The urgent care model of healthcare has been expanding since it was first introduced in the 1970s. Urgent care centers provide immediate access to medical care for common illnesses and injuries like the flu, colds and sore throats, cuts and bruises and ankle sprain. Sprained ankles are one of the most common types of injury. Sprained ankles can be treated through first aid at home but it?s usually a good idea to also have the injury medically evaluated to ensure that there is no serious damage.

What do Urgent Care centers treat?
Urgent care centers treat most common injuries and illnesses that require immediate medical attention but are not emergencies. They treat fractures, bumps, bruises, flu, colds, stomach aches and more. As of 2012, the most common illness seen in urgent care was some kind of upper respiratory condition. Wound repair was the most common procedure.
With a full staff of physicians, nurses and physicians assistants, they provide quality medical care for cases that don?t need to go to the emergency room.
Most urgent care clinics also have diagnostic facilities and labs on site, so there?s no long wait for test results and X-rays. Many centers also have dispensaries, saving a extra trip to the pharmacy.

What to do if you sprain your ankle
Do you need to see a doctor if you sprain your ankle? That depends on how bad it is. Sprained ankles are one of the most common types of injuries, with as many as 25,000 occurring each day. Slips and falls at work, accidents at home and sports injuries can all lead to sprained ankles. A sprained ankle can be painful if it tears the ligaments or tissues that connect the ankle bones.
Most often, it is the ligaments in the outer ankle that are impacted. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may need to see a doctor. The symptoms of a sprained ankle can include pain, tenderness on touching the ankle, bruising, swelling, and instability in the ankle when standing or walking. A popping sound or feeling at the time of the injury may indicate a serious injury.

Seeing a doctor at urgent care
In general, you can provide first aid for a sprained ankle, with a cold or hot compress and over the counter pain medication. If the pain and swelling persist, it may be necessary to see a doctor. A medical evaluation will show if there is a serious injury such as a broken bone or damaged ligament in the ankle or lower leg.
If you need to see a doctor for a sprained ankle, urgent care clinics are a convenient option. You don?t need to make an appointment in advance and you can stop by at any time that?s convenient to you. Most urgent care clinics are open seven days a week and have extended hours, so people can stop in before or after work.

Urgent care centers offer a convenient alternative for treatment of common injuries and illnesses like sprained ankles and the flu. There?s no need to make an appointment and no long wait once you get there. For common injuries like a sprained ankle, it?s a good idea to get a medical evaluation to make sure there?s no serious damage to the ankle or lower leg.