Outside regular doctor office hours, people wonder when they should go to the emergency room versus an urgent care center.
To qualify as an emergency, the medical condition
must be a recent onset and have severe symptoms including, but
not limited to, severe pain and the belief that if you fail to
obtain immediate medical care, it could result in serious injury,
impairment or death.
An urgent medical problem is one in which your life is not threatened, but you do require medical attention. While these situations are not as serious as emergency situations, they are just as important. Visiting urgent care centers is usually a convenient and cost-effective way to treat unexpected problems.
Symptoms indicating an emergency:
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Head injury or broken bones
- Poisoning or suspected overdose
- Heart attack symptoms
- Shock
- Spinal injuries
- Inability to breathe or shortness of breath
- Seizure or loss of consciousness
- Persistent chest or abdominal pain or pressure
- Numbness or paralysis of an arm or leg
- Sudden slurred speech, visual changes or weakness
- Major burns
- Intense pain
- Severe reaction to an insect bite, medication or food
Urgent care symptoms include:
- Controlled bleeding
- Moderate fever
- Colds, cough or flu
- Bruises, abrasions and minor cuts
- Minor burns
- Eye, ear and skin infections
- Sprains or strains
- Urinary tract infections
- Respiratory infections
Note: Elderly people or people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma should speak with their primary care physician for advice about symptoms that may require emergency, urgent or routine care.
|
Urgent or Emergency?
