It does not do any good to live in fear, but there are certain situations that definitely call for care and precaution. In everyday life there are so many possibilities that could result in illness or injury. Being aware of these things can mean the difference between a relaxing day at home and getting emergency room care. Listening to the general advice of doctors can help you navigate the dangers or potentially harmful pitfalls in your everyday life. But should you find yourself in need of medical help outside of the usual business hours of your doctor’s office, you could get to a medical clinic, urgent care, or any number of walk in clinics in your area.
When emergency room care is necessary
While there are plenty of situations that warrant some level of medical attention, knowing the difference between the need for emergency room care and being able to hold off on getting medical attention is important. Emergency rooms often get swamped with patients needing immediate attention, and if you show up to congest the waiting room with a cut or a headache that could probably be remedied at home, you are not doing anyone any good. On the other hand, refusing to go in for medical treatment when you are bleeding profusely or unable to stand because of the severity of your sickness, is probably not going to end up well for you. The good news is that about 85% of urgent care centers are open every day of the week, so chances are, if you need to, you will find a place that will provide proper care.
Common maladies that people experience
While a doctor’s office might see patients who are experiencing anything from a mild earache to chronic back pain or the flu, and emergency rooms can end up seeing patients with broken limbs or even gunshot trauma, urgent care centers can see the whole range of issues. Over the course of one year, the most common diagnosis was an upper respiratory condition, and the procedure that was the most common was wound repair, which could include putting a cast on a broken arm or stitching up a gash. Another common problem is dizziness, which about 70% of people across the country will experience at some point in their lives.
Being careful, but not paranoid
Yes, we could go through life noting every little thing that could be potentially hazardous to our health and wellbeing. But while that might prevent an accident or sickness, it does not ensure that something unexpected might not happen anyway. Or nothing could happen at all! The sooner that you realize that there is so much that you cannot control, and as long as you exercise caution where it makes sense to do so, the sooner you will be able to enjoy life to the fullest.
You could get sick or hurt. But maybe you won’t. And either way, there is so much in life to experience that being too preoccupied with the chance of pain or illness becomes an incredible waste.