Urgent Care: Know Before You Go
When you're not feeling well or have injured yourself, you may not need to make a trip to the emergency room. Instead, it may be possible to go to urgent care. These facilities are designed to bridge the gap between your general practitioner and the emergency room, providing treatment for urgent illnesses and injuries.
There are a few things you should know before you head to an urgent care facility, including the following.
Urgent Care Can Treat a Wide Variety of Conditions
Whether you have an upper respiratory infection or need stitches, an urgent care center can help. These centers are designed to handle most moderate to severe medical issues, so you can show up with the symptoms that you're experiencing and the professionals there will triage you and treat you. If your symptoms are too severe for urgent care, they'll refer you to an emergency room.
What to Bring With You
When you head to the urgent care center, bring along your ID, your insurance card, and a list of medications that you're currently taking. You'll also want a list of any treatments that you've already tried for the symptoms that you're experiencing. This will help the medical professionals at the center treat you as quickly as possible.
You May Not See A Doctor
It's important to keep in mind that when you visit an urgent care facility, you may not actually see a doctor. You may see a nurse, a nurse practitioner, or another medical professional instead. These individuals are highly skilled and will make sure that you and your loved ones are well taken care of when you're ill.
Avoid Going to Urgent Care for Life- or Limb-Threatening Emergencies
If you are experiencing symptoms that are life threatening, such as shortness of breath, fainting or change in mental state, chest pain, slurred speech, weakness on one side, a severe eye injury, or a severe cut, it's best to head straight to the emergency room. These symptoms should be evaluated in an area where they can be treated immediately.
When you're dealing with health issues but cannot get in to see your doctor, you may be able to visit an urgent care facility instead. These treatment centers are designed to provide you with care in urgent situations until you can get in to see your primary care physician. The next time you're not feeling well, consider visiting an urgent care center for immediate treatment.
Reach out to a clinic like Urgent Care Pros for more information.