Spending an afternoon at the beach is the perfect way to spend your summer weekends or your vacation time. However, sometimes accidents happen. Accidentally stepping on a shell and slicing open your foot at the beach can interrupt your time at the beach. If you find yourself getting a cut at the beach, it is important to understand when you should seek medical care. At AFC Urgent Care Edgewater our clinic offers rapid care for minor injuries on a walk-in basis. We maintain short wait times, making it easy to get rapid care without scheduling an appointment in advance. Simply walk into the clinic.
Should You Always Seek Medical Care For a Minor Injury at the Beach?
Getting a small cut is no reason to panic. The beach has many different obstacles which can lead to a small injury. Luckily, in most cases, small injuries can be avoided by using caution while at the beach. Avoiding slippery rocks and being careful walking in areas with a lot of shells will help you prevent injury while at the beach.
Even when using caution, accidents can happen while at the beach. If you cut yourself at the beach, it is important to evaluate your injury. If you cut yourself on a dirty surface like a moss-covered shell or even a piece of broken glass, you should seek medical care. Similarly, if you see debris in the cut, you should get it cleaned out and treated at urgent care to prevent infection.
How to Know If Your Cut Requires Medical Care
If you do accidentally injure yourself at the beach, don’t worry. Lifeguards can often provide treatment for minor injuries that occur at the beach. The biggest risk to a minor injury like a cut at the beach is keeping the injury clean. If debris like sand or dirt gets into the cut, it can lead to an infection. If your cut is minor, you can rinse it with fresh water. As long as you can keep it clean and can control the bleeding, your cut likely does not require medical treatment. Seeking care at the lifeguard tower will help confirm whether your injury requires further care at urgent care.
Treatment for Minor Cuts Near Edgewater, MD
If you do accidentally injure yourself, or your child sustains an injury while at the beach, seeking care at urgent care can ensure that your injury will heal properly and reduce the risk of infection. When you visit urgent care for a minor cut sustained at the beach, your medical provider will clean the cut with saline to ensure that all debris is removed. Based on the side and depth of the injury, your medical provider may glue the skin closed or use a few stitches to close the skin and promote a faster recovery. Depending on what you cut yourself on, your medical provider may administer a tetanus booster shot or prescribe antibiotics to ensure that you do not develop an infection.
Visit AFC Urgent Care Edgewater for Same-Day Injury Care for the Whole Family
Visiting the beach is an ideal family activity. Don’t let minor injuries hold you back from enjoying your summer. If you or your child suffers an injury at the beach, AFC Urgent Care Edgewater is here to help. Our clinic provides same-day care for minor injuries for patients of all ages. We never require that you schedule an appointment, simply walk into the clinic for rapid injury care when you need it. We accept most medical insurance plans and offer affordable care. Walk into the clinic today, or call us for more information at (410) 956-3394.
