When you get a bad sliver in your finger or foot, you can often get it out yourself with a pair of tweezers, a tiny needle, and perhaps also a magnifying glass. Self-care might be your first approach, but if you struggle to remove the sliver, it isn't something to ignore. Even though the average sliver isn't a serious health risk, it can be uncomfortable, and there may be a chance that it gets infected, too. Should you be unsure how to proceed, it's ideal to head to an urgent care clinic. Here are some reasons that you should make this decision.
You Won't Be Clogging Up An ER
Hospital emergency rooms are slowed down by people who visit with a medical need that isn't an emergency. Such individuals clog up the queue and, due to the nature of their less-than-priority health issue, may spend a long time in the waiting room. This leads to a frustrating situation for you, as you may feel that you're not getting your needs met, as well as the emergency room staff, who may be annoyed that you're taking up resources for a non-emergency. Urgent care clinics, conversely, are designed to treat patients with a variety of medical issues, and having a sliver is a perfect reason to visit this facility.
You'll Get All The Care You Need
When you visit urgent care because of a sliver, you'll get all of the care that you need. A nurse or other medical professional will use a gentle hand and specialized tools to remove the splinter safely. The use of a medical-grade magnifier will allow your nurse to get all of the splinter remnants out so that nothing is left behind to bother you. Additionally, the nurse will disinfect the wound to keep it clean.
Continued Self-Care May Be A Bad Idea
Some people who may not want to seek medical intervention may continue to try to deal with their sliver themselves. Doing so can be detrimental for a number of reasons. As you try to fix the problem, you could actually drive the sliver in farther, making it harder to get out and causing you more pain. Additionally, you may cause trauma to the tissue around the sliver, resulting in a wound that is larger than it needs to be. By choosing to seek urgent care in a timely manner, you'll fortunately be able to know that you're taking the right steps.
For more information, contact a company like La Costa Urgent Care.
During my first pregnancy, I spent a lot of time pushing pillows behind my back trying to find comfort. As the size of the baby grew, so did my discomfort. By the time she was born, I was more than ready to give birth. When I found out I was pregnant again, I was determined that I would not suffer through the same discomforts. I started researching ways to ease the symptoms of pregnancy, including back pain. I created this blog to help other expectant moms find remedies to deal with those symptoms that can be emotionally and physically draining.