If you’ve ever injured yourself playing sports or had a nasty fall, you know how scary it can be when the pain just won’t go away. And that cough that’s been hanging around for weeks starts to make you wonder what’s really going on in your lungs. When should you seek medical care and request an x-ray?
Getting an x-ray is a quick, painless way for doctors to see your bones and internal organs in detail. It can diagnose issues that may not be visible otherwise. At Urgent Care of Tooele Valley, we want to provide patients with the proper tools to improve healing and outcomes. In this post, we’ll go over 5 signs that you need an x-ray to determine the best treatment and get you on the road to recovery.
1. Significant pain after an injury
If you experience severe or worsening pain after hurting yourself, it could indicate something serious like a broken bone or dislocated joint. A sprain or strain would be uncomfortable but likely improve over a few days. Lingering, intense pain after an injury warrants an x-ray to check for fractures and guide treatment.
2. Joint swelling or deformity
Swelling around a joint like the knee, ankle, or wrist could signal internal damage. If the joint also appears deformed or rotated in an unusual way, it’s crucial to x-ray it to determine if it is dislocated or has a chip fracture. Trying to move or rotate a dislocated joint can cause further injury.
3. Limping or inability to bear weight
Difficulty walking or inability to put weight on a leg or ankle needs medical attention. Refusing to bear weight could imply a possible fracture. Get an x-ray to identify the injury and ensure proper healing and recovery.
4. Coughing, fever, chest pain
A cough that won’t go away, especially with thick phlegm, may indicate pneumonia or another respiratory infection. Fever and chest pain along with breathing problems warrant a chest x-ray to diagnose the issue and prescribe appropriate antibiotics if needed.
5. Unexplained bony pain
Bone pain without an obvious injury could signal something more serious. Unexplained pain that frequently disrupts sleep or worsens at night may be a sign of cancer, like multiple myeloma, spreading through the bones. Diagnostic x-rays can help detect abnormalities requiring further testing and treatment.
Many common orthopedic injuries and respiratory illnesses can be effectively diagnosed via x-ray. At Urgent Care of Tooele Valley, we provide prompt, compassionate care and have onsite x-ray services available 7 days a week. Our team works closely with patients to determine if their symptoms warrant an x-ray or other imaging. We want to provide you with the proper tools and diagnosis to improve healing and outcomes.
Don’t ignore severe or unexplained pain in your body—it’s your body’s way of signaling something is wrong. And that nagging cough could be more serious than you think. At Urgent Care of Tooele Valley, we have years of experience accurately diagnosing illnesses and injuries. Our onsite x-ray services and attentive medical team aim to provide the very best care for you and your family.
We know you have a choice when it comes to urgent care and diagnostic services. If you’re looking for compassionate providers, expert treatment, and prompt attention to your health needs, choose Urgent Care of Tooele Valley. Don’t wait—come see us 7 days a week for world-class care when you need it most. Let us help you get answers and start feeling better today.
