Why Emergency Rooms are More Crowded During the Holidays

If you’ve ever had to visit an urgent care center on a holiday such as Easter or Christmas, you may wonder if you’re imagining that they seem busier than other times you’ve visited. Not to worry. You’re not imagining things. An article from Business Insider reported that an emergency room in a major city saw a patient increase of up to 12% during certain holidays.

The Reasons People Search for an ER Near Me

The five most common reasons that people search for urgent care on any typical day can be grouped into the following five categories:

• Hypertension
• COPD
• Diabetes
• Assaults
• Upper respiratory infections

Cases such as these are typically not impacted by holidays and celebrations because they are considered long term in nature.

The Holiday Surge for Emergency Care

However, research shows that during important holidays, the most common reasons for care, such as an emergency center in Lake Jackson, fall into the following six categories:

• Slips and falls
• Injuries from sharp objects
• Falls
• Workplace accidents
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Psychiatric disorders
• Poisonings

The Take Away for a Healthy Holiday Celebration

It’s important to remain mindful of your health every day of the year. A general summary from the above information indicates that the increase in the number of visits to urgent care facilities during annual holidays can be attributed to:

• Dietary changes including alcohol over-indulgence
• Accidentally skipping medication
• Fatigue and over-exertion
• Seasonal depression
• Stress

Some Other Factors to Take into Consideration

Medical staff report that most cases seen early in the evening hours were associated with flu and other expected emergency situations like complications from a pre-existing condition. However, cases that presented later in the evening included acute alcohol poisoning, broken bones from slips and falls, and traumatic vehicular and at-home accidents.

Your Bottom Line to Holiday Health – And Every Day Health

Whether it’s a summer holiday with friends, or a winter holiday with family, you can avoid many of the incidents that have been shown to result in urgent care by adhering to your everyday routine when it concerns things like medication and diet.