As busy as Americans are these days with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, no one necessarily enjoys going to the doctor’s office or going to the emergency room. If you end up there, it usually means you’re sick or you’ve got a lingering medical issue you can’t deal with at home.
Going to the ER or making an appointment to see your primary care doctor may be thought of as a nuisance, but when it comes to your health it’s a necessary thing to do. That’s especially true of women’s health. When it comes to making sure women are healthy, there are issues concerning pregnancy and other things that call for an appointment with an OB-GYN or primary care doctor.
If neither of those two options are available, some women might be wondering what they can do to get the immediate care they need. The best option is to get to a local urgent care clinic. More than three million people every week, including thousands of women, visit urgent cares for treatment for a wide spectrum of common issues and ailments, including pregnancy and other women’s health issues.
Why go to urgent care? Urgent care facilities are usually open later (until 7 p.m. or later and on weekend), they’re usually in easy-to-find and easily accessible areas in your town and you can usually get in and out of them most days. The average wait time at an urgent care is around 15 minutes and you can even check-in online or call ahead to save a spot in line on particularly busy days.
Now if you’re dealing with a serious or severe medical issue, go to the emergency room right away. It doesn’t do well do try and “wait out” lingering medical issues, especially when it comes to women’s health. Things like severe pain, numbness and dehydration should be dealt with immediately, especially if it’s the middle of the night and it can’t wait until morning.
It’s also important to note that not all women’s health issues require a trip to the emergency room. The worst thing you can do is over-diagnose your symptoms and be left to wait for several hours and get hit with a big bill at the end of your trip. Urgent care offers flexibility when it comes to time, so you can visit on your schedule and you’ll get the same standard of care you expect from your primary care doctor.
If you’re a woman dealing with health issues, you should know that an urgent care can deal with many ailments and illnesses including:
- Urinary tract infections
- Vaginal infections like yeast infections
- Morning sickness
- Dehydration
The women’s health issues described above can accompany many other symptoms including:
- Spotting
- Thick, discolored or unusual smelling vaginal discharge
- Vaginal itchiness
- Nausea
- Pain, especially in the abdominal area
All of the issues described require medical attention and an urgent care is the place to deal with them. If you’re a busy woman, you can visit an urgent care, get in, get out and get the care you need, whether it’s a common medical issue or something where you need to be more discreet.
So what can you expect at an urgent care for women’s health issues? You’ll get a high standard of care from experienced doctors. It should be noted though, that even if you go to an urgent care it shouldn’t replace going to your primary doctor. Going to an urgent care can save you time and some money, but your primary care doctor knows your medical history and has a much closer relationship with you than a primary care doctor.
If you’re a busy woman who’s juggling a career and kids and social engagements or kids activities, you’ve got a lot to deal with and you’ve probably thought often about times when you can’t afford to get sick. But sickness happens all the time and sometimes it can’t be avoided. When it does happen, the best thing you can do is get to an urgent care. You’ll get quality care and fast so you can get back to your busy life.
