Illnesses and ailments do not always wait for business hours to strike. And, for this reason, you may find yourself in need of medical care at an inopportune time. If this is the case, then you do have the option of visiting urgent care instead of going to the local emergency room. Keep reading to learn about two common ailments that can be treated at urgent care and what might be done for you.
Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath is a medical problem that should not be ignored. It could be the sign of a variety of ailments that include emphysema, pneumonia, an asthma attack, or bronchitis. Other common concerns include covid-19, congestive heart failure, an allergic reaction, and panic attacks.
To help rule out serious issues like respiratory failure, urgent care will take a medical history and assess your vital signs. This will include your oxygen level and if this level is low, it may require the administration of supplemental oxygen. Supplemental oxygen is often provided by urgent care facilities, much like hospitals.
In addition to an assessment, an x-ray may be taken of your chest. This can help to determine if there is fluid in the lungs which may indicate that you have pneumonia.
After the test results come back, you may be prescribed breathing treatments, antibiotics, or other medications. The urgent care may also arrange for you to visit your local hospital for further evaluation.
Urinary Pain
If you are experiencing pain when you urinate, then you can visit urgent care for treatment. Urinary pain is often the sign of a urinary tract infection. However, it can also signify a kidney or bladder infection or it may be a kidney stone, vaginal infection, or an ailment related to diabetes.
To help figure out the issue, the urgent care will likely take a urine sample. And, many facilities will be able to run a quick urinalysis with machinery on site. This is typically called a quick dipstick test. This will give some basic information about whether there are bacteria, blood, glucose, white blood cells, ketones, and other substances in the urine.
With the basic test results, the physician at the urgent care can determine if there is a likely infection. Depending on the results, further tests may need to be completed or you may be sent home with a prescription. In some cases, a test called a urine culture will need to be completed to determine the type of bacteria in your urine. You will then be contacted within a few days with the results of the culture.
Find out more by contacting a company like 75th St Injury & Illness Center.
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