This story is sponsored by Revere Health.

Imagine this: It's the first day of summer and your family decide to enjoy the warm weather by having a picnic at your local park. You were tasked with cutting up the watermelon (what better snack to go with a fun day in the sun?) You grab the biggest kitchen knife you can find and begin slicing, when…

Somehow the knife slips and slices your finger instead. It's a pretty big cut, and by the looks of it you know you're going to need a few stitches.

Your brother is saying you need to go immediately to the emergency room (ER), but your mom believes the neighborhood urgent care clinic could treat you and that you'd save a lot of money that way. A debate arises among your family, and you're confused about where to go for treatment.

So, what do you do?

Confusing an urgent care matter with an ER matter is a common mistake. To be fair, it's not always clear when an urgent care visit is sufficient or when a condition arises to the level that an ER visit is necessary.

That's where we come in. By the end of this article, you'll be able to confidently differentiate between the ER, urgent care, and primary care.

Let's review what conditions are actually treated at each location:

Urgent care

For issues that need immediate attention but are not life-threatening, head to an urgent care in your area. Urgent care facilities are typically on a fixed schedule and will close in the evenings. For instance, Revere Health Urgent Care centers are open every day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Here is a list of some of the most common issues that can be treated at an urgent care: 

• Allergic reactions
• Animal or insect bites
• Sprains and strains
• Cold and flu
• Cuts requiring stitches
• Earaches
• Eye infections or irritation
• Fever
• Minor burns
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Skin conditions
• Sore Throat
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Dehydration or heat exhaustion
• Suspected broken bone*
• *Not causing severe deformity or protrusion
•  
• For issues that are life-threatening or could cause loss of limb or permanent disability, you will want to call 911 if necessary or go to the nearest ER. These facilities are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

• 
  Loss of speech or difficulty speaking
• Sudden loss of consciousness
• Coughing or vomiting blood
• Severe burns or lacerations
• Severe abdominal pain
• Poisoning or overdose
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Head or eye injuries
• Shortness of breath
• Broken bones*