“When should I go to urgent care for dizziness?” It’s a common question. Perhaps you’ve even experienced dizziness or lightheadedness but were uncertain if a doctor’s visit was necessary. Well, you’re not alone.
Dizziness is a common symptom that can be caused by a variety of factors. For that reason, it is essential to know the signs that warrant a visit to the urgent care clinic.
Here are five:
- Severe vertigo: If you experience severe dizziness that affects your balance, coordination, and/or ability to stand or walk, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Severe dizziness could signal a more serious condition, such as a stroke or concussion. Your local urgent care can perform tests to assess the severity of your symptoms and determine the best course of treatment.
- Sudden onset: Unexpected dizziness that comes on out of the blue and is accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations also warrants a visit to urgent care. Symptoms like these might indicate a heart attack or related medical conditions. Diagnostic tests can pinpoint the cause and a professional can help you decide on the best course of action.
- Possible dehydration: Particularly during the summer months, prolonged exposure to sun and heat paired with a lack of fluids can lead to lightheadedness and dizziness. Symptoms such as dry mouth, decreased urine output, darker urine, and fatigue are red flags that you need water. Urgent care specialists will be able to replenish your fluids and provide further treatment to prevent more severe conditions, like heat stroke.
- Medication concerns: Certain medications can cause dizziness as a side effect. If you’ve started a new medication recently and are experiencing dizziness, talk to a doctor. Depending on the medication, it may be necessary to stop taking it and find an alternative, or possibly change the dosage.
- Recurring episodes: If you are consistently having dizzy spells, it’s best to seek medical treatment, especially if you are at risk of falling. Underlying health issues like low blood pressure or inner ear problems like vestibular migraines may be the culprit. Your urgent care physicians will assess your symptoms, health history, and more and offer further treatment or refer you for further testing if necessary.
Dizziness should never be taken lightly, as it could be a sign of a larger medical concern. The staff at FirstCall Medical Center has the skills and resources necessary to diagnose you and provide a treatment plan that will see you safely on solid ground once again.
