Too many people confuse urgent care with emergency room services, and use the latter when they should visit the former. Emergency room care treats potentially life-threatening illnesses, conditions, and injuries, while urgent care helps individuals with non-life-threatening symptoms. Learn about the top reasons to visit these care centers as part of your commitment to your health.

When to Visit an Urgent Care Center

1. Stings & Bites

Perhaps you were severely stung by wasps or bees. Maybe you discovered a tick bite after a hiking excursion. Insect stings can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock, where blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level.

Ticks can transmit diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Depending on the type of bite or sting, you may need medication to combat the reaction or testing for tick-borne diseases. Urgent care provides these services.

2. Respiratory Illness

When a respiratory illness such as a cold doesn’t go away or turns into a more serious problem such as influenza, bronchitis, or strep throat, your local medical center can help.

The doctor will identify your exact illness and write you a prescription for medication that alleviates symptoms and kills the offending pathogens. Your physician will also make additional recommendations for combating the virus, such as increasing your water intake, consuming whole foods, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding bad habits such as tobacco use.

3. Muscle Sprains & Broken Bones

Care for bone fractures and breaks, as well as muscle strains and sprains, is available at urgent care centers to reduce emergency room crowding and provide efficient treatment. While compound bone fractures, or those where the bone protrudes from the skin, requires ER services, minor breaks and sprains, including those not involving the head and neck, can receive urgent center help. If you sprained your ankle or wrist, head to an urgent care center.

4. Infection

Urinary tract and ear infections can become extremely painful and serious without treatment, causing issues such as kidney damage and hearing loss, respectively. Urgent care centers test for infections to determine treatment courses.

Antibiotics kill the bacteria that cause the infection, while pain medication may be recommended to reduce discomfort. Holistic treatments might also be recommended, such as increasing fluid intake to flush urinary bacteria from the body, and garlic cloves to reduce ear pain and draw out the infection. 

If you need urgent care, visit the qualified physicians at HDR Healthcare Network, the medical center serving residents throughout the Bronx since 2013. Also offering adult medicine and pediatric services, this center features bilingual providers and specializes in holistic care. Call (929) 256-5005 today to make an appointment or simply walk in. Learn more about services online.