General Urgent Care vs. Orthopedic Urgent Care

Urgent care centers are great resources for a wide range of health conditions. If a family member has an illness or injury, it often makes sense to head to the urgent care. Traditional urgent cares offer treatments for minor scrapes or cuts, flu or cold symptoms, or other conditions that aren’t related to joint or muscle pain.

The problem with most urgent care is that there is usually a long wait, and often no doctor. Then, after sitting in the waiting room for a while, you will meet with a nurse practitioner or doctor who may refer you to a specialist.

If the injury or pain affects your joints, muscles or bones, then an orthopedic doctor will be more practical and efficient.

What to Expect from Orthopedic Urgent Care Services?

When you reach out to Orthopedic Associates for urgent care services, you have access to rapid diagnosis and treatment for a variety of orthopedic-related conditions. Our staff has a range of specialists that focus on specific body parts, including the back, knees, hands, shoulders, ankles, and more.

We have in-office equipment to complete the diagnostic testing that is needed. Also, medical equipment is available to stabilize the injury, such as casting or bracing as the doctor recommends.

Why Choose an Orthopedic Doctor Instead of a General Urgent Care?

When you visit an urgent care or emergency room for an orthopedic injury, they will patch you up and then refer you to an orthopedic doctor for a more in-depth evaluation and further treatment.

If your injury is something that an orthopedic doctor would usually treat, it makes sense to skip the urgent care and go straight to the orthopedic clinic. This specialized care is essential to understanding the extent of the problem.

Cutting out the middleman saves you time and money. Plus, you can have more confidence in the doctor’s expertise when meeting with a specialist. In addition, most orthopedic clinics can see you faster and offer immediate diagnostics without the need for you to be referred elsewhere.

Our doctors and orthopedic specialists are qualified to consult on many sports-related and orthopedic injuries. The specialized experience helps minimize the risk of a misdiagnosis, a common issue in traditional urgent care.

Keep in mind that the severity and type of injury that occurs will determine where you need to go for treatment. If it is a life-threatening condition, it’s best to head to the emergency room immediately. For non-life-threatening injuries, you have more options (such as orthopedic urgent care services).

Types of Conditions Orthopedic Urgent Care Services Can Treat

Orthopedic urgent care services can treat many different types of injuries and conditions. If you have any pain or damage affecting the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, or ligaments (everything that is part of the musculoskeletal system), orthopedic services are ideal.

Examples of injuries that can be treated using orthopedic urgent care services include:

• Sports injuries
• Car accident injuries
• Workplace injuries
• Fractures
• Dislocations
• Joint pain
• Strains and sprains
• Meniscal tears
• Ligament tears
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis

Walk-In Services for Orthopedic Urgent Care

Our orthopedic office has all the equipment and expertise to perform the necessary testing and scans. Additionally, comprehensive treatment options are available from orthopedic specialists: everything from dressing and cleaning wounds to bone stabilization and more.

If you have an orthopedic injury, call our office immediately, and we will fit you into the schedule. We also take walk-in appointments for patients who need immediate treatment.

The benefit of working with an orthopedic doctor instead of a traditional urgent care generalist is that you have access to continuity of care. Instead of meeting with a doctor who refers you to a specialist, you start with the specialist and continue with ongoing treatments through the same provider.

Not only does our team at Orthopedic Associates offer immediate diagnosis and treatment, but we stay by your side through the recovery time and beyond. We aim to help you return to your normal activities as soon as possible.

There’s no need to make an appointment – walk-ins are always welcome!

Benefits of Orthopedic Specialty Care

Is your injury musculoskeletal, and are you trying to decide which type of doctor to visit? Here are a few of the benefits of choosing an orthopedic specialist instead of a general doctor:

• Specialist: Talk to a doctor who specializes in the area of the body that is injured.
• Pain Management: Orthopedic doctors have a variety of treatment options to maintain and manage pain levels after an injury.
• Restore Function: If the injury affects the joint or limb, then an orthopedic specialist can address underlying issues to restore this function.
• Rehabilitation: The orthopedic team assists with immediate treatment, as well as ongoing rehabilitation to restore function and range of motion.
• Sports Performance: Don’t let the injury keep you off the field. Orthopedic doctors are also trained in sports medicine, which means they have the experience and skills to address unique issues for physically active patients.
• Personalized Treatment: A variety of treatment options in the orthopedic office gives you access to the customized solutions you need for optimal recovery.
• Surgical Treatment: We always prioritize minimally-invasive treatments whenever possible. But if surgery is needed, our team offers the specialized services you require.
• Comprehensive Medical Care: We offer one convenient location for all of your orthopedic needs. You meet with board-certified doctors and surgeons who can assist with the full range of required diagnostics and treatments.

Experience for yourself: the benefits of visiting with an orthopedic specialist are undeniable. Reach out to our team if you would like to learn more about how you will benefit from these services.

Walk-In Orthopedic Urgent Care Services

Whether you have a broken bone or an injured back, our team of orthopedic specialists is here to help. We invite you to reach out to our office at Orthopedic Associates. Our full-service approach is available for everything from walk-in injuries to treating chronic pain and ongoing conditions. In addition, we offer convenient solutions for all members of the family. Contact us when you are ready to book an appointment: (972) 420-1776.