Pediatric urgent care in El Cajon provides medical care when the child’s primary care physician isn’t available.
What Is The Difference Between Urgent Care And Emergency Care?
While both urgent care and emergency care provide immediate medical treatment, emergency care tackles conditions that can threaten a patient’s life or limbs. Example of conditions that require emergency care include the following:
- Seizures
- Any type of eye or head injury
- Broken bones
- Trouble breathing or chest pain
- Serious burns
By contrast, an urgent care center can treat the following:
- Strains and sprains
- Fever with no rash
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Colds or flu
- Minor cuts that may need stitches
Emergency rooms also serve patients based on the severity of their condition as opposed to who arrived first. Consequently, patients with relatively minor ailments may find themselves waiting for hours before being seen by a doctor.
What Is The Flu?
The flu is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person and is caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms include a congested nose, a fever over 100 degrees, aches and pains, sore throat, and lethargy. Since many other illnesses have similar symptoms, a doctor will need to see the child to make a diagnosis and recommend treatment.
What Is Pink Eye?
Pink eye, more formally known as conjunctivitis, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is a membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and the white of the eye. It can be caused by allergies or bacterial or viral infection. Symptoms of pink eye include reddened eyes, irritation or itchiness. Some patients also experience a gritty feeling under the eyelid or become unusually sensitive to light. The doctor will recommend a treatment based on the cause of the pink eye.
