When symptoms of an illness or injury become bad enough that home remedies aren’t enough to manage them, getting medical help is a crucial step to treating whatever ails you. For millions, this often means a trip to the emergency room, with 155 million visits (43.5 of them injury-related) and 17.8 ending up in hospital stays.
But symptoms of medical problems don’t always require emergency room (ER) help; urgent care facilities can manage many issues and have become another popular option for getting treated outside of your doctor’s office. When it comes to getting medical help, which option is the right choice for your particular needs?
Dr. Jeffrey Fisher and his dedicated staff at Mansfield Urgent Care & Family Medicine are here to offer urgent care and other medical services for the Mansfield, Texas, community.
Both locations help treat many of the same issues, but the main thing that separates them is the severity of the problem. Minor to moderate illnesses or injuries that should be treated promptly can be handled at an urgent care facility, especially if it's outside of your primary care physician’s hours.
However, moderate to severe medical problems need to be cared for at an emergency room for issues that can be or have become life-threatening. Both places generally have diagnostic imaging to determine the problem and can offer medications to help. However, emergency care can also provide a hospital stay if the situation requires.
Problems that should be treated promptly but aren’t life-threatening include things like cuts and bruises, minor burns, sprains, upper respiratory illnesses (colds, flu, COVID-19), ear infections, possible fractures, mild asthma symptoms, and mild allergic reactions. Fevers can be treated there as well if you feel otherwise healthy.
The waiting times are generally shorter than in an ER, and you can get prescription medications if necessary. Referrals to other medical specialists or even to the ER are also available if the issue is found to be more than urgent care can handle.
When any of the problems listed above become more severe, emergency care is the better option. This means when bone fractures are bad enough to deform or cause the bone to stick out, if you have issues with breathing, or if you are dealing with severe chest pain, get to an ER as soon as you can.
Other signs you need emergency care include head injuries that cause fainting or loss of consciousness, uncontrollable bleeding, high fever, irregular heart rate, severe dizziness or confusion, problems speaking, walking, or moving, and seizures.
Signs of a stroke (slurred speech, confusion, weakness, and numbness on one side) also mean a trip to the ER, and trauma from car accidents needs this form of care as well. Waiting times are generally based on medical priority.
Both ER care and urgent care are essential for medical treatment, but picking the right place can make getting treated a far easier process. Contact Dr. Fisher and Mansfield Urgent Care & Family Medicine to help deal with mild to moderate medical issues, as well as primary care medical needs.
