July 27, 2020
There’s that old saying that says sometimes there is more to something than meets the eye. Cue MedExpress. In addition to helping you get rid of that nagging cough, MedExpress can help you with stitches, X-rays and other advanced medical needs. Let’s take a closer look at some more reasons why you could stop by your neighborhood MedExpress.
Stitches or Staples? Treating Cuts and Scrapes
Life happens. Sometimes you cut yourself while chopping vegetables for dinner, or maybe that DIY-project did NOT go according to plan. In any case, if you have a cut that might need medical care, you can count on MedExpress!
A MedExpress provider will look at your cut and see if it needs stitches or staples. Stitches close a wound together by threading sutures from one edge of the wound to the other while staples clamp two edges of a wound together. When medically appropriate, the medical team might also apply Dermabond, which is a tissue adhesive that fuses the edges of a wound together.
MedExpress Pro Tip: Before stopping in, make sure you clean the wound gently with diluted soap and water, but avoid using hydrogen peroxide, which can damage the tissue. Apply pressure to the cut and try to elevate the area that is cut to help slow down the bleeding. Also, if something is stuck in the wound, don’t try to remove it—it’s better to let a professional safely remove the object.
While sometimes it’s hard to tell if you need medical treatment for a cut, it’s always best to be safe and get it checked out by a trusted medical professional.
In-Center X-Rays
Trips, slips, and falls—oh my! While we may chuckle when someone else wipes out (there’s a reason America’s Funniest Home Videos ran for 29 seasons), doing it yourself is a different matter. Especially when wiping out may mean you’ve injured yourself or broken a bone.
If you have a broken bone, MedExpress is ready to help get you on the road to recovery. We offer digital X-rays on site to determine what type of broken bone you have, or if the injury is a sprain or strain instead, which can cause similar pain. If you do have a broken bone, MedExpress can even provide a fiberglass splint that will help immobilize mild fractures and ensure proper healing. Once a MedExpress provider determines the type and severity of break, they can then advise on treatment and next steps, which might include a referral to an emergency room or an orthopedic specialist for casts and plaster for mending.
It’s always important to seek medical treatment if you think you’ve broken a bone so that proper healing can begin right away. At MedExpress, our providers can help diagnose and treat your injury, including referring you to an appropriate specialist to assure you receive the best follow-up care.
Minor Burn Treatments
Playing – or working – with fire might get you burned. From cooking mishaps to getting a little too much sun on your beach trip, there are lots of ways you might end up with a burn. Fortunately, we’re here to help.
MedExpress can handle a variety of minor first and second-degree burns, from a sunburn to thermal burns—which are burns that are caused by steam, liquids, hot metals, or flames. These burns often have symptoms like redness, light swelling, and minor to moderate pain. MedExpress can help ease these minor burns, clean the affected area, and check the wound for infection. When in doubt, it’s always best to have a burn examined by a medical professional for proper evaluation and treatment.
Can MedExpress Treat UTIs?
Urinary tract infections, often known as UTIs, can be a pain – literally. A bit of discomfort when using the restroom is a hint that you might have a UTI. Can MedExpress help?
Absolutely! Don’t reach for the cranberry juice (which doesn’t help anyways!)—just head to your nearest MedExpress. We can help you feel better faster by confirming your UTI diagnosis with rapid testing. Our medical team, when appropriate, may prescribe antibiotics that can ease your symptoms and help you feel better, likely within a few days. Not only can we help determine if you have a UTI, but we can also send a urine sample to an outside lab to test for other factors like antibiotic resistance, which can help our providers determine the right treatment for you.
While a “burning” sensation during urination is a common UTI symptom, you could also be experiencing a UTI if you have a strong urge to urinate, are only frequently urinating small amounts, have cloudy, pink or reddish urine, strong-smelling urine, or pelvic pain (typically in women).
If you have additional symptoms like upper back pain, fever, shaking or chills, nausea, or vomiting, it could mean that your kidneys are infected, too. A provider can help determine if this is the case, and then gauge the severity of the infection. They may provide IV fluids and antibiotics to help you feel better, or if you have a more severe kidney infection, they’ll recommend further care.
We’re Here for You
At MedExpress, we understand that accidents and illness can happen anytime; that's why we provide services and treatment when and where it's convenient for you. Whether you visit us for urgent care or choose to visit for us for a flu shot, a sports physical for your child or a work-related need, we’re ready to help you live a healthier life.
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If your employees need care, the team at your local MedExpress center is here to help from 8 to 8, every day. With a broad range of urgent care services and workers’ compensation and injury care services, your employees get convenient access to high-quality care in an appropriate setting.