Sports injuries, accidents, midnight health concerns—all are stressful and may require immediate care. How do you know if you should go to an emergency room as opposed to a minor or urgent care clinic? The professional staff at Access Health Clinic in Spring, TX, offers the following tips so you know where to go to get the appropriate care.

Urgent Care

Urgent care centers may be staffed by doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, or a combination of these professionals, as well as other support staff. They are equipped to handle standard medical needs and often have weekend or extended hours. Urgent care centers allow same-day access to medical assistance, which is usually quicker than seeing a regular doctor. 

Urgent medical needs are those which require being seen within a day, but are not life-threatening. Examples would include:

• Wounds that might need stitches but that are not bleeding excessively 
• X-rays
• Lab tests and blood work
• A severe fever, cough, or sore throat
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Sprains, strains, and minor fractures of fingers or toes
• Urinary tract infections
• Irritation of the eye or skin

Minor care clinics can handle all of these unexpected illesses or injuries, but may need to have you go to an imaging center for the xrays and may take a day to receive lab results. Access Health Clinic can assist you and your family with IV fluid hydration, splinting, treatments with medications and prescriptions, suture lacerations and minor wounds in the clinic, as well as most other urgent needs.  X-Rays are performed at a nearby imaging center. Access Health Clinic is staffed by Board Certified Nurse Practitioners Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm.

Emergency Room 

Emergency rooms handle extreme, life-threatening situations and are usually connected to hospitals with surgical and advanced imaging facilities. They are staffed by doctors, nurses, imaging staff, and have access to on-call surgeons or other specialists. If you call an ambulance, they will take you to an emergency room.

Emergency situations are those where your life is in danger, or where conditions could permanently affect your well-being. Some examples of emergency conditions include:

• Severe or uncontrolled bleeding
• Gunshot or knife wounds
• Seizures or loss of consciousness
• Severe chest pain or difficulty breathing
• Issues with a pregnancy
• Moderate or severe burns
• Broken bones
• Extreme abdominal pain
• High fever in infants
• Loss of vision, numbness, or other stroke symptoms
• Serious accident or injury, especially to the head, neck, or back
• Poisoning

If you are in an emergency situation, or are unsure of the severity of your condition, call 911. 

Using minor or urgent care clinics allows health care for moderate health concerns that don’t warrant emergency services. Access Health Clinic offers same-day minor care as well as preventive and general wellness care such as physicals, women’s health exams, and flu shots. Call (281) 251-8700 to make an appointment or go to their website for directions for walk-in visits and a list of services.