What happens when your 2-month-old infant has a fever of 101°F in the middle of the night? Or you experience chest pain, wheezing, and dizziness after shoveling snow? In situations like these that occur outside office hours, many people don’t know if they should go to the emergency room or a walk-in clinic. The following guide will help you determine the best course of action when you can’t reach your primary care provider.  

What Symptoms Mean You Should Go to the Emergency Room? 

1. Pain 

Some walk-in clinics will prescribe short-term pain medications if there’s a clear underlying cause—but for many chronic health issues, like endometriosis or arthritis, a health provider will refer you to a specialist. Certain medications, including narcotics, require long-term monitoring. 

If you have severe abdominal or chest pain, you should go to a hospital to rule out potentially serious conditions, like a heart attack or appendicitis. 

2. Stomach Upset 

A walk-in clinic can prescribe medications to help alleviate nausea and diarrhea. If you’ve had prolonged illness over the course of several days, look for signs of dehydration—for example, tremors, rapid breathing and heart rate, dark urine, or disorientation. If you seem dehydrated and can’t keep liquids down, go to the hospital to receive IV fluids.  

You should also go to the emergency room if you notice dark blood in your stool or vomit, or a substance that resembles coffee grounds. These signs could indicate internal bleeding.

3. Wheezing 

People can experience wheezing and respiratory distress during an asthma attack, allergic reaction, pneumonia infection, blood clot, or heart attack—or the answer could be simpler, like nasal congestion or anxiety. If your symptoms seem more severe than a cold, the safest action is to go to the emergency room. 

Here are some other red flags to look out for during respiratory distress:  

• Persistent coughing 
• Extreme paleness 
• Chest pain 
• Hives or rash 
• Bluish skin 

4. Injury 

A walk-in clinic can address minor injuries that require prompt attention, such as back pain, pulled muscles, and minor burns. If you think you might have broken a bone, most walk-in clinics can offer a brace or cast, but might not have X-ray machines or a CT scanner to confirm the diagnosis.  

If you have an injury that requires stitches or you can’t control the bleeding, go to the emergency room. You should also consider going to the ER if you injure your head or eye. 

5. Fever 

Adults need to see a doctor right away if they have a fever that’s 103°F or higher, or if they also have other signs of infection, such as a stiff neck, abdominal pain, skin rash, or severe headache. Most of the time, these issues can be resolved at a walk-in clinic with an antibiotic or antiviral prescription medication. Infants younger than three months old need immediate care if they have a temperature above 100.4°F. 

Only you know how your body feels—if you think you need to go to a hospital, trust your instincts. Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville, KY, has an emergency room and a network of other health care facilities, including a walk-in clinic and specialists in gynecology, orthopedics, wound care, pediatrics, and more. To learn more, visit their website or call (270) 465-3561 today.