Urgent Women’s Care

Severe Vaginal Infection


Urgent Women’s Care in Annandale

Gynecological issues can be quite alarming and scary. Sometimes, they require immediate, life-saving attention, while other times they may feel a whole lot worse than they are and you can wait for treatment.

Generally speaking, you have three choices when you need women’s healthcare services and are unsure whether it’s an emergency: make an appointment with your OB/GYN, go to an emergency room (ER), or go to urgent care.

Why Should I Choose Urgent Care?

The truth is not all patients can or should wait for an appointment to see their OB/GYN, but not all health situations require an emergency room visit. Urgent care allows a woman to see medical attention quickly and efficiently, usually without a long wait.

If you’re not feeling well or know something is wrong physically and don’t want to wait for an appointment, urgent care is the place to go when it’s not a life-threatening situation. The doctors at urgent care are able to provide you with the same level of care you’d get from your own doctor.

Many urgent care facilities offer diagnostic testing that you would find at a hospital emergency room including X-rays, ultrasounds, and prescriptions. You’ll also find the care you receive at urgent care is less expensive than at an emergency room. Your wait to see a doctor will likely be shorter too. Additionally, urgent care offers hours that are convenient, and they’re open when many doctor’s offices are not.

How Do I Prepare for a Visit to Urgent Care?

 It’s really more about what you take with you than how to prepare. When you need urgent care, don’t worry too much about getting ready. Instead, be sure you take your ID, medical insurance information, and form of payment as most require payment to be made once services are rendered.

What Are Common Reasons a Patient Chooses Urgent Women’s Care?

The following conditions may indicate the need for urgent care:

  • Urinary tract infection (UTI): This is an infection that occurs in any area of the urinary tract. UTIs affect women more than men and can be quite painful and troubling.

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection include but are not limited to burning while urinating, red / pink / discolored urine (which can indicate blood in your urine), cloudy urine, urge to go, and frequent urination but only passing small amounts of urine.

  • Pregnancy: The first trimester can sometimes be a little nerve-wracking for many women, especially if it’s your first pregnancy. Along with symptoms such as nausea, dehydration, and breast tenderness, many women experience spotting.

Bleeding / spotting can be a sign of a miscarriage, which most often occurs during the first three months. If you experience heavy bleeding, it could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy. In that case, you should go to the emergency room.

  • Unusual / sudden pelvic pain: There are many causes of pelvic pain in women. If you find it is persistent and home remedies are not relieving your symptoms, it’s a good idea to seek urgent women’s healthcare.

 

  • Flu-like symptoms: If you have a high fever that does not go away within 24 hours, are nauseous, or are congested with a cough that isn’t relieved by over-the-counter medications, it might be a good idea to visit urgent care. This could be a sign you have the flu or something more serious.

What Should I Expect at Urgent Women’s Care?

Like with any OB/GYN visit, you need to sign in, fill out paperwork, and provide your identification, insurance card, and payment form. Once your name is called, you’ll go through the usual weigh-in plus blood pressure and temp check. Your doctor will discuss your symptoms and may have additional questions for you.

It’s important to be as thorough as possible with what you are experiencing so your doctor can diagnose you properly. Depending on your symptoms, you might need a pelvic exam, ultrasound, blood test, and / or urine test.

Of course, your treatment depends on your diagnosis. If you receive medication, be sure to follow instructions carefully. You should also schedule an appointment with your regular OB/GYN as soon as possible.

Medical records from urgent care should be made a part of your patient file, so it’s a good idea to have those sent to your doctor. You may need to sign a consent form for this to happen.

When Should I Seek Urgent Women’s Care?

The easy answer is never risk your health. Medical events aren’t planned, and health situations happen that are beyond your control. If you feel something is wrong and you can’t see your OB/GYN quickly, then you are encouraged to seek urgent women’s care in the event that it’s not a life-threatening emergency in which case you should go to the nearest ER right away.

Many women choose to call their doctor before going to urgent care. However, if you feel it’s a dire emergency, seek treatment first at an emergency room, then notify your doctor.

Where Is the Best Place to Go for Urgent Women’s Care in Annandale?

At Annandale Ob-Gyn, we believe all women deserve the highest quality personalized care. Our patients are met with compassion and respect in a warm, comforting environment.

We use only state-of-the-art technology, and many tests we recommend are done onsite. As an added convenience, you can access your medical records online once you become a patient.

If you are experiencing a health crisis that is not life-threatening or if you would like to make an appointment, please contact us day or night at 703-642-7522.