While not every strange itch necessitates a trip to the doctor’s office, some rashes do call for medical attention. Whether you visit an urgent care center or a dermatologist can depend on a number of factors, such as how long you’ve had the condition, how painful it is, and more. There are certain times when you need the quick service that urgent care centers provide. Below are a few signs that you should be on your way to an urgent care clinic.

Your Rash Expands Across Your Body

When you have a rash that isn’t confined to a single area on your body but instead stretches to other areas of skin, it’s likely that you’re having an allergic reaction to something. Think about any recent changes in your diet, laundry detergent, medication, and more. Also, consider taking photographs of the reaction for future reference. In this case, you would want to visit an urgent care doctor to be prescribed allergy medication to help with the rash.

You Rash Is Not Showing Signs of Improvement

A rash that doesn’t appear to be getting any better could mean that the rash is infected. Occasionally, a rash will begin nothing too serious but then develops a secondary infection. When this happens, you should visit an urgent care for further diagnosis and treatment. Infected rashes can manifest themselves in a few different ways. You might notice additional pain, discolored discharge, smelly discharge, or warmth.

You Develop a Fever

A fever is another sign that your rash could have an underlying infection or a more significant allergic reaction. If you record a rise in body temperature, as well as unwelcome body pain, in addition to your rash, getting fast treatment is essential. Measles, shingles, and scarlet fever are just a few conditions that often come with both a rash and a fever.

Other conditions that could be the cause of a prolonged or especially irritating rash include poison ivy, ringworm, impetigo, vasculitis, and more. The best course of action for identifying, and subsequently getting rid of, a painful rash is by visiting a trusted urgent care such as Care Station Medical Group. According to Beckershospitalreview.com, three-quarters of urgent care patients reported their care as good or excellent. Call us or visit us today!