More and more often, people are taking their medical emergencies — and medical hiccups that aren’t quite emergencies — to urgent care locations rather than looking for medical help at the emergency room. There are several different reasons for this growing trend. For one thing, a lot of us have medical issues that stop short of needing emergency room care. The emergency room prioritizes true emergencies — that is, life and death emergencies. For that reason, a lot of patients end up waiting potentially hours to have their problems treated. Comparatively, urgent care clinics are often able to see patients within a matter of minutes. You also don’t have to make an appointment at urgent care locations, whereas you would if you were seeing your primary care physician. Furthermore, emergency room care often costs a great deal of money. Often, people end up going to the emergency room when they don’t have to, and pay an exorbitant price for care that would cost much less at an urgent care clinic. So — what can you have treated an urgent care center? As it turns out, the services offered at urgent care locations are varied and offered by qualified medical professionals. Below, we’ll go through just a few.
1. Sprain And Fracture Care
All too easily, we can find ourselves with sprains or fractures; in the case of minor fractures, some can even be initially dismissed as sprains before the patient realizes that the issue is more serious. With that being said, not all fractures require and emergency room visit. Conversely, most sprains don’t require emergency care — but they should be looked at by medical professionals to ensure that they’re healing properly. Obviously, a compound fracture might require surgery; but a typical sprain or fracture can quite often be treated at urgent care locations. It’s estimated that over 80% of ankle sprains are the results of people “rolling” their ankles. This involves inverting the ankle, it can happen all too easily. What’s important is that you have this looked at — for all you know, your sprain could be more seriously than you might initially have thought. Fractures, on the other hand, always require medical care of some kind, and ideally as quickly as possible. Luckily, four out of five urgent care centers do offer fracture care. You can have your fracture cared for in a reasonable amount of time, for a reasonable fee.
2. Physical Therapy
Believe it or not, many urgent care locations now have physical therapy equipment. When it comes to physical therapy, every individual’s needs are different. Some patients just need a bit of help with recovering after an injury — while others suffer from chronic pain that can only be alleviated through physical therapy. In fact, about 69% of Americans report experiencing chronic back pain that affects their everyday lives. While four out of 10 people exercise to help alleviate this pain, that isn’t always the best strategy for everyone — at least, not without supervision. The great thing about physical therapy is that it’s done with the help of professionals, and thus lowers the risk of the patient injuring themselves further. For that matter, professionals can help you target exactly how to best better the physical problems that are bothering you. That way, you won’t feel like you’re lost, trying to treat yourself.
3. Vaccines
Vaccines are among the many services offered by urgent care centers. This is especially helpful for parents and students, as public schools and universities alike often have immunization requirements. Rather than wait to have your vaccines done at your doctor’s office, you can quickly check in at an urgent care center and have your vaccines done quickly — at affordable rates. The convenience of urgent care centers make them better places to have treatments like this done. You don’t have to have your whole day taken up by an appointment; this way, you can “pop” in and out.