Urgent care centers like Premier Urgent Care Centers of California, Inc. provide an excellent alternative to making an appointment with your doctor or visiting the emergency room in certain situations. When your family physician can't squeeze you in for a few days, you'll be able to seek immediate treatment at the urgent care clinic. Also, the clinic provides non-life threatening care so that the emergency department within your hospital doesn't become overcrowded. Below is a list of the top four injuries and illnesses that are best treated at an urgent care clinic. 

Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are often painful and leave you feeling like you need to use the restroom frequently, even though you don't. Waiting a few days to see your doctor would mean remaining uncomfortable and possibly not being able to go to work or school. It also gives the infection time to grow. Instead, an urgent care center can quickly perform a test to confirm the UTI and prescribe the appropriate antibiotic so that you can begin feeling better in no time. 

Fractures

If you suspect that you fractured a bone during a fall or as a result of an accident, head to urgent care. The facility is equipped with x-ray machines that will reveal any breaks. The doctor will then give you a temporary brace if needed and recommend or prescribe some pain medication. He or she will also provide you with a referral to have your fracture cast by an orthopedic physician so that it heals properly. 

The Flu

While the flu may start off presenting like a cold, it can quickly become worse. There are a few things urgent care clinics can do for you during flu season. First, they can give a flu vaccine to protect you from the strands that are expected to be present that year. Second, they can administer antiviral medications that will shorten the duration of the flu. Since this must be done within 24-48 hours of your symptoms first appearing, you may not have time to get to your family doctor. Finally, the urgent care physician can perform an examination to make sure you aren't suffering from any flu complications. 

Cuts

As long as you aren't bleeding profusely, an urgent care center can handle your cuts. They will clean and assess the cut to determine whether a simple bandage is needed, or whether they need to intervene and close up the wound. For minor cuts the doctor will use a skin glue. More moderate cuts may require a few stitches.