Most people have experienced that moment when they start to feel “off,” like the start of a cold or flu.
You wake up and swallow and it feels like sandpaper. A headache develops soon after.
Or maybe you’ve experienced the gut punch of an unexpected injury, whether a deep cut, a burn or a broken bone.
The emergency room is often the first place people think of when they need care fast. But emergency rooms can have higher out-of-pocket costs than other options. If you have a primary care provider, it’s not always possible to get in to see them on short notice or after hours.
“If someone is experiencing symptoms of a serious or life-threatening medical condition, such as heart attack or stroke, definitely call 911,” said Casey Henry, NP, nurse practitioner at Endeavor Health. “But if you have a mild to moderate infection or injury, you should consider heading to an Endeavor Health Immediate Care Center.”
These are some common reasons people seek care at an Immediate Care Center:
Urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) prompt more than 8 million visits to healthcare providers each year.
Some of the more common symptoms of a UTI include:
- A strong, persistent urge to urinate but only passing small amounts of urine
- A burning sensation when you urinate, painful urination
- A cloudy appearance to your urine
- Urine that has a strong or foul-smelling odor
- Pelvic pain in women, rectal pain in men
- Urine that is dark in color or appears bright pink or red — a sign of blood in the urine
- Lower abdomen discomfort, pelvic pressure
When symptoms of a UTI strike, it’s best to head to an Immediate Care Center as soon as possible to confirm the infection and start antibiotics.
Sore throat
A sore throat could mean a viral infection. And while most cold and flu virus infections resolve with care at home, some need medical attention.
This is true for severe sore throats. If a severe sore throat accompanied by a fever over 101 lasts for more than two days, glands feel swollen, or it hurts to move your neck, go to an Immediate Care Center for care.
Significant wounds
Minor cuts and scrapes are usually effectively treated at home by cleaning the wound and covering it with a bandage. But a deeper cut that doesn’t stop bleeding after a few minutes of steady pressure needs medical attention.
“Uncontrollable bleeding must be dealt with quickly by calling 911 or going to the emergency room,” Henry said. “But many cuts, even those that need stitches, can be treated at an Immediate Care Center.”
Even a puncture wound that doesn’t appear that severe could require professional care. Antibiotics or a tetanus shot may be needed as a precaution.
Sprains and minor broken bones
One wrong step and a twisted ankle can become a painful sprain.
The same goes for fractured or broken bones. With both, people experience pain, swelling, bruising and often it hurts too much to bear weight with the affected body part.
Apply ice, take some over-the-counter pain medication and go to the closest Endeavor Health Immediate Care Center to evaluate the injury.
If a broken bone is sticking out of the skin, the injury is bleeding heavily, the injury feels numb, tingles or turns blue, or the injured person has difficulty staying awake, head to an emergency room.
Rashes
Most of the time, all it takes to soothe and heal a rash is over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream.
But when the rash hurts, spreads all over the body, looks infected or isn’t improving after two days, get it checked out at an Immediate Care Center.
“If a rash is spreading quickly, includes open sores or comes with a fever or other symptoms, seek medical attention,” Henry said. “Most rashes are not serious concerns, but sometimes they can be a symptom of a more serious condition.”
