Most Common Reasons to Contact an After-Hours Doctor

Doctors do amazing work, and they make themselves available to their patients at all hours, depending on their schedule. But clinics and doctor’s offices close after regular business hours. Life continues after they close, and there are many occasions when we might need to see a doctor after hours. At this point the only options remaining are emergency services at the hospital and the new online services that provide 24-hour responses. Here are some of the most common reasons people might need to talk to a doctor after hours.

• Respiratory infections and breathing trouble: All of us are susceptible to viruses and respiratory tract infections. What starts out as a simple cold can sometimes lead to something serious. Especially now with the concerns over COVID-19, people are extra sensitive about breathing problems and they have every right to be. Another type of respiratory issue that causes people to seek medical help is asthma. Asthma can come on very suddenly at times, especially when allergies or strenuous exercise is involved. You can contact an after-hours doctor any time by following this link. Use your best judgment if the patient seems to be in serious distress or is losing consciousness, call emergency services right away.

• Eye Problems: Your eyes are both very sensitive, and very important. Almost any kind of eye problem can seem to be an emergency. There are many things that can go wrong from getting a foreign object in your eye to having some chemical exposure that causes you pain. Sometimes eye problems show up later on as the result of being in a collision. Scratched corneas are a common complaint, as well as diseases of the eye such as pink eye, which can cause people a lot of concern. All eye problems should be taken seriously and the sooner you get a medical opinion the better.

• Skin Problems and Rashes: There are all kinds of skin conditions that can show up suddenly and create concerns, the most common are related to reactions to allergens and they take the form of hives, blotchiness, or rashes. Sometimes a breakout of spots can be an indication of measles or chicken pox. There is also cellulitis, which is essentially an infection in the skin that shows up as redness and can make the skin very sensitive and sore. Most skin conditions are not emergency situations, but an after-hours doctor can put your mind at ease with a consultation.

• Urinary Tract Infections: If you have a urinary tract infection, you might think that you can make it until morning, but sometimes they can get painful very quickly. Most urinary tract infections can be fixed up with antibiotics, but you need a doctor to write the prescription. This can be done through on an online medical consultation service.

Online medical consultation is a major step forward in the medical field, people can get their concerns looked after at the time they are the most serious. People no longer must wait for the weekend to be over to end their pain. Life happens at all hours of the day, and now you can take advantage of 24-hour help when you need it.