Cardinal Urgent Care near me

Flu Season Preparedness: How Urgent Care Can Help with Seasonal Illnesses

Flu season, a period of increased influenza activity, presents a significant health challenge every year, affecting millions of individuals across the United States. As the weather changes and the temperature drops, the flu virus becomes more prevalent, leading to a surge in flu-related illnesses.

Being prepared and informed about seeking medical care during this time is crucial to ensuring a healthier winter.

What’s Flu Season?

Flu season typically spans from fall to early spring, with the peak of activity occurring during winter. The flu, short for influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses.

It spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, making close contact situations particularly conducive to transmission.

Common flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Recognizing these symptoms is essential, as early intervention can lead to faster recovery and prevent complications.

The Role of Urgent Care During Flu Season

Urgent care centers have emerged as valuable resources within the healthcare system, offering an alternative to emergency rooms for non-life-threatening conditions. During flu season, these centers provide timely and efficient care to individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms.

One of the most significant advantages of urgent care centers is their extended hours of operation, which often include evenings and weekends. Their availability ensures that individuals can seek medical attention when their primary care doctor’s office is closed.

Moreover, urgent care centers offer prompt medical attention, with shorter wait times than emergency rooms focusing on life-threatening cases. This is especially beneficial during fluseason when the demand for healthcare services increases.

By visiting an urgent care center, people can receive medical care more quickly, allowing them to start their recovery sooner. Seeking care at an urgent care center can prevent complications from untreated or poorly managed flu symptoms. Medical professionals at these centers can prescribe antiviral medications if needed, which can shorten the duration of illness and reduce the severity of symptoms.

This early intervention is vital for individuals at higher risk of complications, such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and individuals with certain chronic health conditions. Furthermore, choosing to go to an urgent care center is a more cost-effective solution without compromising on the quality of care received.

When to Choose Urgent Care?

Deciding when to visit an urgent care center during flu season depends on the severity of the symptoms and the individual’s overall health status.

Mild to moderate flu symptoms, such as fever, cough, and body aches, can typically be managed with over-the-counter medications and rest. However, seeking medical attention is advised if symptoms worsen or become unmanageable at home.

Individuals struggling to control their symptoms or those with concerns about potential complications should consider visiting an urgent care center.High-risk individuals, including those with weakened immune systems or chronic medical conditions, should also prioritize seeking medical care if they experience flu-like symptoms.

Additionally, individuals who require prescription medications, such as antiviral drugs, to manage their flu symptoms can benefit from visiting an urgent care center to receive prompt treatment.

Preparing for the Visit

Gather any necessary documents before visiting an urgent care center. Start by checking the center’s operating hours and location to ensure they are open when needed. When you come to the urgent care center, bring along your identification, insurance information, and a list of your current medications.

What to Expect During a Urgent Care Visit?

When you arrive at the urgent care center, you will complete the check-in process and provide your personal information and the reason for your visit. After check-in, a healthcare provider will evaluate your condition, including taking your medical history and performing a physical examination.

Depending on the situation, the provider may order diagnostic tests, such as a rapid flu test, to confirm the presence of the virus.

The healthcare provider will recommend a suitable treatment plan based on the evaluation and test results. This plan may include prescribing antiviral medications, providing guidance on managing symptoms at home, and advising when to seek further medical attention.

Preventing the Spread of Illness

As we approach flu season, it’s crucial to take preventive measures to reduce the spread of the illness.If you feel unwell, stay home to avoid infecting others in your community. Practice good respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with tissue or a handkerchief when coughing or sneezing. Regularly wash your hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds, especially after sneezing, coughing, or being in public places.

Above all, getting vaccinated against the flu remains one of the most effective preventive measures. Annual flu vaccines protect against the most common flu strains circulating in that year.By getting vaccinated, you safeguard your health and contribute to the collective effort to reduce flu transmission within the community.

Reliable Urgent Care in King, NC

In the midst of flu season, being informed and proactive about seeking medical care is essential. Urgent care centers stand as beacons of support, offering convenient access to medical professionals, diagnostic services, and timely treatment.

If you need urgent care for any reason — including the flu — come visit Cardinal Urgent Care. Our experienced healthcare professionals stand ready to offer complete, personalized, and comprehensive urgent care to all patients.

Contact us by calling (336) 983-9111, or request an appointment online.

The Most Common Urgent Care Procedures Explained

Accidents can happen at any time and in any place. No one looks forward to it, but in these situations, urgent care clinics exist to provide convenient medical care. They aim to bridge the gap between emergency room visits and typical primary care. If you have never been to an urgent care facility before, you might not be sure what to expect at an urgent care facility.

Let’s talk about some of the most common urgent care procedures and where you can find the best urgent care center in Stokes County, NC.

Minor Wound Care

Sometimes you might just shrug off cuts, scrapes, and burns as things that happen in your daily life. However, it’s important to remember that any break in the skin can lead to infection.

Depending on your health and other factors, even a minor skin infection could turn into something serious or life-threatening if ignored.

Healthcare providers in urgent care clinics address a variety of minor skin injuries, including cuts, scratches, and burns. They will clean and dress your wound, prescribe medication to prevent infection or manage any pain you might be feeling.

Cuts

When dealing with minor cuts, it’s important to keep the wound clean, sterilized, and bandaged. In some cases, medication may be necessary to prevent infection or ease pain.

Scratches

Scratches are like mild cuts that may not always bleed. It’s important to clean and dress the wound and consider using an antibiotic ointment to avoid infection.

Burns

For minor burns, over-the-counter gels or creams can be used after cleaning the skin. However, chemical, electrical, or severe burns may require advanced medical attention to ensure there is no internal damage.

More Serious Cuts

Sutures can help more serious cuts heal faster by holding the edges of the skin together. However, whether or not you need them will depend on various factors, such as:

  • The size and location of the injury
  • The amount of bleeding
  • Your overall health

If you’re unsure whether your injury requires stitches, it’s best to consult a medical professional. When deemed necessary, a local anesthetic will be used to numb the affected area before the sutures are threaded.

Some stitches dissolve on their own, while others will need to be removed at a follow-up appointment.

Digital X-Ray Imaging

At times, identifying the cause of your symptoms may require more than just a history and physical examination. High-quality imaging services are thus helpful in understanding what is going on inside the body.

Digital X-rays are now essential in diagnosing an array of illnesses and injuries unseen by the naked eye. Examples include:

  • Broken bones
  • Respiratory infections
  • Foreign objects lodged inside the body

Digital X-rays use only low doses of radiation to produce detailed images of the inside of your body. They are also quick, painless, and non-invasive.

Urgent care clinics often have board-certified radiologists who can review the images within 30 minutes. This ensures you get expert findings as soon as possible.

Earwax Removal

Earwax, or cerumen, is a natural substance that cleans and protects the ear canal. Sometimes, it can build up and cause the following:

  • Ear fullness
  • A blocked sensation
  • Diminished hearing

Your healthcare provider can use a special tool called an otoscope to take a look inside your ear canals.

If they discover too much earwax, they can safely remove it. They may flush the wax out with warm water or remove it using gentle suction.

They may apply ear wax softening drops before irrigation to make the removal process easier.  Their cleaning technique is highly effective in helping you regain your sense of hearing in the affected ear.

Intravenous (IV) Fluid Administration

IV therapy is a quick and effective way to deliver fluids, blood, or medication directly into the body through the veins. It is particularly useful for patients who need immediate drug or fluid delivery.

You may need IV fluid administration due to:

  • Dehydration
  • Excessive vomiting and diarrhea
  • Infection that requires IV antibiotic therapy

Determining the suitable amount and type of IV fluids and the ideal rate of administration can be difficult. Providers in urgent care centers have the expertise to give suitable health recommendations and care.

Splinting and Partial Casting

For non-life-threatening conditions involving broken bones or sprains, help is available. Casts and splints are commonly used to immobilize the injured limb and promote healing.

Initially, splints are preferred due to swelling, which can be later replaced with a cast once the swelling goes down.

Casts are made from plaster or fiber glass and provide more support than splints. On the other hand, splints are easier and faster to use but provide less support.

Urgent Care in Stokes County, NC

Cardinal Urgent Care’s state-of-the-art facility is ready to serve your healthcare needs seven days a week. Our team— led by board-certified emergency room physician Dr. Samir Patel—values the convenience, time, health, and overall experience of the people in the community we are privileged to serve. As such, we strive to provide comprehensive, highly efficient,compassionate care, so our patients can quickly get back to doing the things they love to do.

No appointment is needed – just walk in. For more information on our services, please call our friendly team at (336) 983-9111.

Urgent Care VS. Emergency Room

If you or a family member are sick or injured, which health care facility should you choose: an urgent care center in King, NC, or the closest hospital ER? Let’s look at the differences between these facilities, so you can make the right choice in your time of need.

Urgent Care Centers

Your child has a persistent low-grade fever and a sore throat. Your pediatrician’s office is closed, but you don’t want this to wait until the morning. In such a situation, an urgent care center is the most appropriate medical office to visit.

Urgent care centers are open for extended hours and on the weekends. Most are open on major holidays, as well. Urgent care centers are an extension to primary care, as they offer the same services as primary care offices, but with extended availability. They even have services that go beyond primary care. When it comes to any health problem that isn’t life-threatening, an urgent care center is the place to go.

Here’s what your walk-in urgent care center in King, NC, offers to patients of all ages:

  • Prompt care for medical issues that are pressing but not life-threatening
  • Evening and weekend hours
  • Quick check-ins and short wait times
  • Assessment and care by a fully qualified provider
  • On-site testing (blood work, strep testing, urinalysis, X-rays, and more)
  • Diagnosis and treatment plan (to include prescription medications, suturing, breathing treatments, bandaging, and more)
  • Vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine
  • Occupational medicine services, including workers’ comp and drug testing
  • Routine physicals for school, sports, and more

The conditions treated at urgent care centers include:

  • Pink eye
  • Ear infections
  • Headaches
  • Sore throats
  • Upper and lower respiratory tract infections
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other GI conditions
  • Skin rashes
  • Insect bites
  • Cuts, bruising, and burns
  • Fractures, strains, and sprains
  • UTIs

Going To a Hospital ER

A hospital emergency room provides both urgent and emergency medical care. Because it is located in a full-service hospital or medical center, the ER promptly handles life-threatening medical needs, such as heart attack and stroke, and the most pressing of injuries, such as amputations and crush injuries.

Besides board-certified physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, hospital ERs provide ready access to a wide range of specialists, such as cardiologists, neurologists, and orthopedic surgeons. Plus, the highest level of imaging and diagnostic lab services are housed within the hospital campus.

Hospital ERs, however, are well-known for long wait times if your medical need is not life-threatening. The sickest patients are seen and treated first, and so, you may be required to wait for an extended period to get medical attention. Unless you have a life-threatening emergency, you will not be a priority in an ER.

Additionally, ER costs can be astonishingly high, even with the best medical insurance. So, if your pediatrician is unavailable and you decide to take your child to the hospital, expect a high cost.

Conditions that hospital emergency rooms typically treat are:

  • Car accident injuries
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Severe burns and lacerations
  • Head injuries
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Drug interactions and overdoses
  • Severe asthma attacks and allergic reactions

When the severest of health problems strike, call 911 or get to the closest hospital emergency room. However, if your injury or health problem is not life-threatening, visit an urgent care instead, where you can get quality care at the drop of a dime.

Cardinal Urgent Care In King, North Carolina

Cardinal Urgent Care’s state-of-the-art facility is ready to serve your health care needs seven days a week. Our board-certified physician is Dr. Samir Patel, who is board-certified in emergency medicine. We are open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 8 pm, as well as Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.

No appointment needed – just walk in. For more information on our services, please call our friendly team at (336) 983-9111.