How Do I Know if I Need Urgent Care?

Emergencies always pop up, but a trip to the emergency room isn't always necessary. Urgent care is another option for less severe emergencies that arise. Keep reading to find out when you can use urgent care for your injury.

What are you supposed to do if you have a minor injury or a sore throat and can't get to your primary care doctor? The emergency room is always an option, but it often comes with long wait times and is only sometimes convenient.

Luckily, there are plenty of urgent care clinics, including one at the Highway Integrative Health Center in Davenport, Florida. In that case, Dr. Jose Lopez-Chevres and Dr. Yaritza Arriaga O'Neill can provide you with fast and efficient care.

What is urgent care?

An urgent care center is a free-standing facility where our providers offer treatment for minor illnesses and injuries in an outpatient setting. An emergency room is usually connected to a hospital, but an urgent care facility typically isn't.

An emergency room offers treatment for severe medical problems and injuries that require more resources. Emergency rooms are often crowded and aren't always the best choice for a sore throat or minor sprain. Urgent care provides quicker care for minor issues that arise in your life.

Our team offers safe and effective treatments, and our urgent care is the right place for you if you need a quick diagnosis and excellent care.

When to use an urgent care

If you find yourself in need of medical care, urgent care could be the solution. Our team comprises two expert doctors, nurses, and medical staff facilitating your treatment during your visit.

If your injury or illness isn't severe enough to go to the emergency room, the team at Highway Integrative Health Center treats all of the following conditions at our urgent care facility:

Sprains
Strains
Fever
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Cuts or lacerations
Belly pain
Cold symptoms
Minor injuries
Earache

We specialize in fast evaluation and cutting-edge treatments for any minor issue. If you don't want to wait hours in the emergency department for an antibiotic or X-ray, our urgent care is the right place for you. We also treat everyday issues like flu symptoms or back spasms when you can’t get to your family doctor.

When to go to the emergency room

There are some situations where our team can’t provide you with the necessary treatment. More severe injuries and illnesses require you to visit the emergency room, where more specialized care is available.

If you experience any of the following, you’ll benefit from the emergency room more than our urgent care:

Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Severe burns
Compound fractures
Head injuries
Facial lacerations
Seizures
Change in mental status

If you're unsure where to go for your injury or medical emergency, you can always call us to find out if it's an issue we can treat. However, if you're experiencing something life-threatening, you should immediately head to the nearest emergency room.

If you need an urgent care appointment, call our Davenport, Florida office at 689-600-1542. You can also request an appointment online using our convenient booking tool.