If you suffer a painful foot or ankle injury, you’ll probably begin to wonder how to best treat the injury. Should you head in for emergency care, would an urgent care office visit suffice, or should you try to manage it on your own at home? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the indications that suggest which of these methods you should pursue for treatment.
How To Care For Your Ankle Injury
The following can help you make a determination as to where you should head for foot or ankle care, but if you are at all concerned about the best type of treatment for your injury, head to a medical professional who can view your foot in person. They will be able to provide a much better treatment course than this general guide can provide. With that said, here are some factors you’ll want to assess when determining where to head for foot or ankle care:
Pain – A lot of injuries, even mild ones, can be pretty painful during the injury and in the immediate aftermath. If pain remains intense for minutes or hours, you’ll likely want to have it examined in the emergency room or at urgent care. If pain subsides a little or becomes much more tolerable, you can probably skip the emergency room visit and use your best judgment as to whether you need to head in at all.
Deformity – If there is a significant visible deformity with the foot, you’ll likely want to head to an emergency department, especially if it’s coupled with other symptoms on this list. If the foot looks fine from the outside, that still doesn’t mean you don’t need emergency care, but you may have a better chance of managing the issue with an urgent care visit or on your own.
Weightbearing – If you can’t bear any weight on the foot, an emergency room visit is likely the way to go. If you can walk with some discomfort, especially if it begins to get a little easier to walk on the foot after a few minutes or hours, you can likely skip the ER and manage the injury on your own or by eventually getting to an urgent care office.
Open Wound – Significant open wounds or open fractures should be addressed by medical professional, typically in an emergency room setting. Smaller cuts can be managed on your own, unless it’s clear that you’ll need stitches.
There’s no perfect playbook for always knowing the best route for care, but you know your body better than anyone. If you’re at all concerned with your foot or ankle injury, head in for care. For immediate attention, an emergency room is best, but for less pressing injuries, an urgent care visit can save you a little bit of money and provide you with the right level of care.
For more information, or for answers to any questions you have, click here to connect with Dr. Silverman.