Urgent care clinics have long been providing immediate care to those in need of it – for the past 20 years now, as a matter of fact. And in that time, the number of urgent care locations has spread immensely, reaching more than 7,000 by the time we had hit the year of 2016 and only continuing to grow and grow in the years that have followed since. Nowadays, more than 20,000 doctors and other such medical professionals are employed throughout the country at various urgent care locations. In addition to this, up to three million people get immediate treatment from urgent care centers over the course not of a year or even a month, but during the duration of just one single week. There is no denying that this is something that is quite impressive indeed.
But why is this the case? For one thing, the breadth of immediate treatment that can be provided at any given walk in urgent care ce
Do you find yourself constantly heading to the bathroom during flu season? Are your constantly coughing and sneezing during the change in seasons? Are you accident prone and always healing up from bumps and bruises?
If the answer to any of the above questions is yes and you’re looking for treatment, your first inclination might be to rush out to the emergency room or visit your primary doctor. But let’s say your primary doctor is booked solid for two weeks and you need immediate attention, not a long wait in the emergency room. What the heck do you do then?
The answer is simple: visit an urgent care clinic. What is an urgent care clinic, you ask. It’s simple: it’s a type of walk-in clinic that will get you in to see a doctor faster and can treat many types of non life-threating aliments. More than three million people visit urgent care facilities around the United States each week for a variety of treatments.
Now you might be thinking, an urgent care won’t treat my illne
A swollen and twisted ankle is very common, especially in sports. It is awkward and kind of embarrassing when you lose balance. You might feel a pop when the injury happens and a swollen ankle and pain when walking, that hurts, and you may struggle to stand on your ankle. A sprained ankle is an injury of one or more ligaments on the outside of your ankle. A sprain can be difficult to differentiate from a broken bone without being examined on an x-ray.
These are some of the best tips you can take advantage of when you have a sprained ankle:
Rest, ice, compress and elevate your ankle
Rub the ankle with essential oils
Eat specific foods to speed up the healing process
Easy exercises for your ankle daily
Avoid harming your ankle at all costs
An ankle sprain is a twisted ankle that leads to the tearing and overstretching of one of the ligaments around the ankle joint.
Here are some ideas for treatment of a twisted ankle needing first aid:
Exercises
Physical therapy
Ankle supports
Surgery
An ankle sprain in severe cases can be accompanied by the ligament or fracture that has pulled off the part of the bone. There are many clinics that offer swollen twisted ankle treatment.
Did you know that just under half of all adult emergency room patients are not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital but went to the E.R. because their doctor’s offices were closed? Maybe you have been in this situation yourself. It’s late in the evening, you have a fever, you know you’re sick and need treatment, but you don’t know where to turn to get the best care available. For non-emergency illnesses and injuries, your best bet may be to learn what is urgent care and to find a center near you.
What is urgent care?
Urgent care centers are clinics that are cheaper and faster than a trip to the emergency room, but have more flexible hours than your doctor’s office. About 60% of all urgent care facilities have a wait time of 15 minutes or less to see a doctor or a mid-level provider and 65% have a doctor on-site at all times. Most urgent care centers stay open past 7:00 pm on weeknights and two out of five urgent care centers will remain open until 9:00 pm or later. Many even have weekend hours.
What can be treated at an urgent care clinic?
Most urgent care centers are equipped to treat patients with common illnesses such as sinus infections, ear infections, and strep throat. As far as injuries go, most (80%) of urgent care centers are able to provide fracture care. 70% or urgent care centers are even able to provide intravenous fluids if needed.
How can I decide between going to an urgent care clinic and going to the emergency room?
If you have a common illness and you don’t believe that it is serious enough to get you admitted to the hospital, urgent care might be the best choice. Emergency rooms are best for emergency situations and injuries and illnesses that will require hospitalization.
How can I be prepared for a visit to an urgent care center?
Remember, when it comes to your health, the choice is yours. When faced with an illness, deciding where to get treatment is important. Now that you know what is urgent care, you can weigh your options and seek the best and most convenient treatment possible.
