In these uncertain medical times, there is a lot of conflicting information about when a person should go to the emergency room. There are different circumstances for the ER, urgent care, walk-in clinics, and a traditional physician’s office. Read on to learn more about the differences and how to decide where to go.
Healthy Tip Tuesday is brought to you in partnership with Trinity Health Systems.
Urgent care or walk-in clinics help fill a vital gap when a person becomes sick or injured, but their primary doctor is not available, and one is unable to wait for an appointment
When to go to an urgent care:
- Fever without a rash
- Vomiting or persistent diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Dehydration
- Moderate flu-like symptoms
- Sprains and strains
- Small cuts that may require stitches
When to go to a walk-in clinic:
- Painful urination
- Rashes without fever
- Mild flu-like symptoms
- Cough and congestion symptoms
- Sore throat
- Ear pain
- Eye redness, discharge, or itchiness
When to go to the ER:
- Chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Weakness/numbness on one side
- Slurred speech
- Fainting/change in mental state
- Serious burns
- Head or eye injury
- Concussion/confusion
- Broken bones and dislocated joints
- Fever with a rash
- Seizures
- Severe cuts that may require stitches
- Facial lacerations
- Severe cold or flu symptoms
- Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy
When thinking about going to the ER one must also assess whether to call 911 or drive themselves. You should never drive yourself if you are having severe chest pain or severe bleeding, if you feel like you might faint or if your vision is impaired. For certain medical emergencies such as a heart attack or stroke, calling 911 for an ambulance is always the right decision. This is because paramedics often can begin delivering life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital. Always trust your gut, just because something says it is okay to be treated at urgent care, that doesn’t mean it must be treated there.
Trinity Health System Twin City Medical Center is a dependable hospital with 24/7 ER care. The staff is friendly and helpful. Because they are smaller than big-city hospitals, patients can expect more personal attention and an experience that larger health care facilities may find difficult to provide.
Whether it’s ER or Urgent Care if any of the above symptoms arise, please seek out medical treatment immediately.
My 5 year old daughter woke up tonight with a cough and a fever of 103. Thank you for the advice that these symptoms can be treated at an urgent care facility, since she does not have a rash. Since our pediatrician’s office is closed for the night, I’ll look for an urgent care clinic in my area that can help.