Can You Get Tested for Bv at Urgent Care

It's 10 p.m. and your 8-year-old starts throwing up uncontrollably. Instead of enduring an hours-long trip to the emergency room, you might opt to head to your local urgent care clinic. Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and wheezing represent but a few common symptoms urgent care providers are qualified to treat in people of all ages. (Parents should take children for a follow-up appointment with your regular pediatrician after visiting urgent care.)

Urgent care offers a cost-effective alternative to the emergency room for non-life-threatening situations—usually with shorter wait times, too. Try an urgent care clinic the next time you or a family member experiences any of these common symptoms.

Abdominal Pain

Some people call it "stomachache." Others say "pelvic pain." To an urgent care doctor, it's all abdominal pain—one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. The providers at your local urgent care clinic can diagnose your abdominal pain and recommend appropriate treatment. Urgent care clinicians are qualified to treat abdominal pain in people of all ages, and can determine if you may have a more serious condition that requires further evaluation by your primary care physician or a specialist.
Dehydration

Infants and the elderly can be very sensitive to the effects of dehydration, so prompt diagnosis and treatment becomes essential for avoiding serious side effects like loss of consciousness. Of course, dehydration can occur in otherwise healthy adults, too, due to playing sports or exercising in hot weather without drinking enough fluids. Anyone who may be experiencing dehydration can head to an urgent care clinic for an evaluation. The clinicians there can diagnose the condition and provide treatment, including intravenous fluids, as appropriate.
Vomiting, Nausea and Diarrhea

Digestive issues represent another common reason people seek medical attention at urgent care clinics. Urgent care providers are qualified to diagnose and treat vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and related problems in people of all ages. These skilled clinicians can diagnose food poisoning, a virus, or even pregnancy as the cause of various gastrointestinal upsets. If urgent care providers think your symptoms may indicate something more serious, they may refer you to a gastroenterologist for further evaluation.
Wheezing

While any severe difficulty breathing should be considered a medical emergency, milder coughing and wheezing can be evaluated at an urgent care center. An urgent care provider can diagnose common wheezing causes like bronchitis or allergies and provide immediate treatment, such as administering a nebulizer or prescribing medication. Your urgent care clinic also can provide you with information to manage your wheezing by avoiding triggers. And you may receive a referral to be evaluated for asthma or another lung condition requiring long-term care.
Painful Urination

If it burns when you urinate, if your bladder feels distended and achy, or if you have blood in your urine, you can go to urgent care to find out if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI). Urgent care providers can analyze a sample of your urine in minutes to determine if bacteria are causing your symptoms give you a prescription for antibiotics, if that's the case. Prompt diagnosis of UTIs leads to earlier treatment and relief from symptoms.
Fever, Chills, Headache and Sinus Congestion

When you experience any common symptoms of the flu, you can visit urgent care for an evaluation. Any provider at an urgent care clinic is qualified to evaluate your symptoms and determine whether you have a common cold, the flu, allergies, or a sinus infection. For influenza, in particular, an early diagnosis can mean the difference between starting an antiviral medication or suffering through a full course of symptoms.
Skin Rash

Skin rashes and lesions can be caused by many things, including contact allergy (like poison ivy), insect bites, or an allergic reaction to food or a medication. The providers at urgent care can diagnose and treat all types of skin rashes in people of all ages. If necessary, an urgent care clinic may refer you to a dermatologist for further evaluation.
Vaginal Itching or Discharge

You may not normally think of urgent care as a place to receive a gynecology diagnosis, but the doctors and other providers at urgent care clinics are qualified to evaluate common symptoms like vaginal itching or discharge. These clinicians can determine the source of your symptoms, such as a yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, or even a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Lab tests can be conducted on the spot to rapidly diagnose your condition and get you started on appropriate treatment for symptom relief.
Cuts, Bruises, Sprains or Strains

Minor accidents can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from knotty bruises to swollen and blackened joints—all things you can have evaluated at an urgent care clinic. You can receive an on-site X-ray, if needed, to determine if any of your bones are broken, and if so, your urgent care provider can set the fracture and apply a cast. Urgent care providers also are qualified to stitch up skin lacerations and wash foreign bodies out of wounds caused by "road rash." No need to sit through a lengthy ER visit for straightforward symptoms like these.