Urgent medical crises such as minor burns or abdominal pain can be uninvited, you cannot predict them as they are sudden and come without any prior notice.
Have you ever thought, how to tackle it? Or, how to react during such a situation? Emergencies demand quick action. You might know a primary care provider, but there are hardly any chances to get assistance without any scheduled appointment.
For such urgent medical needs, you should have a backup plan. Not that you require rushing to the emergency department, you can easily rely upon an urgent care center.
There are some non-life-threatening emergencies that cannot be postponed till the next day. Such medical ailments can be easily treated at urgent care, without any pre-booking. This is why such medical clinics have gained prominence in recent times. Today, urgent care centers are handling almost 89 million patients every year.
Here’s a brief analysis of the medical assistance and services that urgent care clinics provide. Let’s have a glimpse of it in detail!
Treatments Available in Urgent Care Clinics
- Minor Injuries
It’s pretty natural to experience minor injuries like cuts and wounds in the house. You might cut your fingers while chopping the veggies in the kitchen. It’s also possible that you accidentally drop some heavy object on your toe. These problems can be easily treated in a local urgent care clinic.
In such situations, the doctor can prescribe a tetanus shot with antibiotics to prevent the infection in the wounds. If required, it can arrange for stitches and X-rays accordingly.
- Sprains and Broken Bones
Accidents or falls can often result in sprains or broken bones in the body. These conditions can develop other problems like difficulty in mobility, swelling, and severe pain. The ideal solution to treat the condition is to visit an urgent care facility.
Healthcare experts at such facilities conduct a physical examination following an X-ray examination. Typically, the treatment plan will include wearing a cast, brace, or splint. Some medications will also be offered to relieve the pain. For more severe cases, it can recommend surgery by transferring the case to an orthopedic surgeon.
- Abdominal Pain, Nausea, or Vomiting
Medical conditions like abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are common occurrences. However, there are no reasons to ignore them altogether. There can be many underlying causes resulting in such issues.
Abdominal pain can happen due to infection, inflammation, abnormal growth, or intestinal disorders. Stomach ailments often create uneasiness like nausea which accompanies the urge to vomit. It’s better to get diagnosed and receive proper treatment at urgent care centers.
- Cold and Flu
The seasonal shift can trigger viral infections resulting in experiencing symptoms like cold and flu. It further leads to headaches, fever, coughing, and nasal congestion that can be troublesome.
By reaching urgent care, you can ascertain the conditions and get appropriate treatments. From fluids to antibiotics and rest, everything will be precisely guided by the doctor. Also, it can detect other conditions like sinusitis, pneumonia, seasonal allergies, etc.
- Animal Bites and Rashes
Have you discovered some mysterious-looking rashes and bumps on your skin? It’s time to visit an urgent care provider who will help you assess the underlying skin ailment. It can readily detect a painful, itchy welt resulting from an insect bite to a flaming rash caused by poison ivy.
Experts doctors at the clinics can suggest remedies like over-the-counter skin creams for medications. It can also refer to a dermatologist if treatment demands so.
Preventive Treatment Available in Urgent Care Clinics
- Vaccinations
Vaccinations and immunization programs can help save you from the spread of contagious viral diseases. It can activate the immune system against a specific virus by producing antibodies to combat the viruses if you are exposed to them. There are different types of vaccination doses available for children and adults.
You can get some standard vaccinations like flu shots, meningitis, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (TDAP), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, MMR ( measles, mumps, rubella). However, during this pandemic, you should definitely have your shots for COVID-19.
- School and Sports Physical
The school-going kids require physical fitness to attend the long stretches of classes and engage in co-curricular activities like sports. A wellness visit for your child is equally important as any other urgent medical need.
These urgent care centers cater to the children’s school and sports physical needs to ensure their overall good health. This will help them stay fit and active before they join the school.
Urgent Care Clinics: Providing an Array of Services
Urgent care clinics are known for their diverse range of treatment services, and we have mentioned a few of them. However, many other diseases and symptoms are covered in their services. It includes the following:
- Allergic Reactions
- Pink Eye
- Ear Infections
- Minor Burns
- Sinus and Bronchitis
- Drug Screening
- Pediatric checkups
- STD Testing
Lastly, for more detailed information, you should contact your nearest urgent care centers. This will help you to get the best facilities for your urgent medical needs.