EXPERT
Dr. Paul McHale, M.D.
Emergency Physician
Dr. Paul McHale practices Emergency Medicine in Chandler, AZ. Dr. McHale assesses patients who seek immediate medical attention at any time of day or night. Emergency Medicine Physicians are trained to efficiently work with each patient and situation no matter how acute or life-threatening. Dr. McHale examines patients, determines means of testing, diagnoses conditions, and decides the best treatment methods.
Dr. Paul McHale, M.D.
- Chandler, AZ
- Accepting new patients
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Bruised leg?
You actually had a thigh bruise - it was just "deep" - far enough below the skin that it was "invisible". Bruising is nothing more than a hematoma - bang your thigh - blood vessels READ MORE
You actually had a thigh bruise - it was just "deep" - far enough below the skin that it was "invisible". Bruising is nothing more than a hematoma - bang your thigh - blood vessels break - they bleed - and form a "bruise". Your thigh had a bruise where you hit it. But it was deep underground. However gravity took that blood - and exerted its effects. Blood started moving down the tissue planes - and became more "visible" Often I will tell people who have a large forehead hematoma, to expect a black eye in 2-3 days - because the blood will "sink" down to that area. Your blood in the thigh hematoma just moved down your leg. Nothing to do - it will go away after a couple weeks (some people faster, older we get the slower). Heating pad can help with stiffness! Rarely hematomas can get infected (fever and pain) or become dangerously large (almost always only in those people on blood thinners).
When should you go to the ER for liver problems?
Black/tarry stool color is often a sign of bleeding - which can be a problem from liver disease. (Diseased livers do not produce certain blood components that help prevent bleeding READ MORE
Black/tarry stool color is often a sign of bleeding - which can be a problem from liver disease. (Diseased livers do not produce certain blood components that help prevent bleeding from occurring). Your PCP may also be able to help. Bedside testing is a simple rectal exam, and checking the stool for signs of blood (guaic card)
High blood pressure?
A good rule of thumb - if your headache is severe, chest pain, or difficulty breathing is occuring with your elevated blood pressure - you should seek medical attention. If it READ MORE
A good rule of thumb - if your headache is severe, chest pain, or difficulty breathing is occuring with your elevated blood pressure - you should seek medical attention. If it is elevated, but you have minimal symptoms - get an appointment with your PCP. ED research has shown ER docs can do more harm than good by treating asymptomatic hypertension (as crazy as that sounds!)
Can you go to urgent care for gallbladder pain?
Most UC's do not have ultrasound capability or immediate lab capability. Assuming this is gallbladder pain - typical ER work up includes ultrasound (look for signs of infection READ MORE
Most UC's do not have ultrasound capability or immediate lab capability. Assuming this is gallbladder pain - typical ER work up includes ultrasound (look for signs of infection or blocked duct from a stone) and labs (looking for inflammation of liver/pancreas or signs of infection). I would recommend an ER for those reasons.
Can you be admitted to the hospital for an ear infection?
No - unless the infection is mastoiditis - which is an infection behind the ear within the skull. Very rare. Ear infections hurt, but you don't get admitted for them.
