Facing a high fever may be quite stressful, in terms of where and whom to address the issue. Getting to know the distinction between emergency care and the emergency room (ER) may enable you to make a correct decision concerning yourself or a loved one. Besides, here is the further info on selecting the appropriate setting toad high fevers and on the necessity of coming to the ER:
Urgent Care is a Realizable Option
With some certain cases of high fever, urgent care clinics are relatively adequate to deal with non-life-threatening medical issues. Most adults and children that have fever but are below 104 ore can be assessed in clinic. Such facilities are normally used to treat a variety of conditions including mild flu symptoms, sore throats, or minor infections, which could come together with a fever.
Common fevers that are treated by using over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen usually belong to the type of urgent clinics. Mild dehydration or tiredness are other possible symptoms, and urgent care service will offer effective treatment, including drinking water or taking pills to lower fever. Yet another scenario the emergency care can be useful is the case when the fever is accompanied by less serious medical issues, including:
- Fever with mild, gastrointestinal illness signs, diarrhea, or nausea.
- Prolonged fevers which take over 48 hours but no indications of serious sickness.
The urgent clinics are convenient in some cases. Longer operating hours, reduced waiting time and the capacity to address different cases qualifies it as an easy alternative when your primary doctor is not accessible.
In the case of Emergency Care due to High Fever
There are also serious cases that require one to visit an emergency room as they can cause grievous complications. Adults who have a fever of above 104F or children below three months of age who have any form of fever are only advised to rush to the ER. The emergency evaluation could also be caused by fever that lasts longer than two days and can not be decreased by the fever reducers.
Sometimes, high fevers are signs that something more serious lies behind them and requires special care. They are infectious diseases caused by bacteria, serious respiratory diseases, or nervous related issues. In the case of the following symptoms accompanied by fever, an emergency treatment is necessary:
- Trouble breathing or fast breathing.
- Severe head ache or stiff neck.
- Confusion/ Disorientation/ or major alterations in behavior.
- Constant vomiting resulting into dehydration.
- It might include seizures or convulsions which mean more serious conditions.
- Non-fading rashes since this can be a sign of meningitis or other diseases.
The ERs are equipped with sophisticated diagnostic machinery and can inject fluids intravenously, administer antibiotics, take imaging tests to diagnose and provide treatment to acute underlying causes.
Urgent Care Locator
Urgent care may be an appropriate option during the treatment of mild or moderate fevers without any signs of serious sickness. Such facilities are able to give good care on complaint such as dehydration that can be managed, mild infection or a few days fever. Persistent high fevers, extremely high tempers or fevers associated with severe symptoms need to be looked into instantly at an emergency center. In the case of newborn children, any fever is a condition that is taken as an emergency. Being aware of the place where one can receive medical attention removes stress and makes treatment to occur in a timely and adequate form.
