Why Go To Urgent Care?

How many times has it happened? You wake up in the morning with a low-grade fever and a sore throat, or you sprain your ankle while playing a game of basketball. You cannot get a same day appointment to see your primary care physician on such short notice but just thinking about the long wait at a hospital emergency room makes you cringe even more than the pain you are in. But what other option do you have?

For conditions like these, that are not life-threatening but do need attention quickly, there are urgent care centers. Urgent care centers are for non-emergency illnesses or injuries when your regular doctor can't treat you right away or if you don't have a doctor in the area.

"Urgent Care is the medical evaluation and treatment of any health concern or problem that cannot or should not wait until tomorrow," says Dr. Na'imah Powell, owner and practicing physician of Total Care Urgent Cares in Lake Elsinore and Murrieta. "The urgency of any visit may be based on the severity of a patient's symptoms or the concerns a patient may have about the potential risks of delaying diagnosis or treatment. Acute medical problems can develop unexpectedly and demand immediate attention."

Possible conditions that may prompt a visit to urgent care are earaches, wounds requiring stitches, sprains and minor broken bones and minor cuts from accidents or falls, sore throat or cough, mild to moderate asthma, urinary tract infections and other minor infections.

The biggest advantage of the urgent care is avoiding the emergency rooms of local hospitals, where waiting times can be prolonged for 6 - 8 hours or longer due to the care being delivered to critically ill patients.

As an alternative to the hospital emergency room, urgent care is capable of diagnosing and treating minor medical emergencies. Often times, patients can be seen and treated in an urgent care clinic in less than an hour.

At Total Care Urgent Care centers, patients are seen on a walk-in, no appointment necessary basis. Our urgent care clinics are open 7 days a week, even holidays, and have extended hours.

Always remember, if your medical condition is life-threatening, go to a nearby emergency room or call 911.

Examples For Urgent Care Clinics Allergies Allergic Reaction Asthma Attack (Minor) Closed Fractures Cold, Flu, Fever Cough Dizziness Insect Bites Nausea Minor Burns Minor Cuts/Lacerations Pink Eye Rash Sore Throat Sprains Stitches

Examples For Hospital Emergency Room Chest Pain Head Injury with loss of consciousness High Fever Ingestion of Obstructive Objects Ingestion of Poisons Open Fractures Seizures Severe Abdominal Pain Severe Asthma Attack Severe Burns Shock Snake Bites Unconscious or Catatonic State Uncontrollable Bleeding