Here in the United States, urgent care centers have become quite prominent indeed. In fact, there are now well over 7,000 urgent care locations seen throughout the country, staffing as many as 20,000 doctors, a number that is only likely to keep growing in the years that are ahead of us. And this really only makes sense, given the fact that up to three million patients will go to an urgent care facility in their area on a weekly basis. It should come as no real surprise that more than one quarter of the American population has been to at least one urgent care facility at least once over the course of the last two years.

But why, exactly, has the typical urgent care facility become so popular? For one thing, an average urgent care clinic can actually deal with a much broader array of medical issues than many realize. They see, for instance, a great many sprained ankles. This makes sense, as up to 25,000 people will sprain their ankle over the course of just one day. And while some ankle sprains are quite minor, others can be much more serious. Getting the ankle checked out to make sure that you haven’t broken something is likely to be a good idea. Fortunately, the typical urgent care facility will be able to assess this for you, as more than three quarters of all urgent care clinics have the tools and skill sets require to treat minor fractures as well as diagnose them.

Of course, other cases are also likely to be able to be treated in your typical urgent care facility. For instance, minor illnesses, ranging from the flu to a urinary tract infection (of which more than 8 million are diagnosed in a single year), can also be treated with ease and accuracy in walk in clinics. Symptoms like sore throats present quite frequently in the typical walk in clinic, so much so that they account for as many as 13 million visits of a medical nature all within the span of just one year. And getting a sore throat checked out is a good idea for while it can be just a part of a virus like the common cold, it can also sometimes be the sign of a much larger problem, such as strep throat. Strep throat is bacterial in nature and will therefore likely need a round of antibiotics before clearing up. Therefore, getting a suspected case of strep throat looked at by a medical professional is something likely to benefit you immensely at the end of the day.

We should also discuss the fact that most urgent care centers and walk in health clinics provide a number of different kinds of preventative care as well. STD testing is likely easily accessible at your local urgent care facility, and knowing your sexual health status can help you to make decisions for your health as a whole – and keep your partner or partners safe. In addition to this, TB testing and drug testing (DOT testing) can also be conducted at an urgent care facility. While these things do not fall under the heading of urgent medical care, they are very necessary in many cases, such as for finalizing a hire for a new job. And getting testing like TB testing conducted at a local urgent care facility is likely to save you time and money alike.

You can also get your flu shot at a local urgent care facility and it is recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months gets vaccinated against the flu on a yearly basis. The flu can be a dangerous illness, after all, particularly for the very young, the old, and for those who are living with a compromised immune system or preexisting medical conditions. If you are such a person, getting your flu shot is an absolute must. But even if you’re young and healthy, getting a flu shot is important, as it helps to protect the community as a whole. And even young and healthy adults have been known to die from the flu, making the vaccine all the more important for everyone.