Where to Go for Broken Bones: ER or Urgent Care?

Seeking adventure is part of what makes us feel whole. But with every adventure comes some risk of injury, including broken bones. If you or a loved one has experienced this, you’ve likely wondered whether you should visit the emergency room or urgent care for broken bones. Knowing where to seek medical attention can make all the difference in getting proper care.

While urgent care centers treat broken bones, determining the right location for proper treatment depends on several factors. The location of the fracture, its severity, the person's age and any additional health concerns or injuries all play a vital role in determining where you should go.

Keep reading to learn whether you should visit the emergency room or urgent care for broken bones.

When to Go to Urgent Care for Broken Bones

Our urgent care services provide treatment for minor injuries and non-life-threatening medical issues. Visiting your local urgent care instead of the ER is a great alternative that saves you time and has a smaller financial impact. However, it’s important to know that urgent care centers don’t offer the same care services as the ER. Urgent care locations treat minor bone breaks in the hands, wrists, feet or ankles, stress or hairline fractures and suspected fractures. Here are some examples of when to seek medical attention at an urgent care for broken bones:

• If a fall or impact caused swelling and pain in a joint, and you’re not sure if it’s a break, sprain or bruise
• If you’ve experienced a minor wrist or ankle fracture from a fall, and you’re experiencing pain and swelling but can still move the joint
• If you’ve injured your hand or foot that results in tenderness, swelling or difficulty using the area, but there is no visible bone protrusion
• When you have pain and swelling from a suspected hairline fracture but no visible deformity or severe bleeding
• When you have symptoms of a stress fracture, such as persistent pain in your foot or lower leg that worsens with activity
• When you suspect you’ve broken a toe or finger that affects your ability to walk or use your hand comfortably

If there’s no urgent care close by, you must seek medical attention, even if your only option is the ER.

Types of Broken Bones and Fractures

Just like there are many different bones in our bodies, there are many types of bone fractures. The most common fractures include:

• Closed: A fracture where the broken bone does not break through the skin
• Comminuted: A fracture where the bone breaks into three or more pieces, requiring surgery
• Complete: A fracture where the bone breaks into two pieces, requiring surgery
• Compound: Occurs when the broken bone breaks through the skin
• Displaced: Broken pieces of bone move out of alignment; surgery required
• Hairline: When there’s a very small crack in the bone caused by overuse, commonly seen in foot and leg bones
• Oblique: A very serious bone break that occurs diagonally across a bone and sometimes requires surgery to repair
• Stable: Ends of broken bone are aligned, causing minimal damage
• Transverse: A horizontally aligned fracture that runs perpendicular to the bone and is commonly seen in long bones like the thigh or upper arm

It’s important to remember that no matter how small the fracture may be, all broken bones require medical attention. However, some types of fractures require more urgent medical assistance, including:

• A fracture that causes you to fall unconscious or has severe bleeding
• Bones that have broken into multiple pieces
• Fractures that look misaligned or crooked
• Hip or pelvis fractures
• Open fractures where the broken bone has pierced through the skin
• Spinal fractures

You must seek medical attention immediately if any of these situations occur. It’s also important for you to know what types of broken bones require a visit to the ER.

When to Visit the ER for Broken Bones

A visit to the ER is required for more critical bone fractures. You should visit your nearest ER for a bone fracture, including the following:

• An open fracture where the bone has gone through the skin
• The bone break is in the neck, head, spine, hip or pelvis
• The broken area looks misaligned or has been broken in several places
• The break causes severe bleeding
• The person loses consciousness
• The person is a young child or older adult
• The fracture causes blood flow to stop going to the bone itself or tissue, also called osteonecrosis
• There are additional injuries to the bone fracture

In many of these cases, additional complications may require specialized care, such as nerve or blood vessel damage.

The Benefits of Choosing Urgent Care for Broken Bones

There are many benefits to visiting an urgent care for broken bones that aren’t life-threatening. These benefits include:

• Access to diagnostic equipment such as X-rays which can help your doctor determine if you have a bone fracture or not
• A more cost-effective option when compared to the ER
• Closer proximity to you compared to the ER
• Easy transfer of medical records for follow-up appointments with your primary care physician or orthopedist
• Faster care when compared to the ER — bone fractures require immediate care to ensure they heal properly
• Immediate treatment options, including braces, splints and pain medications

Urgent care facilities bridge the gap between the doctor’s office and the ER by providing the same high-quality care you expect from your primary care provider with the quickness and seven days a week accessibility of the ER. You can easily visit urgent care for broken bones and be seen by a doctor who will take X-rays and give a proper diagnosis.

If the doctor finds you have a broken bone, they will stabilize it using a cast or splint and can provide pain medications as needed. Your urgent care doctor can provide copies of your medical records and a referral to an orthopedic specialist if a follow-up is required.

Your Ever-Present Health Partner

At AdventHealth Centra Care, we seek to care for all of you in body, mind and spirit. Every bone fracture is important, no matter how minor it is. However, we know that going to the doctor can feel unnerving for some.

Our state-of-the-art urgent care centers provide fast and accurate results, giving you access to advanced care in a safe and familiar environment with the compassionate approach you deserve. Visit us here to learn more about AdventHealth Centra Care.