How quickly do you need care? If a person or unborn baby could die or be permanently disabled, it is an emergency.

Call 911 or the local emergency number to have the emergency team come to you right away if you or someone with you cannot wait, such as for:

• Choking
• Stopped breathing
• Head injurywith passing out, fainting, or confusion
• Injury to neck or spine, particularly if there is loss of feeling or inability to move
• Electric shock or lightning strike
• Severe burn
• Severe chest painor pressure
• Severe shortness of breath
• Seizure that lasted more than 1 minute or from which the person does not rapidly awaken
• Suddenly not able to speak, see, walk, or move
• Suddenly weak or drooping on one side of the body

Go to an emergency department or call 911 or the local emergency number for help for problems such as:

• Trouble breathing
• Passing out, fainting
• Pain in the arm or jaw
• Unusual or bad headache, particularly if it started suddenly
• Dizziness or weakness that does not go away
• Inhaled smoke or poisonous fumes
• Sudden confusion
• Heavy bleeding
• Possible broken bone, loss of movement, particularly if the bone is pushing through the skin
• Deep wound
• Serious burn
• Coughing or throwing up blood
• Severe pain anywhere on the body
• Severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing, swelling, hives
• High fever with headache and stiff neck
• High fever that does not get better with medicine
• Throwing up or loose stools that does not stop
• Poisoning or overdose of medicine, illegal drug, or alcohol
• Seizures

If you are thinking about hurting yourself or others, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also call 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK). The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support 24/7, anytime day or night.

You can also call 911 or the local emergency number or go to the hospital emergency room. DO NOT delay.

If someone you know has attempted suicide, call 911 or the local emergency number right away. DO NOT leave the person alone, even after you have called for help.

When you have a problem, do not wait too long to get medical care. If your problem is not life threatening or risking disability, but you are concerned and you cannot see your provider soon enough, go to an urgent care clinic.

The kinds of problems an urgent care clinic can deal with include:

• Common mild illnesses, such as colds, the flu, earaches, sore throats, migraines, low-grade fevers, and limited rashes
• Minor injuries, such as sprains, back pain, minor cuts and burns, minor broken bones, or minor eye injuries

If you are not sure what to do, and you don't have one of the serious conditions listed above, call your provider. If the office is not open, your phone call may be forwarded to a nurse or other provider who is on call for the clinic. Describe your symptoms to the provider who answers your call, and find out what you should do.

Your provider or health insurance company may also offer a nurse telephone advice hotline. Call this number and tell the nurse your symptoms and ask for advice on what to do.

Before you have a medical problem, learn what your choices are. Check the website of your health insurance company. Put these telephone numbers in the memory of your phone:

• Your provider
• The closest emergency department
• Nurse telephone advice line
• Urgent care clinic
• Walk-in clinic

American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine website. What is urgent care medicine? aaucm.org/what-is-urgent-care-medicine/. Accessed September 13, 2024.

American College of Emergency Physicians website. Emergency care Vs. urgent care: What's the difference? www.emergencyphysicians.org/article/in-the-news/1-8-23-emergency-care-vs.-urgent-care-whats-the-difference. Updated January 8, 2023. Accessed September 13, 2024.

Findlay S. When you should go to an urgent care or walk-in health clinic: knowing your options in advance can help you get the right care and save money. www.consumerreports.org/health-clinics/urgent-care-or-walk-in-health-clinic. Updated May 4, 2018. Accessed September 13, 2024.

Jabbarpour Y, Jetty A, Westfall M, Westfall J. Not telehealth: which primary care visits need in-person care? J Am Board Fam Med. 2021;34(Suppl):S162-S169. PMID: 33622832 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33622832/.

Updated by: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.