When Should You Go to The ER vs. Orthopedic Urgent Care?
June 3, 2020
As the weather warms and people begin to work outside more, the number of injuries related to outdoor work has increased. When you get hurt outside, do you know where you should go?
When an injury needs immediate treatment, your first thought may be to go to the emergency room. However, going to the ER may not be the quickest way to get your injury treated. If you have an injury that would generally be treated by an orthopedic specialist (fractures, joint pain, etc.), it would save you time and money to go to a specialized urgent care center.
However, there are injuries and conditions that should not be treated by an orthopedic specialist. These include cuts/profuse bleeding, shortness of breath, fainting, and more. Check out the handy chart below to see where you should go if you experience an outdoor injury!
Emergency Room | Orthopedic Urgent Care |
Cuts, especially deep ones | Sprains and strains |
Chest pain | Broken bones |
Shortness of breath | Shoulder pain |
Fainting or dizziness | Back pain |
Wheezing or difficulty breathing | Wrist pain |
Emergency rooms serve a wide variety of illnesses and injuries. Now more than ever, you could spend an unknown number of hours waiting for a referral to an orthopedic doctor. How long can you wait in pain?
Beacon Orthopaedic Urgent Care can guarantee that your wait time will be less than an emergency room wait. When you walk through our doors, you will immediately* be seen by an orthopedic specialist to address your injury. Whether it be a sprain, fracture, or dislocation, we can treat you quickly and efficiently.
Our Urgent Care locations at Summit Woods and Erlanger are now open, no appointment necessary. Stop in and see us if you have an injury!
Learn more about our orthopedic urgent care services, or contact us today!