Should I Visit Urgent Care For My Migraine? - Legacy ER

Those who have never experienced a migraine may be under the impression that it’s “just” a headache. But migraine sufferers understand that this particular kind of headache can be extremely debilitating. These headaches can impact your ability to see, hear, and even go about your daily routine. Getting a migraine for the first time, or suffering from a particularly bad migraine episode, can be scary — especially if you aren’t sure how to treat headaches like these. Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer at home or in a crowded ER. You can actually visit your local urgent care facility for quick and compassionate medical treatment to facilitate your recovery.

Why Should You Visit an Urgent Care Clinic for a Migraine?

• It’s faster: The pain of a migraine headache is often so severe that many sufferers think they may require emergency care from a hospital. However, ER wait times are typically much longer than you’ll find in an urgent care clinic. That means you’ll be able to be seen more quickly by a medical professional and may be able to find relief faster, too.
• It’s more effective: The medical treatment you’ll receive at urgent care is often less expensive than what you’ll pay by going to the emergency room. After all, cases handled in ERs cost an average of $2,039 even though the same case would cost $226 in an urgent care facility. This is also one instance wherein you may actually get better care for a lower cost. In a study conducted by the National Headache Foundation, 53% of migraine sufferers who visit an urgent care center for their headache felt they received effective care, while only 36% of migraine sufferers felt they received effective medical treatment at the hospital. In addition, 58% of these survey respondents said they received clear diagnoses and instructions for home care when they went to a walk-in clinic, while only 38% said the same of the care they received in the ER. While this may depend a bit on individual circumstances and staff members, this data may give you something to consider.
• It’s quieter: Most of the time, emergency rooms are hectic and loud. In life-or-death situations, this is somewhat unavoidable. But for migraine sufferers, this can make matters a lot worse. Migraines often cause severe sensitivity to light and sound, so sitting in a noisy and bright hospital won’t provide any relief. But those migraine sufferers who visit urgent care facilities for treatment say it’s much more likely that they can wait in a quiet, dim room. In that same aforementioned survey, more than 75% of patients said they were able to be in a quiet spot while they awaited treatment.
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Ultimately, the choice of where you seek medical treatment for your migraine headaches is completely up to you. But given the high quality of care associated with many urgent care clinics, you may want to consider seeking assistance at your local walk-in facility. While every migraine sufferer has their own triggers and responds to particular treatments, the compassion, convenience, and quality of urgent care may facilitate faster recovery from an episode.