How Soon Should I See a Primary Care Doctor After an Abnormal Blood Test Result?
If you just saw an abnormal result in your patient portal, take a breath first. Most flagged results don’t require an emergency response, but some do need prompt attention. Here’s how to tell the difference and what actually happens next. Seeing a flagged or red result in your portal before you’ve heard from anyone at […]
How to Get Rid of Heat Rash: Fast Relief, Prevention, and When to See a Doctor
Heat rash itself is usually mild and treatable at home. But if you’re in the heat and also feel confused, dizzy, or unusually hot with or without sweating, that could be heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which needs medical attention right away. If you’ve got itchy, prickly bumps after sweating in the heat, you’re dealing […]
Heart Warning Signs: When to Call 911 or See a Primary Care Doctor
Call 911 now if you have chest pain or pressure lasting more than a few minutes, pain spreading to your arm, jaw, neck, or back, sudden shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness. These can be signs of a heart attack. Call 911 now for sudden face drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech. These […]
Can a Primary Care Doctor Manage High Blood Pressure, or Do I Need a Cardiologist?
If your blood pressure reading is 180/120 or higher and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, vision changes, numbness or weakness, or difficulty speaking, call 911 now. This combination is a hypertensive emergency. A reading of 180/120 or higher WITHOUT these symptoms still needs prompt medical attention. Contact your doctor the same […]
Where to Get a Sports Physical Fast in San Antonio: Same-Day Options for Parents
If your teen is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If they are in immediate danger, call 911. Need a sports physical today? Hillside Primary Care offers same-day sports physical appointments at locations across the San Antonio area, El Paso, Killeen, and Seguin. UIL […]
Sports Physicals for Teens in San Antonio: What Parents Need to Know
A sports physical is a focused medical exam that clears teens for athletic participation. It is designed to catch conditions that could make sports dangerous. It is real medicine, not a formality, and it typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. If your teen is starting a sport at a Texas public school, they need a […]
Anxiety, Depression, and Chronic Pain: How Your Primary Care Doctor Can Help With All Three
Chronic pain is a medical condition. Anxiety and depression are medical conditions. When they occur together, they deserve to be treated together, not sorted into separate boxes, and not blamed on each other. The impact is widespread. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 24.3% of U.S. adults experienced chronic pain in […]
When Your Primary Care Doctor Refers You to a Therapist or Psychiatrist: What to Expect
Being referred to a therapist or psychiatrist can raise a lot of questions. Does it mean your condition is serious? Will you need medication? What happens during the first appointment? In reality, a referral is a routine part of mental healthcare and is intended to connect you with the provider best equipped to address your […]
How Regular Primary Care Visits Help Manage Stress, Sleep Problems, and Mood Over Time
Stress, sleep, and mood are medical concerns, not lifestyle problems. Ongoing primary care is where they are evaluated, monitored, and managed over time. If you’ve been dealing with ongoing stress, poor sleep, or a mood that doesn’t feel like itself, and you’ve been telling yourself it isn’t serious enough to bring up at a doctor’s […]
Which Anxiety and Depression Medications Can Primary Care Providers Prescribe in Texas?
Yes, your primary care doctor can prescribe medication for anxiety and depression. Most of the medications used first-line for both conditions, SSRIs and SNRIs, are prescribed far more often in primary care than in psychiatry. This page walks through what those medication categories are, how they work, how long they take, and the warnings every […]