Should I Go To Urgent Care If…? Where To Seek Treatment For Common Health Scares

Although urgent care clinics have grown substantially more popular in recent years, many people don’t realize just how many ailments can be treated in these facilities. While one of the big benefits of urgent care is being able to receive treatment after physicians’ offices have closed or when appointments aren’t available, these scenarios are far from the only ones wherein it’s appropriate to visit a walk-in clinic. You may not even realize how much time and money you could have saved by going to your local urgent care center instead of the emergency room. Let’s take a closer look at some common healthcare scenarios and whether or not it’s a good decision to seek treatment at a walk-in clinic.

Should I go to urgent care if I think I’ve broken a bone?

Whether you’ve sustained a sprain or broken a bone, you can typically to go urgent care for diagnosis and treatment. Staff members will order X-rays to determine the best course of treatment, which can begin at this initial visit. As long as this injury is not part of a bigger life-threatening emergency, your broken bone, fracture, strain, or sprain can easily be treated at urgent care.

Should I go to urgent care if I’m feeling flu-ish or feverish?

If you have a fever or think you might have the flu, urgent care is actually one of the best places you can go. Instead of having to wait for an appointment or spend unnecessary time and money in the ER, you can receive quick, convenient treatment for your illness here. If it turns out to be the flu, urgent care doctors may even be able to prescribe medication that can decrease its severity and how long its lasts. You can also receive your flu shot at your urgent care clinic.

Should I go to urgent care if I’m having difficulty breathing?

In most cases, this symptom should be treated as a potentially life-threatening emergency scenario. It’s often better to go to the ER to play it safe. But if you know that this symptom is connected to an existing condition that can be treated at urgent care, you may be able to go to a walk-in clinic. Generally, if you aren’t sure what’s causing this symptom, you’ll want to err on the side of caution.

Should I go to urgent care if I don’t have a primary doctor?

The convenience of urgent care tends to be the big draw, but it’s also a great option for patients who do not have a primary care doctor. When you’ve just moved to a new city, have recently graduated college, tend to travel a lot, or are between physicians, urgent care can allow you to get the treatment you need without the hassle of finding a permanent setup. You won’t be sacrificing on quality of care and it’s overall a lot less complex. It allows you the freedom to seek out treatment wherever you are on your own timeline, which appeals to patients of all ages and backgrounds. Because care is more accessible, urgent care facilities hope to reach patients who might not otherwise have a high level of care.

Should I go to urgent care if it’s a true medical emergency?

Although you can go to urgent care for a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, there are certain situations that will require ER treatment. These incidents are fairly rare, particularly when you’ve already gone to urgent care first. According to Becker’s Hospital Review, only 3% of patients who go to an urgent care center need to be diverted to an emergency room. But if you are dealing with a life-threatening situation, you should not go to urgent care first. Head directly to your nearest emergency department for care.

In the majority of cases, your illnesses and injuries can be tended to at urgent care, saving you valuable time and money while reducing stress and anxiety. Want to find out more about what health concerns can be treated at urgent care? Take a look around our website or contact us for further information.