Urgent Care Blog
Our Blog Features Health Tips For You And Your Family Along with the Latest News from Zip Clinic Urgent Care® centers. Browse our articles on health issues ranging from seasonal allergies to flu prevention to injury treatment. Also learn more about what services are provided through urgent care versus other medical facilities, such as freestanding emergency departments.
How do I know if my sore throat is serious?
Sore throats can be painful and annoying. Unfortunately, there is not one single cause of sore throat, but rather a sore throat can be caused by any number of conditions including: --Common colds --Seasonal allergies --Laryngitis (inflammation of the voice box)...
Check us out on Yelp!
Patients needing urgent care for a sudden illness or injury aren’t always sure where to turn first. But studies show most go online (oftentimes to Yelp) to do an initial search about which immediate care clinic is closest—and to look at what kind of reviews the urgent...
Tips to Beat Back-to-School Bugs
When children return to the classroom this time of year, sometimes they wind up getting sick. They’re exposed to new environments, new children … and new germs. Kids touch everything in the classroom, on the playground, and on the bus. But there are some steps you can...
Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy While Playing Pokémon Go
A new mobile exploration game has swept across the country in recent weeks raising excitement—but also the risk of injuries. The wildly popular smartphone-based Pokémon Go has attracted millions of users worldwide. In cities across the U.S., Pokémon Go players (many...
How to spot and react to youth sports concussions
As news and awareness of concussions spreads, it’s hard not to worry about the risks from sports activities. This is especially true with younger athletes. The commonly accepted definition of concussion is a blow or jolt to the health that disrupts the function of the...
How to ease child anxiety in urgent care
Even under the best circumstances, a trip to urgent care can be stressful—especially for children. The staff members in ZipClinic Urgent Care centers work hard to keep wait times short and patients comfortable during the process. Any child that comes in to ZipClinic...
Confusion continues over Freestanding EDs Versus Urgent Care
Patient confusion continues in Colorado and other parts of the country over the fees and services to expect at a freestanding emergency department. A recent story from Denver highlights one woman’s story about a $5,000 bill she faced after a trip to the doctor for the...
Seasonal Allergies Spring Up Early
Unseasonably warm weather early this year triggered many plants to bloom, much to the chagrin of seasonal allergy sufferers. Even in cooler weather states, plants start to release pollens in February or March. The rollercoaster temperatures seen in many parts of the...
Mumps outbreak prompts vaccination reminder
With news of a small mumps outbreak in Belgade, Montana, it’s worth reviewing signs and symptoms of the disease, along with an outline of vaccination protocol. Three students in Belgrade middle and high schools have been diagnosed with the mumps, a viral disease that...
How to Tell if it’s the Flu or a Cold
Flu activity is ramping up in some parts of the country, even though the season so far has been milder than in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised clinicians to treat suspected influenza in high-risk outpatients with antiviral...
Tips to avoid injuries from skiing or sledding
In parts of the country blessed—or, depending on your fondness for the season, cursed—with significant snowfall this time of year, skiing, snowboarding and sledding are popular activities. But it’s important to take safety precautions to avoid becoming part of these...
New Years Resolution Series: Make small changes to lose weight
Chad Wagner knew it was time to make some changes when could no longer bend over to tie his shoes. His weight had climbed to 270. Wagner, a 40-year-old radiology tech and medical assistant at Zip Clinic in Belgrade, Montana, wanted to get healthy. So in December he...