4 Ailments That Should Be Treated In An Urgent Care Clinic, Not The ER

Urgent care clinics and emergency rooms both serve incredibly important functions. They both can treat you for injuries or illnesses from which you're suffering. A general rule of thumb has been, "if you're not going to lose a limb or die, then visit an urgent care clinic." This rule of thumb is incredibly hyperbolic and has been quite detrimental in the service of many people's health. The fact of the matter is, the services of a urgent care clinic and an emergency room are quite site specific, and depending on what has happened to you and when it has happened to you, you might have limited options. Also, always remember that if you're ever in doubt as to whether you should visit a urgent care clinic or an emergency room, choose the latter over the former. But over the course of this brief article, you will learn about 4 ailments that should be treated in a urgent care clinic, not the emergency room.

Sprains

Sprains are a phenomenon or injury that many people that are sports enthusiasts or simply quite active should be familiar with. Sprains occur when the muscle or ligaments around a bone become slightly twisted without experiencing a tear within said muscle or ligament. This means that, while there is no risk for permanent damage to the muscle or ligament, there is the associated pain that occurs with such an injury, so you should be careful with how you go about your day-to-day activities. A visit to a urgent care clinic can help you with this problem stat.

Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (or UTIs, for short) can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including pain in the urethra itself or in the bladder, a shortness of breath, or difficulty urinating. Urinary tract infections are not problems that are life-threatening or can cause long lasting problems or issues, so long as they are dealt with in a completely timely manner. If you are experiencing any of the problems associated with a UTI or any of the symptoms, visit a urgent care clinic as soon as you can, so you don't have to visit an emergency room in the future.

Ear Infection

Ear infections are a difficult problem to deal with. They can manifest themselves in numerous ways. Many people experience ear infections wherein they experience a pain deep within their inner ear. They might also experience an inner ear infection wherein they feel "popping" sounds or feelings within their ear. Either way you cut it, you should visit an urgent care clinic as soon as you start experiencing these symptoms, lest you wind up having to visit an emergency room later due to the fact that you are experiencing issues with hearing loss.

Other Symptoms

It can be difficult to pin down what sort of symptoms should be associated with a visit to a urgent care clinic rather than an emergency room. The fact of the matter is, you may not know exactly what is going wrong with your body. Nonetheless, you should know that certain symptoms might be indicative of the fact that you should make a visit to the urgent care clinic rather than the ER. Some of the things that you should be on the lookout for that might be a sign that it's time to make a visit to a urgent care clinic include, but are not limited to, are rashes, diarrhea, headaches, or unexplained swelling or pain.

When it comes to your health, there are certain things you should be on the lookout for. There are certain signs that you might need help – and quickly – but the issue is not so immediate that it doesn't preclude a visit to the emergency room. Hopefully, this brief guide has given you some idea of when you should visit a urgent care clinic rather than the ER.

For more information, contact representatives at local urgent care centers, such as Premier Urgent Care Centers of California, Inc..