On-site Splinting and Casting

If you have sustained a fracture or broken bone, then it is important for you to seek immediate medical treatment to start the healing process. We offer splinting and casting as part of our services at WellCare Urgent Care center so that you can start healing and get back to living your life.

Splinting and Casting Services

When you break a bone, you should visit an urgent care center right away for an evaluation. A technician can collect an X-ray to determine what type of repair is required to help the broken bone to heal. Open fractures will require surgery to close the skin opening and to fasten the bones together, but closed fractures are easier to stabilize with a splint or a cast. The good news is that an urgent care center’s physician can perform casting and splinting services at its on-site location so that you don’t need to visit a hospital for the service.

How Can You Reduce Your Pain?

Casts are customized to fit the body part of the patient, but splints are ready-made. Splints have adjustable straps to hold the devices in place, but a cast will remain on the arm or leg until it is removed by a physician. A cast or splint may seem tight when it is first placed on a limb because the tissues surrounding the broken bone will swell. After a few days, this swelling reduces, leading to a device that is more comfortable.

There are things that you can do to decrease your pain along with helping the injury to heal faster, including:

  • Elevation – support your broken bone at a higher level
  • Exercise – wiggle your toes or fingers to increase blood circulation
  • Cold therapy – fill a plastic bag with ice to reduce the swelling

Possible Complications

Despite having a splint or cast, a complication from a broken bone is possible, so you should contact a physician for these problems:

  • Inability to move your fingers or toes
  • Additional swelling
  • Stinging or burning sensations
  • Numbness in the broken limb
  • Increasing pain

If you have any problems, then return to the urgent care center for additional treatment.

How Can You Care for a Splint or a Cast?

You may need to wear a cast or a splint for several weeks or longer, so you must learn how to take care of it correctly.

Here are some tips for protecting the splint or cast:

  • Cover the device with plastic to prevent moisture damage
  • Keep dirt away from the item
  • Leave the cotton padding inside the device
  • Don’t stick any objects inside the splint or cast
  • Watch for skin infections

Make sure to return to the urgent care center to have the cast removed by a physician.

Should I visit Urgent Care or Emergency Room?

Urgent Care

When you have any medical condition that is non-life threatening or have general medical needs, then an Urgent Care center can take care of these. WellCare Urgent Care takes care of a variety of medical concerns such as the flu, vaccinations, physicals, allergy symptoms, and more.

WellCare Urgent care is convenient because it is quick and cost-effective.

Average visit time: 1 hour
Average cost: $150

Emergency Room

Emergency care is necessary when you are suffering from a life-threatening condition. This could be a heart attack, stroke, head injury, or other trauma that requires more advanced treatment. If you or someone you love has a life-threatening illness or injury, then you need to call 911 and get to the closest Emergency Room.

Emergency Rooms, while the best option for serious trauma, do take time and are costly.

Average Time Spent: 4.5 hours
Average Cost Per Visit: $1700

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