Accidents happen—there’s just no way around it! Whether you are running around the kitchen getting dinner ready and you trip over one of your kid’s toys again or misstep coming down a ladder and fall, injuries can occur at any point. If you ever wonder whether an injury is just a mild sprain or something more serious, that’s where we come in.

Our team can evaluate the injury site, and we have a variety of tools at our disposal to give you an accurate diagnosis. One of those tools is our X-ray machine, which can give us a clear inside look to whatever is causing your pain.

Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Hickory team explains how we use our digital X-ray machine to diagnose a wide variety of injuries below.

How Often Do Fractures Happen?

Our bodies do a really good job protecting us from everyday life. Our bones are built to be strong enough to support us while also protecting our organs on a daily basis! They are even a little bit flexible to help absorb the impacts of falls, bumps or other moderate pressures.

However, bones are not invincible, and they will eventually crack or break if the force exerted on them is too much. Millions of people experience fractures every year, so it’s a relatively common injury! It is crucial that you get your injury properly diagnosed and treated to avoid a worsening fracture or even a full break. In order to do this, an X-ray is required.

Common Fracture Locations

• Wrists
• Ankles
• Hips
• Clavicle (collarbone)

Does an X-ray Hurt?

No! Breaking it down simply, X-ray machines are like big cameras. Once you are positioned, the machine will send X-ray beams through your body and those beams take an image. Traditional X-rays develop this image onto film, whereas digital X-rays are uploaded on a computer. Once uploaded, we can zoom in on the injury and get a clear picture of what is going on.

Since it is an image rather than physical film, we can blow up certain parts of the image without losing quality or experiencing pixelation. This helps us diagnose even the smallest of fractures or the very beginnings of an infection.

Why AFC Uses Digital X-rays

• Reduced radiation exposure
• Clearer images
• Faster turnaround
• Reduced environmental impact

Our X-ray technology can help you feel better faster. Come see us at AFC Urgent Care Hickory for an X-ray today.