A walk-in clinic, also called an urgent care center, is a facility that provides medical care on a first-come, first-served basis – without the need for an appointment. Walk-in clinics are your place to go when you need quick medical care for nonemergency illnesses and injuries.
They are a fast and affordable alternative to expensive emergency room visits, which are unnecessary for treating minor health conditions. Plus, an emergency room staff has a triage system whereby the most serious health problems are seen first, so less-serious or non-life-threatening issues may take a while, with those patients sitting in the waiting room for possibly a long time.
Let’s talk about when it is in your best interest to opt for a walk-in clinic, and where you can go in King, North Carolina, for top-level urgent care.
When You Have a Sudden Illness or Injury
Whether you have a very bad cold, the flu, a bad cut, or a slight burn (such as when cooking), a walk-in clinic is an ideal place to get urgent medical care without a long wait.
Non-life-threatening health conditions that warrant urgent care include the following:
- Strains (such as a strained muscle)
- Sprains (such as a sprained ankle)
- Joint injury
- Animal bite
- Insect stings
- Skin infection
- Rash
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain or stomachache/abdominal pain
- Sore throat
- Constant cough
- Ear infection or earache
- Respiratory infection
- Headaches
- Work injuries
- Sports injuries
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Diabetes problems
- Asthma attack or trouble breathing
- Minor allergic reactions
When You Need to Get Tested
Visit a walk-in clinic if you suddenly realize that you may have been exposed to a contagious illness such as COVID-19. You can also get tested to find out the potential causes of chest pains or heart palpitations by visiting a walk-in clinic for EKG testing.
A walk-in clinic usually offers scans and tests such as X-rays, pregnancy testing, blood testing, and confidential STD (sexually transmitted disease) testing.
When You Need to Be Vaccinated
Whether you are traveling to a high-risk area or need to receive a scheduled shot, walk-in clinics are for you. A walk-in clinic offers vaccinations for a variety of diseases, including measles, mumps, hepatitis, rubella, and chicken pox, to name a few.
When You Need a Physical Exam for Work or School
If your workplace or sports team requires a physical evaluation, have it done at a walk-in clinic.
Getting a physical exam from a primary care physician requires an appointment and can take longer than a week. However, at a walk-in clinic, you can get your school physical, sports physical, pre-employment drug test, or DOT physical done efficiently and conveniently.
Convenient Walk-In Clinic in King, NC
If you need quick care for an injury, illness, infection, cut, or burn, or if you need a DOT physical or other type of exam necessary for school or your profession, visit us at Cardinal Urgent Care in King, North Carolina. If you have any questions or would like to let us know that you are on your way, call us at (336) 983-9111. You can walk in anytime during our open hours, and you can even even request an appointment via our online form now. We look forward to serving you!
