Don't Let Illness or Injury Ruin Your Holidays

It's not unusual to get sick during the winter season. With the cold weather, most people stay cooped up inside, sharing germs with one another on a regular basis. The winter season also brings with it a variety of slips and falls, as well as other injuries that can ruin your holidays. If you become ill or get injured this season, knowing who to visit can help ensure that these holidays aren't the worst that you've ever had.

1.Your Pharmacist

Many people forget that the local pharmacist can help treat illnesses and minor injuries. If you feel ill, simply heading down to the local drug store and describing your symptoms to your pharmacist can have you on the road to recovery. Your pharmacist can recommend the correct over-the-counter medication for your illness, suggest the proper supplies for your minor wound or even give you advice on stocking your medicine cabinet. Instead of trying to treat your cold, flu or minor cut on your own this season, ask your pharmacist for advice.

2.Your Doctor

If you have a family doctor, he or she may be able to prescribe medication that will help soothe your symptoms faster than anything that you can buy over the counter. While it can be difficult to get into the doctor if you haven't established a relationship, it is often fairly easy to get in with your family doctor if you find it necessary to do so. If your illness is lasting longer than you think it should, and drug store remedies aren't providing relief, you may have an illness that is more serious than you think, requiring proper medical care.

3.Drug Store Clinic

Whether you don't have insurance or you're just in a hurry, your local drug store may have a walk-in clinic that can treat your minor illness quickly and conveniently. Stores like Walgreen's and CVS have clinics staffed by nurse practitioners that make seeing a medical professional for your illness easy and economical. For under $100, you can see a nurse and have your illness diagnosed. Your nurse practitioner can write a prescription for you or suggest an over-the-counter medication that will alleviate your symptoms.

4.Urgent Care

If you don't have a family physician or can't get an appointment, an urgent care center can offer you the treatment that you need at a more cost-effective price than an emergency room. Many cities have urgent care centers that accept patients on a walk-in basis. Urgent care centers can also be a source of help if you sprain your ankle, need stitches or think you may have a touch of bronchitis, your local urgent care center is the place to visit. Instead of spending half of a day waiting in the emergency room, you can be in and out of your urgent care center in just an hour or two.

5.Emergency Room

If you think that you may be having a heart attack, a stroke or are seriously injured, you have no time to waste; head to an emergency room or call 911. While you may want to avoid the emergency room if you think that you have only a minor illness or injury, for more serious or life-threatening issues, the emergency room is exactly where you need to be. The emergency room is staffed with doctors with the necessary skills to help you through your crisis.

According to the professionals at Providence Centralia Hospital, where you should seek treatment depends on the seriousness of your illness. By first determining the level of help that you need, you're sure to have your illness or injury taken care of properly and in as little time as possible. By having your illness or injury treated at the proper location, you may be able to enjoy your holidays no matter what punch the winter season packs.
Byline:
Sarah Ross writes for several education sites, some of whom offer information on accelerated nursing programs.