Many Baby Boomers don’t engage in the recommended amount of daily activities. According to a recent report, just one out of every ten individuals within this age group engage in physical activity a few days throughout the month. There may be a variety of reasons for this, such as chronic pain or another type of health condition. Recent predictions indicate that by 2030, six out of every ten Baby Boomers will be living with a chronic condition.
Lower-back pain, for example, is a common complaint from many Americans. Data has revealed that approximately 69% of these individuals claim that this pain affects their quality of life. It’s interesting to note, however, that at least 40% of chronic lower-back pain sufferers have not sought medical attention from either a physician or a physical therapist. Even though four out of every ten people attempt to exercise to alleviate this pain, it may not be sufficient.
When someone experiences chronic lower-back pain or another condition, such as chronic knee pain, it’s important to have this professionally evaluated. While physical therapy may be able to address this issue, it may be a sign of other underlying issues. Rather than someone choosing to endure pain that has an adverse effect on their overall quality of life, these individuals can visit an urgent care clinic for evaluation and treatment.
Some urgent care centers have physical therapists on staff as well as physical therapy equipment. Since chronic pain may be caused by a person’s occupation, it’s important to note that occupational therapy and related health services are also available at some of these facilities.
There are several benefits to visiting a local urgent care center. First of all, prospective patients can receive medical help throughout the week at most of these clinics. Approximately 85% of urgent care facilities are open Sunday through Monday, and some have extended hours. In addition to having on-site physicians, urgent care clinics also have mid-level providers, such as nurse practitioners.
Another benefit of going to a local urgent care clinic is that the waiting period is usually 15 minutes or less. Since advanced appointments aren’t necessary, these facilities provide a convenient option when someone is experiencing chronic pain or another medical issue.