In the event of an injury or illness, many people immediately think of booking an appointment with their primary care physician. However, accidents happen and usually require immediate medical attention and treatment. Depending on the extent of the situation, the best call for immediate care is to visit an urgent care center or emergency room.
Many people have a hard time choosing between urgent care and the ER. Urgent care is typically faster, less expensive and offers the same quality of treatment for non-lethal injuries as emergency rooms. Although urgent cares are the better option in some cases, people are confused about whether they can receive adequate treatment for their injury.
Urgent care centers have medical professionals that are qualified to treat any kind of less-severe injury or illness, but there are common accidents that they handle more frequently than others.
A bone fracture is a regular sports-related accident. Some fractures are severe and demand emergency treatment, while others can be steadied and set correctly by an orthopedist afterward. The signs of fractured bones are inflammation, swelling, bruising and inability to put pressure on the area or use it normally.
Urgent care can handle minor fractures and can prove immensely beneficial when the accident happens and a doctor’s appointment is not feasible. Urgent care clinics can conduct x-ray scans and tests to know the extent of the fracture before treatment.
Typically, surface cuts are injuries that do not reveal the bone or muscles. Lacerations can be more severe because they are deep cuts that could ultimately result in nerve damage and other problems. The most apparent signs of cuts or lacerations are bleeding, an alarming break or space in the skin and discomfort around the injury.
Urgent care centers can treat both cuts and lacerations. If the injury is deep, bleeding profusely, has a foreign material trapped in it or you experience difficulty moving or using the affected part, then you should get immediate medical attention. Medical experts in walk-in practices can close up the wound and stop the bleeding, saving you from having to wait in long queues at the ER.
A sprain is an accidental tear or stretching of a ligament. The ligament helps to hold and support the joints. A sprain is a common sports accident that happens due to direct or indirect force that affects the joint. The parts of the body more prone to sprains are the ankles, wrists and knees since we tend to use the hands, legs and feet more often.
A sprain is usually accompanied by pain, redness, swelling, bruising and inflammation. You can treat most cases of sprains using ice packs, elevation or compression. However, to ensure the injury heals properly, especially in moderate to severe cases, a visit to the urgent care center is necessary.
If the accident is not life-threatening, you can save money, long waiting times and energy by visiting urgent care centers instead of emergency rooms or primary care centers. Walk-in offices ensure easy access to quality, convenient and professional medical care.
Request an appointment here: http://hillendale.millenniummedicalcare.com or call Millennium Medical Care Woodbridge at (703) 945-1942 for an appointment in our Woodbridge office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
Urgent care facilities play an important role in the healthcare ecosystem by bridging the gap between primary care and the emergency room. These facilities treat immediate health care needs that, while not emergencies, cannot wait for an appointment with one’s primary care provider. Understanding the capabilities of urgent care and the health issues they assist…
HIV testing can help patients understand their current health and prevent spreading the virus to others. Although there continues to be a stigma around HIV, urgent care and primary care providers work hard to make the patient comfortable throughout the testing process. Looking into the basics of HIV and routine testing can reveal how vital…
Pregnancy testing gives patients certainty about whether they are expecting. If unsure, an urgent care or primary care provider can administer these tests with a smaller margin of error than over-the-counter pregnancy tests. Although the process is straightforward, it is normal to have questions heading into the appointment. Exploring the answers to some of the…
Birth control contains hormones that can serve as contraception, acne treatment, or help manage conditions like endometriosis and PCOS. No matter the reason you are searching for “birth control near me,” you likely have several options to sift through. Knowing the basics of each option and its efficacy can help you narrow down the search…
Urgent care facilities play an important role in the healthcare ecosystem by bridging the gap between primary care and the emergency room. These facilities treat immediate health care needs that, while not emergencies, cannot wait for an appointment with one’s primary care provider. Understanding the capabilities of urgent care and the health issues they assist…
HIV testing can help patients understand their current health and prevent spreading the virus to others. Although there continues to be a stigma around HIV, urgent care and primary care providers work hard to make the patient comfortable throughout the testing process. Looking into the basics of HIV and routine testing can reveal how vital…