We have all had that experience of suddenly becoming sick, particularly in our busy, modern communities such as Frisco, Texas. Your primary care physician will not be on time, but it's certainly not an emergency that could threaten your life and warrant an expensive, time-wasting visit to the Emergency Room (ER) of the hospital.

The golden mean between a common cold and a medical disaster? Urgent Care has its potential there.

Our area of specialization at PrimeCare360 in Frisco is the delivery of quality and efficient medical services for acute illnesses and minor injuries. Infection is a tremendous portion of what we treat on a daily basis. Knowing which infections should be treated in an urgent care setting, as well as which cases need an ER or a primary care visit, is crucial to the success of your healthcare system, as it saves you time, money, and stress.

This detailed guide dissects the most prevalent bacterial, viral, and fungal infections that can be adequately diagnosed, treated, and handled by our competent team of professionals in an Urgent Care unit.

I. Mastering the Urgent Care Scope

It is crucial to clarify the mission of Urgent Care before getting down to more specific infections. An Urgent Care center is designed to treat non-life-threatening conditions that suddenly appear and require treatment within 24 hours.

The Fix-It-Now Zone

Urgent Care is well-positioned to cure infections that fall in the following categories:

• Routine Viral Infections:
• Simple Bacterial Infection:
• Diagnostic Capabilities:

When to Visit the ER (The Life-or-Limb Zone)?

The patients with severe compromise of the system that are accompanied by infections must always be taken to the ER:

• Sepsis/High Fever
• Severe Dehydration
• Meningitis

II. Problems in the Upper Respiratory Tract

By far, the most frequent infections that are managed at an Urgent Care clinic, particularly in the fall season and winter months in North Texas.

Strep Throat (Streptococcal Pharyngitis)

Strep throat refers to a bacterial infection that is either caused by Group A Streptococcus, which is highly contagious and mostly affects the throat and tonsils. The throat is sore, and white blood cells (WBC) are produced in the throat to remove infected bacteria and viruses.

The Flu

Flu is a widespread infection caused by the virus that onslaughts the respiratory system.

Acute Bronchitis

The inflammation of the bronchial tubes is called bronchitis. Although it can be viral, it needs to be monitored.

III. Ear, Sinus, and Eye Infections

Such localized infections are ideal for walk-in visits because diagnosis and treatment of such infections are fast and focused.

Sinus Infection

This is an acute infection of the middle ear cavity and the middle ear canal. This is swelling of the air pockets of the face. Although the majority of them are viral in nature, they may turn bacterial.

Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media)

They are very common in children, but other adults also get them, particularly following a cold.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Pink eye is the inflammation or infection of the outer member of the eyeball and inner eyelid.

IV. Cases of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Skin infections are the ones that may develop very fast and need instant treatment to avoid complications.

Cellulitis

Cellulitis is an ordinary and may be a severe bacterial skin disease in which the skin affected turns red, swollen, hot, and tender.

Abscesses and Boils

An abscess is a localized mass of pus in any body part, which is usually due to a bacterial infection.

Fungal Infection (Ringworm, Athlete’s Foot)

Fungus of the skin is widespread and very easy to treat.

V. Gastrointestinal and UTI Infections

Problems of the gut and urinary tract are frequent causes of Urgent Care visits, usually because of the dehydration issue or urgency of the lab test.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

UTI is a urinary catheter infection (cystitis) or kidney (pyelonephritis) infection caused by bacteria.

Viral Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)

It is a very contagious infection which leads to an inflammatory reaction in the stomach and intestines.

Diarrhea and Food Poisoning

Emperor diarrhea or vomiting without any prior warning following the intake of suspect foodstuff.

VI. The PrimeCare360 Advantage: Built-In Care

Although Urgent Care is superior in urgent infections, it is the integrated care that offers the best protection against long-term health problems. In PrimeCare360, we have both Primary Care and Urgent Care in a single location. It implies that once your immediate infection is cured, the follow-up is not difficult:

• Coordinated Records: Your urgent visit in the Emergency department is instantly recorded in your permanent health record. Your Primary Care Provider is well aware of the kind of infection you had and the medication that was prescribed to you.
• Lessened Discontinuity of Care: This avoids the discontinuity of care which is commonly experienced when patients attend random, external clinics. When you have repeated sinus infections, it is very easy to follow the trend by your PCP and refer you to an allergy expert instead of treating the symptom itself.
• Right Care, Right Time: We can refer you to the appropriate level of care now, is it urgent care to deal with an abscess, or it can be a Primary Care follow-up appointment to discuss chronic stress, which compromised your immunity.

Urgent Care is a priceless asset to the management of out-of-the-blue infections that break your life. With the knowledge of what to expect, you will be able to make good use of our services, get faster in a better way, and maintain your focus where it belongs: to your family and life in Frisco.

Well, don't feel like it or have some sudden illness?

At PrimeCare360 in Frisco and Allen, you can walk in or call in order to get a quick and professional diagnosis and treatment of your infection.

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