Do you need medical treatment quickly? Before you seek emergency services, confirm whether a trip to the ER is truly needed. Consider the following scenarios to decide whether a situation calls for urgent care or the emergency room.

When to Go to the ER

An injury or illness threatening your life should land you in the emergency room. Threats to your senses and organs are usually severe enough to take you to the ER. These include uncontrollable bleeding, sudden vision changes, psychosis, severe injuries to the head, sudden lack of coordination, difficulty breathing, persistent fainting, severe burns, and elevated fever in infants. These symptoms could indicate one has a life-threatening condition, and the faster you get medical attention, the better. Luckily, these situations are extremely rare, which is why in most cases, a trip to the ER isn't necessary.

When to Go to an Urgent Care Center

For most medical concerns, you can visit your local urgent care center. If you have symptoms that aren't life-threatening but require immediate medical attention, this is the place to go. Additionally, urgent care centers are often more affordable than the ER. According to the Annals of Emergency Medicine, treatment at an ER is ten times more expensive than at urgent care centers.

Conditions that require you to visit an urgent care center include but are not limited to food poisoning, strep throat, sinus infections, mild to moderate headaches, fractures and sprains in fingers or toes, bronchitis, eye infections, flu and cold symptoms, rashes, moderate back pain, and urinary tract infections. After an urgent care doctor evaluates your symptoms, they'll determine if further escalation to ER is necessary, but in most cases, if these symptoms aren't accompanied by other complications such as vomiting blood or shortness of breath, urgent care centers should be able to take care of you.

If unsure whether to visit the ER or one of the local urgent care centers, these guidelines should help you decide which can better address your needs. If you find yourself dealing with one of the medical issues we discussed, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Call Southwest Urgent Care Center for quality medical help, low-cost service, and friendly care from our team of professionals.