4 Reasons You Might Go to a Walk in Clinic this Spring

Nobody wants to look up local walk in clinics in their spare time. It usually means there’s a medical issue, which isn’t always fun. However, with the right knowledge it’s possible to be prepared for some common seasonal issues that could end up putting you or someone you love in the care of an urgent care doctor.

Whether you suffer from allergies or you’d just like to be ready, here are four of the most common springtime ailments that could result in a trip to a walk in clinic or your family doctor.

Seasonal Allergies

Buding trees and blooming flowers may be a beautiful sight, but anyone with seasonal allergies often looks upon these things with dread. They may mean different things for different allergy-sufferers, as well. For example, one sufferer could experience dry, itchy eyes, while another may experience a stuffy nose or scratchy throat. If you’re experiencing symptoms severe enough to interfere with your daily life, walk in clinics are your best bet for immediate treatment.

The Common Cold

It’s easy to associate the common cold with back-to-school season and winter temperatures. The truth is rhinovirus infections can strike at any time, and warming temperatures provide an ideal setting. In fact, roughly 50% of all colds are contracted during the fall and spring!

Lyme Disease

While warmer, more humid weather might be a welcome change from the bitter cold of winter, it’s also an ideal environment for deer ticks, which carry and transmit Lyme disease. The most common sign of Lyme disease is a bullseye-shaped rash. The best strategy is to cover up when you’re outside and to avoid walking in areas where there’s dense undergrowth or tall grass.

Poison Ivy

If there’s one plant you don’t want to come across this spring, it’s poison ivy. Skin reactions to this plant can vary from redness and itching to swelling and painful blisters. The best way to avoid this plant is learning to identify it. Look for clusters of three shiny leaves on the ground. If you do come into contact with this plant, wash your skin immediately.

If you’re unfortunate enough to contract any one of these springtime ailments, make sure you have a walk in clinic on standby!