Urgent Care: Common Reasons to Seek Out Emergency Care Without the Wait

While it’s important to know when to visit emergency services, it’s just as important to know when urgent care can offer ER care without the wait that often occurs at the hospital.

A physician or a group of physicians own approximately 50% of all urgent care clinics, which means that every urgent care clinic is prepared to deal with urgent medical needs that you may not have time to wait on at the emergency room. Here is a short list of situations in which it’s appropriate to visit urgent care instead of the ER.

Injuries

Whether it’s a laceration or a concussion, it can be treated at an urgent care center. Many people who visit urgent care facilities do so because of sports injuries or simple accidents that resulted in injuries that didn’t warrant waiting in an emergency room. Injuries such as sprains, fractures, burns, and even injuries sustained in car accidents can usually be treated in an urgent care setting. Despite that, it’s important to note that potentially life-threatening injuries should be left to emergency services to handle. If you’ve experienced a severe injury, you should call for emergency services immediately.

Illnesses

From sore throats to stomach pain, the list of illnesses that require ER care without the wait is nearly endless. The flu is always lurking around the corner, which means it’s important to keep your eyes open for symptoms such as fever, nausea, stomach pain, or other common signs of the flu. In addition to the flu, urgent care clinics treat issues such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, strep throat, ear infections, and the common cold.

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

Urgent care treats a variety of minor injuries and illnesses, but there are several universal symptoms that you should take care never to ignore. If you’re experiencing swollen glands, any rashes, wheezing or coughing, frequent headaches, or unexplained pain and swelling, you should seek out medical attention immediately.

Unless you’ve sustained a life-threatening injury, you shouldn’t rule out urgent care services. If you’re experiencing any of the issues listed above, urgent care should be your first stop.