When is an Injury Serious Enough to See a Doctor?
When we get injured, we almost always debate whether or not it is serious enough to be seen by a physician. You may call your primary care doctor and see that they only have an appointment two weeks out, which may not do you much good if you have a problem right now, or have already been sick for five days. You may also be unsure of whether you should see a primary care doctor or if your injury warrants the emergency room or urgent care.
You may be especially unsure of what to do if you have been in an accident or even if you recently had a medical procedure that looks suspicious in its healing. If you suspect your injury has been caused by someone else’s negligence, don’t hesitate to reach out to Paulson Coletti and speak to a skilled Portland medical malpractice lawyer about your concerns.
Identifying an Injury That Needs Care
The severity of an injury may be misleading sometimes. Particularly if you were injured in a stressful situation like a car accident or public fall, your body may have adrenaline coursing through it, preventing you from experiencing the full intensity of the injury. To determine whether you should be seen by a doctor, you should consider a few things about your injury, including the amount of pain it is causing you.
Blood Loss
Is this an injury causing you to lose a significant amount of blood quickly? If so, call 911 or have someone drive you to the nearest emergency room. Additionally, you may need to be seen sooner rather than later if you are having a difficult time getting the injury to stop bleeding, even if it doesn’t seem like a lot of blood.
Location
The location of your injury also matters when considering whether you need to see a doctor. The Mayo Clinic explains that if your injury is close to a vital organ or areas with a cluster of nerves or tendons, there is a larger chance of significant or permanent damage. Catching this kind of injury early can make a difference in how well you recover. If the injury has caused nerve or tendon damage, this could affect the use of that part of your body, which is frequently hands and feed. Additionally, wounds to the face may be more important to see a physician. Not only are there several important structures in and near your face that should be protected, but leaving a wound to heal without medical intervention may increase the likelihood of facial scarring.
Contamination and Infection
Yet another important piece of determining if your wound should be treated by a physician is assessing how you were injured and if the wound shows signs of infection. The Mayo Clinic source referenced above states that an injury that may have left dirt or debris in the skin is more likely to cause additional damage, infection, or illness like tetanus. You should have your injury checked to ensure that it is clear of debris and ensure you are up to date on immunizations like tetanus. Regardless of the way you were injured, you may want to pay attention to how the injury is healing. If it is becoming more painful, inflamed, red in appearance, or warm to the touch, you should see a doctor.
Types of Medical Care
When you are thinking about seeing a doctor for an injury, there are a few ways to get that appointment based on your exact needs. Effective use of the healthcare system makes a dramatic difference in your experience and care. For example, when you use the emergency room for a cold, you end up waiting longer, picking up a more serious illness, and have much higher costs for your care than if you were to see your primary care doctor or a retail care physician.
Primary Care Physician
The function of a primary care physician is for ongoing and non-emergent care. Your primary care doctor is great to help with any reoccurring or chronic issue, and their relationship with you and familiarity with your history may mean they can give you a higher quality of care and more effective treatment.
Retail Care Provider
A retail care provider can be useful in a pinch for small problems like a general cold or flu if you are not able to get in to see your primary care doctor soon enough. A retail care clinic is a clinic that you can find inside of a pharmacy, grocery store, or other retail store, allowing you to pick from a number of locations. Because they are intended for more minor injuries and illnesses, they are frequently staffed by a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant and may not be equipped to help manage more complex illnesses or injuries.
Urgent Care Physician
A trip to urgent care is for an injury that should be seen within 24 hours but is not emergent or life-threatening. An urgent care facility is very similar to a retail clinic but generally staffs a physician and is therefore equipped to handle slightly more severe injuries such as minor bone breaks and fractures or lacerations that may need stitches. Some urgent care facilities may also be able to do some imaging like x-rays.
Emergency Department Physician
The emergency room should be utilized if you are concerned that you have a life-threatening condition. There may be some overlap between what urgent care can treat and what you may go to the emergency room for, such as stitches for lacerations. Additionally, you should utilize the emergency room for injuries such as gunshot injuries, broken bones, and burn injuries. If you are experiencing chest pain, or shortness of breath, this is also considered a medical emergency and you should be seen by a doctor to rule out heart failure or other conditions that may look similar.
Determining Appropriate Care
Today, there are many options for accessing healthcare, from the methods discussed above to nurse lines and telehealth services. The information above is in no way an exhaustive list, but it may provide some guidance. If you are concerned that your injury is life-threatening, you should call 911 or get a ride to the nearest emergency room if you can safely do so. Contact the lawyers at Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC if your injury was caused by the negligence of a medical provider or another party.