No one wants to go to the emergency room in hospital unless there is no other option. That could be why more than 3 million people head instead to their local urgent care clinic instead each week, at least according the the Urgent Care Association of America. While the urgent care center is great if you have a non-emergency urgent concern, did you know that these locations are great for checking up on worrisome conditions as well?

Suffer No Longer: When You Can Take That Ache or Pain For Not One Minute More.

Sometimes, an injury is less serious than just plain annoying. A minor sprained ankle, chronic lower back pain, or a reoccurring dizzy spell are all conditions that don’t usually cause undue worry, that is until the symptoms suddenly worsen. When the emergency room in hospitals nearby seems like overkill, head to the nearest urgent care facility instead.

You Can Finally Get That Lower Back Pain Checked Out.

As many as 69% of Americans admit that lower back pain has an affect on their day to day activities. That is probably because about 40% of them also admit that they have not sought out a physical therapist or doctor to have the condition checked out. They may try to treat the pain themselves, through such activities as physical exercise, or at least four out of 10 do.

It seems that it would be much easier to just consult a doctor about the problem. Many people who suffer from lower back pain have periods of time when the pain is worse, which might send some of them to the emergency room in hospital, especially if the pain gets worse after normal office hours. Instead, it could prove beneficial to go to an urgent care clinic. They’ll see a physician, perhaps receive some medication to help with pain management, and maybe leave with a suggestion to follow up with their primary care physician. While the process will be very similar between the emergency room in hospital and the urgent care, the difference between the two is that the average wait time in an urgent care clinic is about 15 minutes, and the emergency room operates as ongoing triage.

Dizzy Spells Got You Down? This Is Actually a Symptom of an Underlying Problem.

It’s a truth that might worry some people, but dizziness is often a symptom of a larger problem. If you are suffering from the occasional dizzy spell, you’re in good company. Complaints of dizziness are the second most commonly heard ailment in every doctor’s office, and about 70% of people will experience it at some point in their life. In fact, for those individuals over 60 years old, it is estimated that 65% experience a loss of balance, or dizziness, nearly everyday. Do yourself a favor and get this problem checked out if you often suffer bouts of lightheadedness. It’s better to have an answer to this problem, such as what’s really causing it. It might be something easily fixed, or it might not, but at least you’ll have the answer.

A Sprained Ankle Can Put You Out of Commission: Get It Braced Right Away.

There are some estimates that 25,000 people suffer a sprained ankle everyday. About 80% of these are caused by an inward-rolling motion. Thankfully, four out of five urgent care facilities offer fracture care for their patients. A minor sprained ankle may simply need R.I.C.E., or rest, ice, compresses, and elevation, but a seriously injured ankle needs the attention of a physician. Symptoms of a more serious sprain include: excessive swelling, the inability to put any weight on the joint, the skin looks discolored, or the foot becomes numb.

Not every ailment needs the attention of an emergency room in hospital. Yet there are some conditions that do require the knowledge of a physician. If you have avoided seeking treatment for some chronic ache or pain, don’t wait any longer to get help. Seek out a local urgent care center to treat your sprained ankle, or your frequent dizzy spells, or your lower back pain. Don’t put off your relief.