5 Reasons to Seek Urgent Care

Only a few people expect to spend hours in the emergency room. Still, it happens every day due to unexpected injuries and severe illness. However, many people who visit the ER could have gone to an urgent care and saved time and money.

Urgent care centers exist to provide people with quick treatments and efficient care for minor injuries, illnesses, and vaccines. You must understand when to go to an urgent care center and when to seek treatment at an emergency room.

Urgent care centers are for more than just injuries; they often provide physicals, X-rays, drug testing, essential vaccines, and other preventive care measures.

At Calvary Urgent Care in Humble, Texas, Dr. Joseph Goin offers urgent care services, including lab testing, DOT physicals, pregnancy tests, and fracture care.

The facts on urgent care

Urgent care centers provide emergency care for minor illnesses or injuries. They also offer other testing, such as pregnancy and STD tests, and often provide vaccines.

Going to urgent care differs from going to the emergency room or doctor's office. Urgent care offers emergency care for minor issues, not life-threatening ones.

You may see a doctor, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner at an urgent care center. They give you a complete evaluation and offer imaging options like X-rays and personalized treatment options to address the problem.

Everything at an urgent care center is on an outpatient basis, meaning you go home the same day, and we either administer treatment at the urgent care or call in a prescription for you at a pharmacy.

Five reasons to go to an urgent care

Urgent care centers are popping up nationwide and are essential for various forms of care. Knowing the advantages of an urgent care center helps you decide when it's the right place to go.

Five of the primary reasons you should seek urgent care include the following:

1. Fast and convenient care

Whether you've sustained a sprain or strain or are dealing with a sore throat and cough, you want to get treatment quickly.

Urgent care is available for fast and efficient treatment of minor injuries and illnesses. You don't have to wait weeks to get into your family practice or sit in the emergency room for hours.

2. Little to no wait time

One of the best reasons to go to urgent care is the ability to get in and out quickly while still receiving excellent care.

In most cases, there's little to no wait time when you walk into an urgent care center. Because it's a specialized care center for mild to moderate problems, we can quickly diagnose you and provide treatment without waiting hours at the ER.

3. Lab testing and vaccines

Another advantage of going to urgent care is getting in-house lab tests and essential vaccines you need without waiting weeks to get into your primary care doctor.

Lab testing that we provide includes drug testing, pregnancy testing, and STD testing. We provide fast results so you can get peace of mind.

Vaccines are also an essential aspect of preventive care. Still, getting an appointment at your doctor's office can be challenging. If you need a flu shot, COVID-19 vaccine, or tetanus shot, urgent care is the quickest way to get them.

4. Lower cost treatment

A trip to the emergency room can be extremely costly and require follow-up visits with a specialist. An urgent care center provides the same professional care without the hefty bill in the mail.

5. Illness and injury care

Sometimes, you can't treat a cold, the flu, or a minor injury alone. If you need expert care and treatment for something like a sprained ankle, back pain, or a sore throat, you can head to your local urgent care for a quick evaluation and personalized treatments.

When is urgent care not appropriate?

Any serious injury or life-threatening emergency isn't an appropriate reason to go to urgent care. There's only so much care we can provide, and we don't have the life-sustaining tools necessary for the following problems:

• Severe, open fractures
• Chest pain
• Serious burns
• Face or eye injuries
• Fainting
• Concussions
• Weakness or paralysis
• Seizures
• Trouble breathing

If you experience these symptoms, you must visit the nearest emergency room for expert care. The ER can provide the life-sustaining tools and continuation of care for more severe injuries and illnesses.

If you need urgent care services, visit our practice in Humble, Texas, by calling us at 832-680-2273 or requesting an appointment on our website today.