You have choices in a nonemergency
Going to the emergency room for nonemergency illnesses and injuries can be costly. As a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan member, you have options for care that work for you, your family and your budget.
Common symptoms, conditions and where to go for care
Respiratory infection
An upper respiratory infection affects your nose, throat and sinuses. Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, tiredness and mild body aches.
Depending on where the infection is, you may also have a fever, headache, nausea, congestion or mucus.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Sinus infection
A sinus infection is when the lining of your sinuses — which are areas behind your eyes, nose and cheeks — gets irritated or infected.
Symptoms include pain and pressure around your eyes, nose, cheeks or forehead, headache and nasal congestion. You might also have a fever, sore throat or cough. You should contact a health care provider immediately if you have these symptoms – especially a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
Please note: The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Ear infection
An ear infection is often in the middle of the ear, behind the eardrum. It’s usually related to a cold or allergy. Symptoms include pain or fullness in the ear, draining fluid, fever and hearing loss.
Please note: These symptoms can look like other health problems. Always talk with a health care provider for a diagnosis.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Urinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection within any part of the urinary tract. Symptoms include pain or burning while passing urine, or urine that’s dark, cloudy or reddish.
UTIs are common among both men and women, but women are especially prone to them.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection is also called vaginitis. It’s when the vagina becomes inflamed or infected.
Symptoms include itching, pain, odor and discharge. It's common in women of all ages.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Headache
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head or face. Where the pain happens, how bad it is, and how often it occurs can vary. Almost all people have headaches during their life.
Please note: You should seek emergency care if you get a headache that comes on suddenly and is the worst you’ve ever had. This could be a symptom of a stroke or other serious condition.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Back pain
Back pain can restrict your movement and make it hard to do daily tasks.
The most common symptoms of back pain are aching, burning and stabbing. The pain may be sharp or dull, constant, or come and go. You may also feel pain in your buttocks, hips or thighs.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Ear infection
An ear infection is often in the middle of the ear, behind the eardrum. It’s usually related to a cold or allergy. Symptoms include pain or fullness in the ear, draining fluid, fever and hearing loss.
Please note: These symptoms can look like other health problems. Always talk with a health care provider for a diagnosis.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection is also called vaginitis. It’s when the vagina becomes inflamed or infected.
Symptoms include itching, pain, odor and discharge. It's common in women of all ages.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Pink eye
Pink eye is when the membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids gets irritated or infected. The membrane swells and the blood vessels enlarge. This makes your eye look pink, or red.
Symptoms include redness, swelling, itching, fluid leaking and crust. You should still be able to read, but not feel sensitive to light or have the feeling that something is in your eye.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Itchy skin
Itchy skin can happen anywhere on your body, including your scalp.
The main symptom is a sensation that makes you want to scratch. You may have other symptoms, too, such as redness, bumps or blisters.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection is also called vaginitis. It’s when the vagina becomes inflamed or infected.
Symptoms include itching, pain, odor and discharge. It's common in women of all ages.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is sometimes called a chest cold. It’s an inflammation of the tubes in your lungs that help you breathe, and often happens after you have a cold or the flu.
The most common symptoms are a dry cough that may later produce mucus; especially a fever, soreness of the chest; chills; tiredness and aches; runny nose; fever; sore throat; and wheezing.
Please note: The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Respiratory infection
An upper respiratory infection affects your nose, throat and sinuses. Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, tiredness and mild body aches.
Depending on where the infection is, you may also have a fever, headache, nausea, congestion or mucus.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Sinus infection
A sinus infection is when the lining of your sinuses — which are areas behind your eyes, nose and cheeks — gets irritated or infected.
Symptoms include pain and pressure around your eyes, nose, cheeks or forehead, headache and nasal congestion. You might also have a fever, sore throat or cough. You should contact a health care provider immediately if you have these symptoms – especially a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
Please note: The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Respiratory infection
An upper respiratory infection affects your nose, throat and sinuses. Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, tiredness and mild body aches.
Depending on where the infection is, you may also have a fever, headache, nausea, congestion or mucus.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Sinus infection
A sinus infection is when the lining of your sinuses — which are areas behind your eyes, nose and cheeks — gets irritated or infected.
Symptoms include pain and pressure around your eyes, nose, cheeks or forehead, headache and nasal congestion. You might also have a fever, sore throat or cough. You should contact a health care provider immediately if you have these symptoms – especially a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
Please note: The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Ear infection
An ear infection is often in the middle of the ear, behind the eardrum. It’s usually related to a cold or allergy. Symptoms include pain or fullness in the ear, draining fluid, fever and hearing loss.
Please note: These symptoms can look like other health problems. Always talk with a health care provider for a diagnosis.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Urinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection within any part of the urinary tract. Symptoms include pain or burning while passing urine, or urine that’s dark, cloudy or reddish.
UTIs are common among both men and women, but women are especially prone to them.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection is also called vaginitis. It’s when the vagina becomes inflamed or infected.
Symptoms include itching, pain, odor and discharge. It's common in women of all ages.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Headache
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head or face. Where the pain happens, how bad it is, and how often it occurs can vary. Almost all people have headaches during their life.
Please note: You should seek emergency care if you get a headache that comes on suddenly and is the worst you’ve ever had. This could be a symptom of a stroke or other serious condition.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Back pain
Back pain can restrict your movement and make it hard to do daily tasks.
The most common symptoms of back pain are aching, burning and stabbing. The pain may be sharp or dull, constant, or come and go. You may also feel pain in your buttocks, hips or thighs.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Ear infection
An ear infection is often in the middle of the ear, behind the eardrum. It’s usually related to a cold or allergy. Symptoms include pain or fullness in the ear, draining fluid, fever and hearing loss.
Please note: These symptoms can look like other health problems. Always talk with a health care provider for a diagnosis.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection is also called vaginitis. It’s when the vagina becomes inflamed or infected.
Symptoms include itching, pain, odor and discharge. It's common in women of all ages.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Pink eye
Pink eye is when the membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids gets irritated or infected. The membrane swells and the blood vessels enlarge. This makes your eye look pink, or red.
Symptoms include redness, swelling, itching, fluid leaking and crust. You should still be able to read, but not feel sensitive to light or have the feeling that something is in your eye.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Itchy skin
Itchy skin can happen anywhere on your body, including your scalp.
The main symptom is a sensation that makes you want to scratch. You may have other symptoms, too, such as redness, bumps or blisters.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection is also called vaginitis. It’s when the vagina becomes inflamed or infected.
Symptoms include itching, pain, odor and discharge. It's common in women of all ages.
Where to go for care:
Primary Care Doctor
Virtual Care by Teladoc
24-Hour Nurse Line
Walk-in Clinic
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is sometimes called a chest cold. It’s an inflammation of the tubes in your lungs that help you breathe, and often happens after you have a cold or the flu.
The most common symptoms are a dry cough that may later produce mucus; especially a fever, soreness of the chest; chills; tiredness and aches; runny nose; fever; sore throat; and wheezing.
Please note: The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Respiratory infection
An upper respiratory infection affects your nose, throat and sinuses. Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, tiredness and mild body aches.
Depending on where the infection is, you may also have a fever, headache, nausea, congestion or mucus.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Sinus infection
A sinus infection is when the lining of your sinuses — which are areas behind your eyes, nose and cheeks — gets irritated or infected.
Symptoms include pain and pressure around your eyes, nose, cheeks or forehead, headache and nasal congestion. You might also have a fever, sore throat or cough. You should contact a health care provider immediately if you have these symptoms – especially a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
Please note: The coronavirus (COVID-19) can also include these symptoms.
Where to go for care:
Get to know your other options for care
24-Hour Nurse Line
Talk to a registered nurse about minor symptoms by phone, day or night.
Learn more about the nurse line
Virtual Care
Have a virtual visit with a U.S. board-certified doctor at any time.
Learn more about Virtual Care
Walk-in clinics
Walk-in clinics offer in-person care without an appointment.
Learn more about walk-in clinicsYour mental health is important, too
With your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plan, you have choices for behavioral health care. Many are virtual, over the phone or on-demand. MENTAL HEALTH OPTIONS
Please note: This is not medical advice. You should always use your best judgement when seeking care. If you have medical questions, speak with your regular doctor or find one by logging in to your member account.
The information contained on this webpage is for educational purposes only. Nothing on this webpage is intended to be, nor should be used as or relied upon as, professional medical advice. Nothing contained on this webpage is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. For medical advice, or to receive medical diagnosis or treatment, consult with your health care provider.