Medical Emergency: 5 Signs It’s Time to Seek Urgent Medical Caregiver

A medical emergency doesn’t happen per a schedule and they’re impossible to predict. Even if they don’t like doctors, there are some circumstances in which adult patients need to seek medical care as quickly as possible to avoid further complications.

Choosing whether to schedule an appointment with a doctor, go to an urgent care center, or head to an emergency room is actually quite easy once patients know what signs and symptoms to look for. Read on to find out about five signs it’s time to head to an urgent care facility to learn the basics of when this form of medical attention is appropriate.

Cold- or Flu-Like Symptoms

There’s no reason to start looking into urgent care services available in the area at the very first sign of a cold or flu, as these common diseases can usually be treated at home. If the symptoms aren’t responding to treatment, though, it’s worth heading to an urgent care facility. This is particularly true for symptoms that could also be attributed to pneumonia or other respiratory infections such as fever, muscle aches, chills, extreme fatigue, and dry coughs that last more than a few days.

Chest Pain

Some patients, including those who are over the age of 55 or have a history of heart disease, should head to the emergency room every time they experience chest pain. For younger patients, there’s no reason to waste time at the ER. In younger patients at low risk for heart attacks, chest pain can be a sign of pulled muscles, heartburn, or other minor issues that urgent care doctors are more than capable of handling themselves.

Simple Fractures

Urgent care doctors can treat minor bone fractures, although it’s important to note that patients who may have complex fractures will need to head to an emergency department. Simple fractures include elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, ankles, toes, feet, and ribs. Complex fractures typically involve the patient’s leg, hip, or arm and should be treated at an ER.

Skin Rashes

Patients with skin rashes can seek treatment at urgent care facilities. This applies to heat rash, hives, and blisters and general rashes.

Any time that a patient notices unexplained redness, itchiness, small red or white bumps, or larger raised areas that persist for more than a day or two, it’s worth having the condition checked out by a doctor. Rashes are symptomatic of an array of issues, including chronic health problems, exposure to allergens, and parasitic, viral, and bacterial infections.

Persistent Vomiting and Diarrhea

Patients who are experiencing persistent or severe vomiting or diarrhea should seek urgent medical care. This is especially true if their symptoms last for more than a day, as both these common issues can lead to dehydration. Most vomiting and diarrhea can be treated at urgent care facilities, although urgent care doctors sometimes need to refer their patients to specialists or even have them transferred to an emergency room depending on the severity of their symptoms and their underlying causes.

The Bottom Line

Urgent care facilities allow patients who are suffering from non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries to get the care they need without wasting time in the emergency room. Most urgent care facilities can diagnose and treat a wide range of problems, but they don’t replace emergency services for life-threatening injuries and illnesses. Issues like severe burns, severe chest pain accompanied by breathing difficulties, uncontrolled bleeding, and loss of consciousness still need to be treated at an ER.