There are many kinds of head pain, from tension headaches to sinus headaches. Most are manageable and don’t disrupt your day. But if you’ve ever had a migraine, you know that intense pain can stop you in your tracks and make you wonder if you need medical care. When this happens, should you head to the emergency room or seek urgent care for a migraine?
If you’re looking for migraine relief on the Westbank, we’re here to help. Learn more about why LCMC Health Urgent Care in New Orleans may be the right choice for you and discover the benefits of visiting us for migraine treatment versus making a costly trip to the ER.
What are migraines?
Have you ever had a headache that feels like so much more? A migraine isn’t just any headache. It’s a neurological condition that often causes intense throbbing or pulsing pain, typically on one side of your head. But this doesn’t always stop with intense pain. You might also feel other tell-tale symptoms like:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Light and sound sensitivity
- A tingling sensation
Migraines can last anywhere from four hours to several days, and they can seriously disrupt your daily life.
Common types of migraines
Migraines come in several forms. The two most common are:
- Migraine with aura (classic migraine): This type includes sensory warning signs before the headache begins, such as vision changes, numbness or difficulty speaking.
- Migraine without aura (common migraine): This is the most frequently experienced type, where head pain arrives without early warning signals.
Other types include chronic migraine, menstrual migraine, hemiplegic migraine and silent migraine, where symptoms occur without any head pain at all.
The four phases of a migraine
Understanding how a migraine progresses can help you recognize when to seek urgent care for a migraine before symptoms peak. Most migraines move through four stages:
- Prodrome: Up to 24 hours before the headache, you may notice mood changes, fatigue, increased hunger or difficulty concentrating.
- Aura: This phase can last five to 60 minutes and may include vision changes, muscle weakness, tingling or trouble speaking. Not everyone experiences an aura.
- Headache attack: The most intense phase, lasting four hours to 72 hours. Pain is often throbbing and can worsen with movement, light or sound.
- Postdrome: After the headache fades, you may feel drained, foggy or sensitive to light and sound for up to 48 hours.
This is why it’s so important to get the care you need when you feel a migraine coming on. If you’re in New Orleans or the Westbank area, LCMC Health Urgent Care is here for you. Seeking urgent care for migraine treatment can help you feel better sooner and get back to your routine.
Urgent care vs. ER for migraines: Where should you go?
When your headache slow you down, it’s a good idea to seek help from a healthcare professional. But where should you go? Is an urgent care vs. the ER the right choice for a severe headache?
When to go to urgent care
Making a trip to the emergency room might be your first thought for migraine care. However, if your symptoms aren’t life-threatening, you’re probably better off visiting your local urgent care.
Seeking urgent care for a migraine is often a great choice because it can be:
- More affordable: A visit to an urgent care center can save you $1,500 or more compared to a trip to the ER.
- Faster: ER wait times can be long. At an urgent care center, you can often check in online or walk right in for quicker service.
When to get emergency treatment
So when should you choose the ER? Go to the emergency room if you experience any of the following with your headache:
- A stiff neck
- Fever
- Numbness or weakness
- Confusion
- Difficulty speaking
These symptoms could be a sign of a stroke, infection or other serious condition, so it’s important to get emergency medical attention right away. But if your headache isn’t accompanied by these severe symptoms, an urgent care center can be the best choice to save you time and money.
Get urgent care for a migraine in New Orleans today
If you’re suffering from a migraine or think one is coming on, our urgent care team in New Orleans is here to help. Whether you’re on the Westbank or elsewhere in the city, our compassionate medical staff can diagnose and treat a wide range of non-emergency conditions. We can provide a diagnosis and recommend treatments to help you feel like yourself again.
If you need urgent care, you can check in online to save your spot. Don’t suffer from migraine pain any longer than you have to. We’re ready to help you feel better sooner.