How Do you Know When it’s Time to go to the Emergency Room?

Many families have disaster preparedness kits and emergency safety plans, but do you know how to get to access after hours medical care when you need it? Most people don’t necessarily know how to access the nearest urgent care and end up spending unnecessarily in emergency rooms. Before you google a “24 hour emergency room near me,” it’s important to know what conditions require an emergency room or convenient care visit. Here are some symptoms to common ailments that may indicate that it’s time to seek medical care.

Deep Cuts

Most cuts that we receive are not serious enough to warrant stitches. However, experts agree that you should visit an emergency room if you are impaled as a result of an injury or accident, and serious wounds should be treated at your local convenient care. You’ll know your cut is serious if you can see subcutaneous fatty tissue, if you’ve been bitten or cut with a rusty, dirty object, or if the wound is gaping or bleeding profusely. In the meantime, be sure to keep the cut clean and elevated while you wait to visit the convenient care.

Serious Headaches

While most of us will have tension headaches from time to time, chronic, severe headaches that interfere with daily activities should be monitored by a physician. You can generally ask about these at your closest urgent care location or at a walk in clinic. If you’re experiencing serious symptoms, such as paralysis, fever, confusion, fainting, or nausea, you should visit an emergency center right away.

Stomach Pain

Abdominal pain can have several causes, so it’s always important to monitor your stomach pain closely. Acute or sharp pain is a warning sign that you should visit the emergency room right away. You should also visit a convenient care if you have episodic or intermittent stomach pain. The same goes for dull pain that has slowly increased over time. These can both potentially indicate long-term ailments.

Always err on the side of caution and visit a physician if something does not seem right with your health. Knowing where to find the “24 hour emergency room near me” as well as a convenient care that acts as both emergency center and urgent care will help ensure that you can find medical care when you need it most.