When you or loved ones suffer from any medical problem, the individual must be taken to a doctor for proper treatment. However, deciding if one should go to a hospital emergency room or an urgent care clinic is very important. Urgent care centers are usually intended to providing quality health care services to the patients suffering from non-life threatening medical problems. On the other hand, the physicians at an emergency room treat serious conditions which, if not attended to in time, can lead to severe consequences.
Here are some of the situations when you should visit a hospital emergency room:
Besides the above mentioned problems, there are a number of their medical conditions that require immediate medical aid but are not severe enough to be taken to an emergency room. Urgent care centers are an ideal solution to fill in this gap. The doctors at these clinics have extensive experience in handling minor emergencies. The medical facility is equipped with on-site lab and imaging services to accurately diagnose a wide range of problems. Also, you do not need to wait for long hours to get an appointment with the doctor. The patients are usually seen on a ‘first come first serve’ basis regardless of the condition they are suffering from. The cost of treatment at these clinics is also much less than a hospital emergency room. Given below are some of the conditions that can be effectively treated at an urgent care center:
It is recommended that you dial 911 if the medical condition is severely life threatening or can worsen on the way to the hospital emergency room.
Here are some of the situations when you should visit a hospital emergency room:
- Deep with endless bleeding, even after pressure has been applied on the wound
- Continuous loss of blood
- Severe chest pain, sweatiness and difficulty in breathing
- Acute pain in the abdomen
- Signs and symptoms of a stroke – dizziness, loss of body balance and coordination, weakness, vision problems etc.
- Seizures
- High fever, nausea and diarrhea that lasts for several hours
- Unexplained allergic reactions
- Major head or spine injuries
- Severe burns
- Injuries due to an accident or fall
- Poisoning
- Pale or blotchy skin, specifically in infants
- Intestinal bleeding, etc.
Besides the above mentioned problems, there are a number of their medical conditions that require immediate medical aid but are not severe enough to be taken to an emergency room. Urgent care centers are an ideal solution to fill in this gap. The doctors at these clinics have extensive experience in handling minor emergencies. The medical facility is equipped with on-site lab and imaging services to accurately diagnose a wide range of problems. Also, you do not need to wait for long hours to get an appointment with the doctor. The patients are usually seen on a ‘first come first serve’ basis regardless of the condition they are suffering from. The cost of treatment at these clinics is also much less than a hospital emergency room. Given below are some of the conditions that can be effectively treated at an urgent care center:
- Cuts that require stitches
- Minor fractures
- Flu
- Fever
- Sprains and strains
- Insect bites
- ENT ailments
- Infections
- Minor allergies
- Coughs, colds, sore throats
- Headache and migraines
- Asthma
- High or low blood pressure
- Anemia
- Urinary tract infections
- Digestive problems
- Kidney stones
- Dehydration
- Diabetes
It is recommended that you dial 911 if the medical condition is severely life threatening or can worsen on the way to the hospital emergency room.
