility and speech.
- Surgery: Emergency surgery is performed if the head injury damages the brain, causes severe brain swelling, or causes clots in the brain.
Motor vehicle accidents are very common and vary in the level of severity. It is important to assess the injuries from a motor vehicle accident and seek medical assistance, if necessary.
Treatment Options
- Treatment options for motor vehicle accidents depend on the injuries that occur, which may include sprains, breaks, dislocations, burns, or concussion.
Orthopedic injuries include any injury that damages bones, joints, tendons, or ligaments. Although orthopedic injuries are common, they still often require immediate medical assistance.
Treatment Options
- Rehabilitation: Depending on the severity of the injury, physical therapy exercises may be necessary to help with the healing process. Our team will provide a referral.
- Stabilization: Our team will work together to stop bleeding, stabilize the injury, and reduce swelling and pain.
- Additional treatment options include compression and elevation or surgery, depending on the location and severity of the injury.
Foreign objects can enter the body through any body cavity or directly through the skin. Smaller objects may be removed without medical assistance; however, larger objects or those deeper inside the body require immediate medical attention.
Treatment Options
- Minor procedures: Our team will remove the object carefully under sterilized conditions.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery is required to remove a foreign object from the body.
Seizures occur when the brain experiences abnormal electrical activity. A severe seizure causes violent shaking and a loss of bowel or urinary control. Seizures can result in other injuries, so it is urgent to seek medical attention immediately.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, your Mount Sinai ED doctor will likely order imaging and lab tests to help determine the cause of the seizure and how to best treat it.
- Medication: Anti-epileptic medicine is prescribed to people who experience frequent seizures.
- Surgery: There are various forms of brain surgery that can be performed if medications do not work to treat frequent seizures.
Sports injuries can be acute (sudden) or chronic (developed over time) and can affect nearly any part of the body.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, your Mount Sinai doctor will conduct an imaging and lab test to better understand the nature of your injury and the severity.
- Medication: We use anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce swelling and pain.
- Rehabilitation: Physical therapy can help to heal and strengthen injured areas.
- Stabilization: Our team will treat any cuts or lacerations from the injury, and then stabilize the part of the body affected, and seek to reduce swelling and pain.
- Surgery: If necessary, surgery is performed to repair severe injuries.
Syncope and fainting occurs when one loses consciousness due to a lack of blood supply in the brain. Each instance should be treated as a medical emergency until the cause is determined.
Treatment Options
- Assessment: Our team will assess whether the patient was injured when fainting.
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, a series of routine laboratory tests will be ordered to help determine a patient’s care needs.
Adult and Geriatric Care: Illnesses
Bleeding too much or bleeding from an area that doesn’t typically bleed, like your bowel or stomach, can be dangerous. Whether you’re dealing with excessive bleeding or blood from an unusual part of your body, it’s important to seek immediate medical care.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: Many injuries or conditions can cause abnormal bleeding and, as a result, diagnostic tests will be required to determine the cause.
- Stabilization: Our team will work together to stop the bleeding, depending on the cause.
- Stitches, staples, or glue: Lacerations can be treated using a closure technique that allows for quicker healing and reduced patient discomfort.
- For bleeding from inside the body, surgery may be required or more extensive tests.
Abdominal pain commonly sends patients to the emergency room. Fortunately, most abdominal pain is not serious. However, since so many conditions cause pain between the ribs and pelvis, we need to investigate to rule out serious conditions like appendicitis, bowel obstruction, or infection.
Treatment Options
- Medicine: Medications may be prescribed.
- Treatment options for abdominal pain depend on the cause, and may require further diagnostics, including imaging, or surgical procedures.
An abscess is a swollen area surrounded by discolored skin, often caused by infection. It is filled with pus, bacteria, and/or debris. An abscess can occur anywhere on the body and typically requires specific medical attention.
Treatment Options
- Drainage: Our team may make a small incision into an abscess to clean and irrigate the wound.
- Medication: Medication may be prescribed to reduce the risk of infection, or to address an existing infection.
- Stitches, staples, or glue: After draining an abscess, it may be necessary to close the area.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery is required to remove a foreign object from the body or to remove damaged tissue.
Allergic reactions occur when you eat, breathe in, or touch something that your body overreacts to by releasing too many histamines. Histamines cause sneezing, itchy hives, watery eyes, and swollen throats. Some allergic reactions can be fatal, depending on the severity of reactions, so it is important to treat each instance seriously.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, your Mount Sinai ED doctor will take a comprehensive look at your medical history to try and determine what caused the allergic reaction. He or she may also order routine lab tests.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy, such as shots, may be recommended if symptoms are severe or unsustainable.
- Medication: Most commonly, your doctor will prescribe medicine to reduce the histamines creating the reaction.
Back pain is one of the most common causes of emergency room visits. Several activities can cause debilitating pain. Various areas of the back indicate different injuries and severity.
Treatment Options
- Medication: Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief or hot compresses may be used to reduce pain. More severe pain may require narcotic medication or muscle relaxants.
- Physical therapy: Your Mount Sinai ED doctor may refer you for physical therapy to reduce your back pain.
- Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT): Although not as common, cognitive behavior therapy produces an alternative method of thinking that incorporates relaxation techniques and positive attitudes to encourage physical activity and stress reduction.
- Surgery: For more severe types of back pain, surgery will be necessary. This will be determined through diagnostic testing, examinations, and a specialist referral.
Blood clots form in veins or arteries when blood changes from liquid to partially solid. When blood clots travel to the lungs, heart, or brain, they can be very dangerous or even deadly.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: We immediately begin investigating the cause of blood clots through a variety of diagnostic tests, including imaging.
- Medication: Patients may be prescribed medicine to dissolve and prevent blood clots.
- Surgery: Surgery may be required when blood clotting is severe and needs to be removed or directed.
Bronchitis is an illness in which the small tubes in the lungs become inflamed. It causes mucus, fatigue, fever, and difficulty breathing.
Treatment Options
- Medication: For acute forms of bronchitis, over-the-counter medicine may be recommended to get rid of symptoms until the infection that causes the bronchitis goes away.
- Oxygen therapy: Emergency oxygen may be provided in serious cases, delivered via an oxygen mask.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be required.
Dehydration occurs when your body does not have enough water. It can cause headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and fainting. It’s often caused by excessive vomiting or diarrhea. Dehydration is very common and can contribute to more severe conditions.
Treatment Options
- IV fluids: In some cases, fluids may need to be administered to the patient intravenously, which means that they are injected into a vein to help prevent dehydration.
Diarrhea and vomiting are common among all ages of all people, and often caused by a viral infection. Although most forms of diarrhea and vomiting require no medical assistance, they may indicate you have a serious illness.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: Our team will run tests to determine the cause of diarrhea and vomiting, including urine tests, stool samples, or blood tests.
- IV fluids: In some cases, diarrhea and vomiting cause dehydration. Fluids may need to be administered to the patient intravenously, which means that they are injected into a vein.
- Medication: Certain over-the-counter or prescription medicines may be recommended to prevent or reduce diarrhea and vomiting.
Ear and eye infections are quite common and can develop when the affected area is irritated or exposed to foreign substances. Ear infections often occur in the middle ear, the area behind the eardrum, and can be very painful, especially for children.
Treatment Options
- Medication: Most minor forms of ear and eye infections can be treated with medicine or eye drops.
Fever: A fever occurs when the body is above its normal temperature, 98.6 F. Most forms of a fever can be treated at home; however, if bodily temperatures are above 102 F for several days, seek medical assistance. And if your temperature rises to 104 F or more, seek medical treatment immediately.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: Particularly in cases in which fevers are accompanied by a stiff neck, rashes, dehydration, or seizures, patients may undergo a series of diagnostic tests to better determine the cause of fever.
- IV fluids: In some cases of dehydration caused by fever, fluids may need to be administered to the patient intravenously, which means that they are injected into a vein.
- Medication: Over-the-counter medications may be recommended for patients, including aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen.
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Strokes:
Heat exhaustion and heat strokes occur when you’re exposed to high temperatures for too long. They are accompanied by dehydration, weakness, and headache. Severe forms of heat strokes can be fatal and cause damage to the brain, which is why it is important to seek medical assistance.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: In serious cases of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, our team will order diagnostic tests to identify potential damage to the body, including the brain.
- IV fluids: In some cases of dehydration caused by heat exhaustion, fluids may need to be administered to the patient intravenously, which means that they are injected into a vein.
- Stabilization: Our team will work with the patient to cool the body temperature with cold water, ice packs, or other methods.
Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious viral infection in the respiratory system that causes coughing, stuffy noses, sneezing, sore throat, fever, and fatigue. Influenza can have severe effects and lead to fatal conditions, including pneumonia, if left untreated.
Treatment Options
- IV fluids: In some cases of dehydration caused by fever, fluids may need to be administered to the patient intravenously, which means that they are injected into a vein.
- Medication: Both Influenza A and Influenza B can be treated with prescribed medicine.
- Vaccination: Receiving an influenza vaccine helps prevent certain strains of influenza.
Headaches and migraines are similar, but migraines are a much stronger form of head pain. Migraines are a neurological disease accompanied by light sensitivity, fatigue, nausea, visual disturbance, and numbness.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: In serious cases of migraine, especially debilitating or frequent migraines, our team will order diagnostic tests to help identify the cause.
- Medication: Certain medicines can be prescribed to prevent or treat migraines.
Numbness is a prickling feeling that results from a variety of activities, including excessive immobility, toxic substances, and animal bites. Numbness can occur throughout the body and sometimes requires medical attention.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: In serious cases of numbness, especially in cases of injury, severe pain, or loss of consciousness, our team will order diagnostic tests to identify the cause of numbness.
- Medication: If numbness is a result of underlying medical conditions, certain medicines can be prescribed to help reduce the severity of these sensations.
- Rehabilitation: Physical therapy may help reduce numbness, and our team can provide a referral.
- Stabilization: In cases of numbness caused by injury, our team will work together to stabilize the injury and reduce swelling, which can be the cause of numbness.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that occurs when the air sacs in lungs fill with fluid or pus, accompanied by chest pain, coughing, fatigue, and fever. Pneumonia ranges in severity, and some forms of pneumonia require urgent medical assistance.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: Imaging and tests may be required to determine the severity of pneumonia.
- Medication: Bacterial pneumonia requires antibiotic medicine to heal.
- Oxygen therapy: People with pneumonia may need emergency oxygen from an oxygen mask or tube connected to an oxygen tank.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs):
STDs often spread easily and can affect people of all ages.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, your Mount Sinai ER doctor will order routine laboratory tests.
- Medication: Many STDs can be treated with antibiotic medicine.
- Vaccination: Vaccines for common STDs, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), help prevent infection. Patients may receive a recommendation for vaccination.
Sinusitis and Sinus Infection:
Severe sinusitis happens when the cavities behind your nose fill with mucus and become inflamed. Colds and allergies can cause sinus infections.
Treatment Options
- Intranasal steroid sprays: Nasal sprays may be prescribed to help with sinus infections that are longer term.
- Medication: Less severe forms of sinus infections can be helped with certain forms of medicine.
- Surgery: Sometimes, surgery is necessary to correct structural issues or clear sinus ways after inspection with a CT scan.
A rash or infection is an area of irritated or swollen skin, often itchy, painful, and discolored. Rashes and infections encompass a wide variety of symptoms and can be attributed to numerous skin conditions. They can also signal a viral infection, allergic reaction, or other types of diseases.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, a series of routine laboratory tests will be ordered to help narrow down care needs.
- Medication: Most rashes and infections can be treated with certain medicines or creams.
Swelling occurs when areas of the body enlarge, typically from inflammation or an accumulation of fluid. Swelling ranges in severity and can occur anywhere, especially in the organs and skin.
Treatment Options
- Diagnostics: To help with an appropriate diagnosis, we use lab tests to help narrow down the cause of swelling.
- Medication: Some causes of swelling can be treated with antihistamines or anti-inflammatory medications.
- Treatment options for swelling depend on the diagnosis and may include medication or surgical procedures.
Urinary Tract Infections (Severe):
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are infections in the urinary system, including the urethra, ureters, bladder, and kidneys. UTIs are very common and are accompanied by frequent and painful urination as well as lower back pain.
Treatment Options
- Medication: Most UTIs can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a health care professional.