Common Summer Illnesses and Injuries: When to Visit Urgent Care

Summer in Massachusetts is made for being outside — hiking local trails, swimming, playing sports, going to camp, working in the yard, and spending time with family and friends. 

It is also a season when urgent care providers often see more injuries and illnesses related to heat, ticks, water, food, and outdoor activity. 

“Summer is a time when we see more injuries and illnesses related to outdoor activity — things like sprains, cuts, tick bites, rashes, swimmer’s ear, dehydration, and stomach bugs,” says Dr. Hosana Mamata, MD, an Emerson Health urgent care physician who is board certified in emergency medicine. “Urgent care is a good option when something needs prompt attention but does not feel life-threatening. If a patient needs additional testing, follow-up care, a specialist, or emergency care, being part of Emerson Health helps us guide them to the right next step.”

For many non-life-threatening summer health concerns, urgent care can be the right place to start. Emerson Health Urgent Care treats children and adults for a wide range of urgent needs, with X-ray available on most days, lab testing, access to Emerson Health specialists, and follow-up care if needed.

Quick Answer: When Should You Use Urgent Care in Summer?

Urgent care is best for health concerns that need prompt attention but are not life-threatening.

In the summer, urgent care can help with many common concerns, including:

• Sprains, strains, and possible simple fractures
• Cuts, scrapes, and minor burns
• Tick bites, insect stings, and mild allergic reactions
• Poison ivy, rashes, and skin irritation
• Ear pain after swimming
• Vomiting, diarrhea, and possible food poisoning
• Mild dehydration or heat-related symptoms
• Fever, sore throat, cough, sinus symptoms, or urinary symptoms
• Camp, school, or sports physicals

For some non-emergency concerns, virtual urgent care may also be an option for patients who need timely guidance from home. In-person urgent care may be better for injuries or symptoms that need an exam, X-ray, lab testing, or hands-on treatment.

Common Summer Illnesses and Injuries Urgent Care Can Treat

Summer routines are different. Kids are at camp. Families travel. People spend more time outdoors. Sports, swimming, yardwork, cookouts, and hot weather can all bring health issues that may need same-day care.

Many of these concerns are not true emergencies, but they still should not be ignored.

Sprains, strains, and possible fractures

Bike rides, hiking, playground time, sports camps, and weekend projects can all lead to twisted ankles, sore wrists, pulled muscles, and painful falls.

Visit urgent care if pain, swelling, bruising, or limited movement does not improve with rest, ice, and elevation — or if you are not sure whether an injury needs an X-ray.

Tick bites, bug bites, and rashes

Ticks are common in wooded, grassy, and brushy areas throughout Massachusetts. Mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and other insects can also cause reactions that range from mild itching to more serious swelling or infection.

Visit urgent care for a spreading rash, fever or body aches after possible tick exposure, a bite or sting that is becoming more swollen or painful, poison ivy, or concern about infection after scratching a bite.

Call 911 for signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the lips or tongue, dizziness, fainting, or widespread hives.

Heat exhaustion and dehydration

Hot, humid days can affect anyone, especially children, older adults, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with certain medical conditions.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion can include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, thirst, heavy sweating, elevated body temperature, and decreased urination. If symptoms are mild, move to a cooler place, rest, and take small sips of cool water.

Urgent care may be appropriate if symptoms are not improving, you are concerned about dehydration, or you are unsure what to do next. Go to the emergency department or call 911 for confusion, fainting, seizures, very high body temperature, severe weakness, worsening symptoms, or inability to keep fluids down.

Swimmer’s ear and water-related symptoms

Swimming is one of the best parts of summer, but pools, lakes, ponds, splash pads, and beaches can sometimes lead to ear pain, stomach illness, rashes, or eye irritation.

Visit urgent care if you or your child has ear pain after swimming, drainage from the ear, fever, a rash after water exposure, vomiting, diarrhea, or symptoms that are not improving.

Food poisoning, vomiting, and diarrhea

Cookouts, picnics, travel, and summer gatherings can sometimes lead to stomach illness. Many mild stomach illnesses improve with rest and fluids, but some symptoms should be checked.

Visit urgent care if vomiting or diarrhea is not improving, you are worried about dehydration, or symptoms are interfering with normal activities. Food poisoning symptoms should be checked if there is bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than three days, fever over 102°F, frequent vomiting that prevents someone from keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration.

Cuts, scrapes, sunburns, and minor burns

Summer projects and outdoor fun can lead to cuts, scrapes, sunburns, and minor burns from grills, campfires, or hot surfaces.

Visit urgent care for a cut that is deep, gaping, dirty, painful, or difficult to clean; a scrape that is becoming more red or swollen; a minor burn that is painful or blistering; or a sunburn or rash with concerning symptoms.

What Happens If You Need More Care?

Many summer illnesses and injuries can be treated in one urgent care visit. Others may need an X-ray, lab testing, follow-up with a primary care provider, a specialist, or emergency care.

That is why it can help to choose urgent care that is part of a broader health system. Emerson Health Urgent Care can treat many non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries and help guide patients to the right next step if more care is needed.

For patients and families, urgent care does not have to be a standalone stop. It can be an entry point to a wider care team close to home — including Emerson Health specialists, primary care, diagnostic services, and emergency care when needed.

Urgent Care or Emergency Department: How to Choose

A helpful rule of thumb: choose urgent care for symptoms that need attention soon but do not appear life-threatening.

Choose the emergency department or call 911 for symptoms that are severe, life-threatening, or worsening.

Go to urgent care for sprains, strains, possible simple fractures, minor cuts, wounds, lacerations, minor burns, animal bites, insect stings, rashes, poison ivy, earaches, sore throat, cough, fever, sinus symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea, or mild dehydration concerns.

Go to the emergency department or call 911 for severe chest or abdominal pain, trouble breathing, multiple injuries, serious burns or deep cuts, head or eye injuries, fainting, confusion, slurred speech, weakness or numbness on one side, or symptoms that may be life-threatening or worsening.

For severe chest or abdominal pain, multiple injuries, or if you are unsure if your condition is serious, go to the nearest hospital or call 911 immediately.

Summer Care Close to Home with Emerson Health

Whether you are in Hudson, Maynard, Littleton, Groton, Concord, or a nearby community, summer health concerns can happen quickly. A child wakes up with ear pain after swimming. A tick bite turns into a rash. A weekend hike ends with a swollen ankle. A cookout leads to vomiting or diarrhea.

When that happens, Emerson Health Urgent Care can help you get timely answers for many common illnesses and injuries. Emerson Health Urgent Care has locations in Hudson, Littleton, and Maynard, with in-person and virtual urgent care options.

For non-life-threatening summer illnesses and injuries, urgent care can help you take the next right step — so you and your family can get back to the people, places, and activities that matter most.

Frequently Asked Questions