10/23/2025
When to go to the ER and when to go to an Urgent Care.
When to Visit the Emergency Department
Scenario: It's 2 a.m., and you wake up with a stabbing pain in the abdomen. You're feeling nauseated, you've vomited once and you have a slight fever that seems to be creeping up. It's definitely time to head to the emergency room.
The emergency department or emergency room is “equipped and staffed for the most complex or critical needs, including situations that may threaten life, limb or eyesight,” Adelman says.
He offers a helpful mnemonic – ABCD – for determining when to visit the ER. That refers to conditions that affect:
• Airway
• Breathing
• Circulation
• Disability (neurological)
These conditions could include severe asthma attacks, allergic reactions or heart and blood pressure issues, for example. More specific reasons to visit the ER include but are not limited to:
• Chest pain or heart attack
• Difficulty breathing or cessation of breathing
• Severe abdominal pain (like the scenario above) and appendicitis
• Major trauma or injury, like what you might experience during a car crash
• Head injuries or loss of consciousness and fainting
• Severe neck or spine injuries, especially if they produce tingling or numbness in the limbs
• Su***de attempts
• Seizures
• Uncontrolled bleeding and large wounds that require stitches
• High fever
• Fast or irregular heart rate
• Difficulty walking, speaking or moving
• Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy
• Mental health crisis
• Possible signs of stroke, such as slurred speech, confusion and weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Sudden vision problem, such as double vision or blindness
• Severe dizziness
• Severe burns that have blistered
• Suspected poisoning
• Broken bones (an urgent care center may be able to take X-rays, but you may need to seek additional care at an ER)
Most emergency departments are attached to a hospital and can admit you directly if you need surgery or other critical intervention. Because of this proximity to more advanced care, the ER is typically able to handle just about any medical problem a person has.
"Emergency care is meant for true medical emergencies that would require hospitalization or surgery," says Dr. Tania Elliott, dual board-certified internal medicine and allergy/immunology physician and digital health influencer.
If you're uncertain, it's best to err on the side of caution and visit the emergency department.
