Did you know that U.S. urgent care centers handle an average of three patient care visits per hour and 50 visits per day, according to the Urgent Care Association? One of the reasons these healthcare facilities are so popular is because they offer quick, efficient medical treatment for a variety of ailments.

If you have been curious about seeing a doctor at one of our facilities, but aren’t sure how to tell when if you need to go, check out these five most common diagnoses.

Upper Respiratory Infection

Acute upper respiratory infection refers to any minor infection of the upper respiratory tract, which can include the nose, sinuses, larynx, or pharynx. This is the most common diagnosis given at Urgent Care, and symptoms can include scratchy throat, runny nose, nasal breathing, sneezing, fever, fatigue, headache, wheezing, and nasal discharge.

Bone Fractures

There are seven types of bone fractures that refer to how the bone fractured, where the fracture occurs, and how deep the fracture goes. A fracture can be caused by anything from a bad fall or car accident, to diseases and loss of bone density. Common symptoms of a bone fracture include bruising, swelling, radiating pain, and inability to use the limb that has become fractured. If you think you may have fractured a bone, your local care facility can perform x-rays.

Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection is an infection somewhere in your urinary tract, which can include your kidneys, uterus, bladder, or urethra. Warning signs you may need to come in for lab testing include pain or burning while urinating, frequent urination, pelvic pain, blood in urination, vaginismus, being unable to finish urinating, and cloudy urination. Although women are at a significantly higher risk for getting a urinary tract infection, men can develop them as well.

Eczema

Many people may be surprised to learn that they can come in for dermatology-related symptoms. The most common dermatology related diagnoses is eczema. Common symptoms of eczema include dry or scaly skin, a rash, painful lesions, intense itching, thickening of skin where the rash occurs, and redness or discoloration of the skin.

Pink Eye

Pink eye is extremely common and can be caused by a number of different bacteria in the eyes, or by common allergies. Symptoms can include swelling of the eyes, discoloration around the eyes, eye watering, blurred vision, and waking up to eye discharge. Although pink eye can go away on its own, visiting a doctor can help you get medication that will help it go away faster.

Final Thoughts

Urgent Care facilities are equipped to treat and diagnose a variety of medical conditions. From infections and fractures, to rashes and lab testing, urgent care professionals are ready to help. If you have non-life threatening symptoms that need to be treated, come in today and speak with a professional. You do not need an appointment, and most patients wait no longer than 30 minutes to be seen.