It can be hard to know when you should attend urgent care with many other specialized providers who treat specific things however; there are many benefits of going to an urgent care. You should attend urgent care if you might have the following.

• Fever without a rash
• Vomiting or persistent diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Wheezing or shortness of breath
• Dehydration
• Moderate flu-like symptoms
• Sprains and strains
• Small cuts that may require stitches

Urgent care centers and express care centers are walk-in facilities, which suggests that you simply don’t get to make an appointment. They are less expensive than a hospital ER visit, and you’ll usually be seen more quickly than you’d be in an ER.

Here are the differences for you to choose if whether an urgent care center or express care center is right for you.

An urgent care center is meant to handle less serious illnesses and medical situations. These are conditions that are not life-threatening but should be treated within 24 hours. These include:

• Sprains and strains
• Sinus infections
• Ear infections
• Allergies
• Minor cuts and burns
• Headaches
• Dizziness

Express care centers look after relatively minor conditions, such as:

• Coughs and colds
• Pink eye
• Earaches
• Rashes
• Muscle strains

If you’ve got a cough but do not have a fever, you’ll just need urgent care. If you’re having chest pain, shortness of breath, or if your whole body is sick with a fever, chills, and sweats, then you should go to the hospital emergency room.

Urgent care centers are perfect for many non-emergency situations.

You should visit an urgent care center if you experience any of the following:

• Minor fractures
• X-rays
• Back pain
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
• Minor headaches
• Blood work
• Bumps, cuts and scrapes
• Fever
• Ear or sinus pain
• Vaccinations
• Cough or sore throat
• Lab services
• Animal bites
• Stitches
• Sprains and strains
• Mild asthma
• Foreign objects in the eyes or nose
• Allergies
• Rashes and minor burns
• Burning with urination
• Eye irritation, swelling, or pain
• Minor allergic reactions
• Cold or flu symptoms

You may be thinking that an ER will treat these problems too. Why go to urgent care? Here are a few reasons: 90% of urgent care patients wait a half-hour or less to ascertain a provider. 84% of urgent care patients are in and out within an hour.

Walk-ins are welcome, and there’s no need to schedule an appointment ahead of time, though doing so can get you in and out more quickly. Urgent care is more affordable. urgent care can be found in convenient, nearby locations like shopping centers and commercial plazas.

To not confuse ER with Urgent Care, Emergency Rooms are perfect for emergency situations. If you’ve got a life-threatening condition, go straight to your nearest ER. Such conditions include:

• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Stroke
• Head trauma
• Severe bleeding
• Loss of vision

Another difference between urgent care and emergency rooms is the severity of the health risk. If the condition is life-threatening, attend an ER.

If the condition is a minor illness or injury, take advantage of the convenience and affordability of urgent care.

You should call your primary Doctor in non-emergency situations. There will be certain times you may not be able to reach your primary Doctor. There are times you will need care outside of normal office hours. Urgent care centers are good options for you to seek medical attention when your primary Doctor is not available.

All major medical plans are required to cover emergency services under the Affordable Care Act. Some insurers may not consider urgent care as emergency care. However, most plans cover urgent care visits. Patients can usually expect to pay a copay or deductible for visits to urgent care treatment centers.

Urgent care centers also will treat you without insurance and many can offer payment plans if you cannot pay upfront. It is up to you to work with your urgent care provider to find a way to pay for your visit.

Many urgent care centers offer X-rays. Here at Priority Urgent Care, we have digital X-rays onsite. When you come into our urgent care center, we will give you the care you need and if you need an X-ray, you can be assured that our medical professionals will be proficient in their imaging.

If you’re concerned about your health in any non-emergency situations we cover, we would be happy to assess and treat your medical situation. You can call us ahead of time to ensure we handle your situation. The professional staff here at Priority Urgent Care & Walk-In Clinic sincerely look forward to serving your needs. We serve patients from Oxford CT, Ellington CT, Unionville CT, East Haven CT, Cromwell CT, Newington CT, East Windsor CT, Somers CT, Burlington CT, Canton CT, Branford CT, New Haven CT, Middletown CT, Rocky Hill CT Seymour CT, Middlebury CT, Hartford CT, Addison CT, and BEYOND!