Urgent Care vs ER: Difficulties Breathing

Urgent Care vs ER: Difficulties Breathing

Difficulties breathing, otherwise referred to as shortness of breath, is one of those things that can be caused by a myriad of medical problems. Some of these medical problems are not that serious and are can be treated easily while others are much more serious and as such need immediate medical attention. Allergies and colds are just some of the examples of conditions leading to difficulties breathing that, even though may be uncomfortable, are not what you may term as medical emergencies. However, there are instances whereby difficulties breathing may be indicative of serious underlying medical conditions that may require a visit at least to urgent care if not the emergency room. It is important to know when to head over to the urgent care and when to visit an ER. Difficulties breathing include wheezing, shortness of breath, a sense of breathlessness as well as rapid, shallow breathing. This article will look to delve deeper into the matter of breathing problems with the aim of helping you be aware of the scenarios that require a visit to urgent care and those that require a visit to an ER.

Let us first take a look at some of the conditions and symptoms where a visit to urgent care will do. One of the scenarios where a visit to urgent care is sufficient is in cases where the person who develops difficulties breathing has a history of asthma and are familiar with the same and have had similar experiences before. In this instance, you can head over to urgent care just to be safe, especially if you require asthma medication. However, if the asthma attack persists after visiting urgent care, you should head over to an ER. Other cases that can be dealt with in urgent care are difficulties breathing due to minor allergic reactions. If the reaction is minor, then a visit to urgent care will do. Severe allergic reactions should however be taken seriously enough to warrant a visit to an ER. Difficulties breathing can also be due to altitude problems, which leads to altitude sickness for people new to an elevated climate. If the difficulties breathing is due to altitude sickness, then there is no need to head over to an ER as a visit to urgent care will do especially if the symptoms persist, with frontlineer.com being the best one to visit.

The situation becomes more serious if the difficulties breathing is accompanied by other symptoms that show you may be suffering a heart attack, pneumonia, severe asthmatic attacks, severe allergic reactions or even a blood clot in the lungs. If you are having difficulties breathing as well as chest pains, dizziness, sweating, trouble breathing as well as pain in the neck, jaw, arms or back, you should visit an ER pronto as this is a sign of a heart attack. A combination of this symptoms accompanied by chest pain should be taken seriously. If you are also having a severe asthmatic reaction that is not responding to your usual treatment with difficulties breathing accompanied by other symptoms such as fast breathing, coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest among others, you should visit an ER as well. Given that pneumonia can be life threatening especially for those in high-risk groups such as infants and life children, those with weakened immune systems, those above the age of 65 and those with chronic lung conditions, one should visit an ER if they are presenting with symptoms of pneumonia to go with difficulties breathing. These symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, muscle aches and extreme fatigue, pain in left arm, chest pain, dizziness, cold sweat among others.

Severe allergic reactions with symptoms that accompany difficulties breathing such as severe hives and rashes, swollen airwaves, nausea and vomiting also require a visit to an ER and not urgent care. If you have difficulties breathing and on top of that you have sharp chest pain, skin that appears blue in color, an accelerated heart rate and are spitting blood, then you most likely have a blood clot in the lungs and you need to head over to an ER, with frontlineer.com being the best, as opposed to urgent care. Other cases where visiting an ER over urgent care is recommended for those experiencing difficulties breathing is if they have certain medical conditions or a history of the same including bronchitis, tuberculosis as well as a history of collapsed lungs. It is important the cases that should be attended to in an ER be taken there as its only there where the physicians are qualified enough to be able to stabilize your breathing as well as facilities that will help in measuring blood pressure, listening to the heart and lungs as well as having a look into the abdomen. It is also only at an ER and not urgent care where blood tests checking for infection as well as pulmonary function tests that check oxygen levels helping in the diagnosis process can be performed.

It is our hope that the foregoing will help in figuring out when to go to the ER and when to opt for urgent care as far as difficulties breathing goes, with frontlineer.com being the best place to visit.

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