It can difficult to tell if you need to go to the emergency room, or if going to urgent care is enough to handle whatever issue you’re going through. However, the best way to tell the difference between what requires a trip to the emergency room and urgent care is severity.
Urgent care is the right choice for anyone who has a minor injury that needs medical attention. Minor sprains and breaks are good examples of this type of injury. The same can be said for illnesses.
A cold where you need a doctor, for instance, is an opportunity to go to urgent care.
As for the emergency room, they’re designed to offer care for severe medical issues. In other words, what you’re dealing with needs immediate attention. Severe breaks, along with medical issues like strokes or heart attacks are good examples of this type of immediate need. Emergency rooms also offer mental health services if need be.
So, if you are in immediate need of medical attention, then go to the emergency room. If you need help, but are not at risk of things getting worse if that help is not immediate, then an urgent care facility should be good enough.
