For many medical problems that need urgent care, like respiratory problems, wounds, fractures or dizziness ,there’s no need to spend hours in the emergency waiting room. For these and many other treatments, a visit to the urgent care clinic will provide the emergency room care needed without the long wait and the higher costs. Going to local doctors for basic medical treatment has many advantages, including convenience and lower costs.
What conditions do walk in clinics treat?
Walk in health clinics treat a number of common medical problems like respiratory problems, wound care, fractures, dizziness, chronic pain and the like. In 2012, the most commonly diagnosed condition in an urgent care center was upper respiratory condition, and wound repair was the commonest procedure.
Simple injuries and illnesses can be the ones that need immediate care. This is why the greater majority, as many as four out of five, urgent care centers treat fractures. Another very common condition is dizziness. Up to 70% of the population in the U.S. will experience it at some point in their lives. For those individuals of age 60 years or older, as many as 65% will experience dizziness or loss of balance, many of them on a daily basis.
Sprains and simple injuries
You don’t need to go to the emergency room for a simple sprained ankle. An urgent medical care center can treat simple sprains and fractures without a long and stressful wait you would have to endure at the emergency room to be seen by a doctor.
A sprained ankle can be painful and if simple home treatments like hot or cold compresses don’t work, they should be seen by a doctor. Ankle sprains are one of the commonest types of injury and an estimated 25,000 Americans suffer sprained ankles each day. Ankle sprains can be caused in many different ways but the majority, around 80% of ankle sprains, are caused by an inward rolling of the ankle, known as inversion.
Emergency room care without the hassles
Walk ins are becoming increasingly popular and the Urgent Care Association of America estimates that 3 million patients use them each week. The number of physicians who practice Urgent Care Medicine is around 20,000 at present. With top doctors and highly qualified staff and state of the art facilities, urgent care clinics can treat most common medical conditions and injuries.
As many as 85% of all urgent care centers are open every day of the week, including weekends. They open early and close late, so it’s easy to stop by before or after work. All things considered, they offer a better option for emergency room care without the hassles.