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Portsmouth Accident& Injury Center

Emergency department, medical visit, or chiropractor?

Published by Portsmouth Accident & Injury Center.

When to call 911 or go to an emergency department

Call 911 or go to an emergency department for signs such as:

  • Loss of consciousness or a seizure.
  • Confusion that gets worse.
  • Vomiting again and again.
  • Severe chest pain or trouble breathing.
  • Bleeding you cannot stop.
  • Marked weakness or any other emergency sign.

Choosing a setting is not a contest between providers. It is a scope decision.

When to contact a medical provider

A primary-care or urgent-care visit may fit some symptoms. Those visits can cover a broader diagnosis and decide on medicine. They can also cover illness, a concussion check, or a call about imaging. The right setting depends on how severe the symptoms are and who is open.

When a chiropractic evaluation may be considered

After urgent problems are handled, a chiropractor may check some neck, back, joint, and movement concerns. The visit should still watch for reasons to send you elsewhere. It should explain what was found. It should not follow a plan set before the exam.

Three questions to help choose the care setting

  1. Is there an emergency sign?
  2. Does the problem need a medical diagnosis or care outside chiropractic scope?
  3. Is what remains a non-urgent muscle or joint question?

When you are unsure, choose safety and ask a medical provider.

The CDC concussion danger signs(opens in a new tab) are a short, clear reference if a head injury is part of the picture.

Next steps nearby: review concussion warning signs after a crash. Read what an accident-focused chiropractic evaluation covers. Or reach the Portsmouth office.

The setting can change as symptoms change

A sound choice at one moment may change if symptoms get worse. Get medical care right away for new confusion or repeated vomiting. Do the same for trouble breathing, severe chest pain, marked weakness, or any other emergency sign. Do not wait for a booked office visit.

If a hospital or medical provider gave you instructions, follow them. Bring the visit summary or imaging notes to any later visit about muscle or joint pain. This helps the next provider see the full picture.

Related Portsmouth pages: chest and rib pain guide and answer about seeing a chiropractor after a crash.

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