Most sports activities take place after business hours. Sports games and practices usually fall outside of school and business hours to ensure that people can actually make it to them. However, this is also when more sports injuries occur. People are injured during sports practices or games and are left with finding medical care outside of their business hours only physician?s office. Most regular doctor?s offices carry only regular business hours and are not even available after these hours. If you try to call their office, it will likely direct you to 911, or to visit the local emergency room. Fortunately, you have other options besides an emergency room visit.
There are many different injuries that can occur from sports. Sports put a lot of stress on the body and it puts the body at risk for many injuries. Some of the injuries occurred from sports can be minor, while others are more serious. The extent of the injury is what will decide what type of medical care is appropriate for you. For example, if you have severely injured your back and are having trouble feeling your legs or arms, you will need an ambulance and a hospital visit. If your injury is more minor than that, such as a sprained ankle or a minor lower back pain, the emergency room may be too busy, too expensive and too much of a hassle.
Up to 69% of Americans say that low back pain affects their day to day lives. When lower back pain is serious, a hospital visit is often needed. When the pain is more minimal and less of a complaint, a visit to your local primary physician or an urgent cares is likely sufficient enough. It also matters if the lower back pain is chronic or short term pain. Chronic pain is often not brought on by sports related injuries and requires more extensive medical care. A study published in World Neurosurgery showed that, among 96 patients treated for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), there were no significant differences in the outcomes between the 53 who were treated with lumbar fusion and the 43 who chose to pursue non operative treatment (i.e. physical therapy). However, regardless of the treatment options, more chronic back pain issues, like Degenerative Disc Disease requires more testing, more treatment plans and more physician monitoring.
If the lower back pain is from a sports related injury, it is likely that it just needs minor testing, anti inflammatory medications and rest or physical therapy guided rest. These things can be done in an urgent cares type setting.
Urgent cars are located all over the country. There are currently 20,000 physicians who practice Urgent Care Medicine today. Urgent cares are great alternatives to regular medical offices because of their convenience. Most people do not experience injuries or illnesses during business hours. It is normally after work or school that they realize a doctor is needed. Sometimes waiting until the next day to see your regular physician is not an option, if they are even able to fit you in. After hours urgent care has the best doctors available at all hours of the day. You have the ability to visit these clinics and ask the doctors any medical questions or concerns that you might have. The urgent cares doctors are just as qualified as regular medical office doctors. You also have the ability to follow up with your regular physician after receiving urgent care.
The traditional medical type setting does not work for many people, because it is not convenient enough. Most people work or go to school during medical office hours and if an injury occurs, such as during a sporting event, their medical office is not available. Emergency rooms are pricey and have long wait times. They also tend to see more serious of conditions and may not be appropriate for your sports related injury. Urgent cares centers provide a great alternative and have qualified medical professionals who have convenient medical hours.