Acute Injury

What is an acute injury?

An acute injury develops quickly and typically heals with professional treatment. Some common settings to sustain acute injuries are sports games, car accidents, and job sites, but you can get one anywhere and at any time. 

A few of the most common acute injuries are:

• Sprains and strains
• Broken bones
• Joint dislocations
• Concussions

Acute injuries are different from chronic injuries, though they may cause some of the same symptoms. Chronic injuries tend to develop slowly over time, for example, when you overuse a muscle group. 

Heacock Urgent Care examines you and provides a diagnosis based on your symptoms. Imaging tests like X-rays and ultrasounds may help with identifying an acute injury and treatment planning. 

How should I care for an acute injury right after it happens?

You can manage a mild acute injury right away using the rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) method. You should give the injured body part some time to relax while intermittently applying ice to reduce inflammation and pain.

Compressing and elevating the injury can also minimize swelling. When you’re lying down, you should keep the injured area propped up on a pillow or other object to allow blood and fluid to flow in the opposite direction. 

You may also take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to manage the pain during this period. 

How do you treat acute injuries?

Many acute injuries require professional treatment from urgent care or emergency physicians. For mild to moderate injuries, urgent care is a more suitable option because you can walk in and receive care right away in the order you arrive. 

The Heacock Urgent Care team evaluates your injury before planning your treatment, which might include:

• Splints
• Braces
• Casts
• Assistive devices (such as crutches)
• A rehabilitation program
• Wound care

The team might ask you to return to the clinic later so they can re-evaluate your injury and make sure it’s healing well. You can resume physical activities when the team tells you it’s safe to do so. 

Call Heacock Urgent Care, schedule an appointment online, or walk in for immediate care when an acute injury happens.