When an unexpected injury or health problem arises, you may wonder where to go for help. Will urgent care do stitches and treat other injuries? Can they help after a fall or car accident?
Knowing when urgent care can solve your problems versus when the emergency room is necessary can help you make the best decisions for you and your family in the middle of a health issue.
The short answer is that urgent care is usually the right choice when dealing with a minor injury or illness. But what exactly do urgent care services include? Here’s what you need to know.
What Urgent Care Can Treat
Yes, most urgent care clinics will do stitches, including ours. We handle a variety of non-life-threatening conditions that need prompt attention. Some of the most common issues we treat include:
- Minor Wound Care — Depending on the injury, we can clean, disinfect, cover, and close abrasions, cuts, and minor lacerations.
- Sprains, Strains, and Falls — We can assess the area and provide supportive care for joint or muscle pain after an injury. You may need muscle relaxants, pain relievers, bracing, or wrapping. When necessary, we can make convenient X-ray referrals.
- Cold, Flu, and Respiratory Illnesses — We test for flu, COVID-19, strep, and RSV and treat related symptoms.
- Ear, Sinus, and Skin Infections — We can diagnose and treat both ear and sinus infections. We can also care for infected wounds or make referrals for concerning skin conditions.
- Asthma and Allergy Reactions — We manage mild to moderate allergic reactions and non-emergent asthma issues.
- Minor Concussions — If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury but is not experiencing severe symptoms (i.e., loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, etc.), we can evaluate and monitor your condition.
- Back and Joint Pain — Whether your pain is from a minor car accident, a fall or personal injury, or arthritis and age, we can help with treatment through medication, massage, chiropractors, and physical therapy.
The range of services that urgent care includes can vary greatly and may consist of many more forms of care. However, they can typically assess, diagnose, and treat most common injuries and conditions that do not pose an immediate threat to your life.
Many urgent care clinics also provide general check-ups, physicals, weight management, mental health support, and chronic condition management.
Urgent Care Versus Emergency Room Care
Understanding the differences between urgent care versus emergency care helps you make better decisions when sick or injured.
Urgent care is best for minor to moderate injuries and conditions that require treatment but are not immediately life-threatening.
For example, seek medical care for painful injuries that could become infected or not close properly. However, if it’s not severe and can wait 12 hours, you probably don’t need an ER.
Emergency rooms are a vital part of healthcare, but there are downsides. First, it can be expensive. Even with insurance, deductibles are often significantly higher than general or urgent care.
Plus, ERs are busy, so you may have to wait before seeing a provider. Life-threatening conditions must be prioritized. Going in with a cut that needs stitches or a painful muscle cramp means you’ll probably sit there for a while.
That said, emergency rooms are open 24/7, whereas urgent care clinics often have limited hours. Plus, they have the resources to handle any emergency.
Therefore, it is imperative to go to an emergency room for dangerous or severe situations, including:
- Severe bleeding, deep wounds, and serious burns
- Major broken bones, such as a leg
- Chest pain, difficulty breathing, slurred speech, or other heart attack and stroke symptoms
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
- Major concussions or head injuries with loss of consciousness
- A fever at or above 100.4° for infants, 102° for children, or 103° for teens/adults, especially with other severe symptoms, like confusion, difficulty breathing, stiff neck, or altered speech
If you’re unsure, it’s always better to be safe and seek medical care. You know your body; if something feels off, take care of it ASAP. But if it can wait, urgent care is often the better option.
When in Doubt, Call Urgent Care First
Before getting in the car and heading to your nearest clinic, call first. You can always ask, “Will urgent care do stitches, brace a sprained ankle, or treat me for the flu?”
Even though the answer will almost always be yes, you don’t want to make an unnecessary trip if they can’t help you.
Fortunately, our team can help with any of the urgent care services mentioned above and more. If you’re unsure, we can usually let you know over the phone if your sickness or injury is something we can help with. Even if we can only do an initial assessment, bracing, or symptom control, we can refer you to the right specialist or hospital when necessary.
At North Texas Clinic and Rehab, our urgent care team can quickly do stitches, treat an infection, and help in many other ways at a cost you can afford.
