Monthly archives: October, 2026

• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Tick Bites & Lyme Disease in Virginia: What to Do

  Remove an attached tick right away with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up with steady pressure, then clean the area. Watch for 30 days for fever, chills, body aches, fatigue or an expanding red rash, which can be signs of Lyme disease or another tick-borne illness. See urgent care if you develop symptoms, can’t remove the tick, or the bite looks infected. Lyme disease cases have been rising in Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Occupational Health for Northern Virginia Employers: A Practical Guide

  PACS Urgent Care provides occupational health services for employers in Northern Virginia and Caroline County, including pre-employment physicals, DOT/CDL exams, drug screening with DOT-certified collection, work injury treatment, workers’ comp care and return-to-work evaluations. Services are walk-in, 7 days a week at our Alexandria clinic, with a second location in Ruther Glen.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Is Urgent Care Open on Holidays? A Guide for Alexandria & Ruther Glen

  Many urgent care centers stay open on holidays, sometimes with shorter hours. PACS Urgent Care is normally open 7 days a week: Alexandria 8 AM to 8 PM, and Ruther Glen weekdays 8 AM to 8 PM and weekends 9 AM to 5 PM. Holiday hours can differ, so call (571) 656-8838 or check our website before heading in on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, July 4th or other major holidays. For emergencies, call 911.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  RSV in Babies and Older Adults: Symptoms & When to Get Care

  RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) usually causes cold-like symptoms, but it can cause serious breathing problems in babies, young children and adults 60 and older. Get urgent care for a cough with fever, wheezing, poor feeding or worsening symptoms. Go to the ER or call 911 for fast or labored breathing, pauses in breathing, blue or gray lips, dehydration, or a very sleepy baby. PACS offers walk-in RSV testing and treatment.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Stomach Pain: When It Could Be Appendicitis (Urgent Care or ER?)

  Go to the ER for belly pain that is severe, steadily getting worse, or moves to the lower right side, especially with fever, vomiting, or pain when you walk, cough or press on it. These can be signs of appendicitis. Also go to the ER for pain with vomiting blood, black stools, a rigid belly, pregnancy or chest pain. Urgent care can evaluate milder pain from stomach bugs, constipation, gas, reflux or a possible UTI.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Visiting Alexandria? A Traveler’s Guide to Urgent Care

  If you’re visiting Alexandria or the Washington, DC area and get sick or hurt, PACS Urgent Care at 3481 N Beauregard St, Alexandria, VA 22302 accepts walk-ins 7 days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM. Bring a photo ID and your insurance card. If your plan isn’t accepted, self-pay prices are posted online, starting at $139 for a routine visit.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Urgent Care vs. Freestanding ER: Know the Difference Before You Go

  A freestanding ER is a full emergency department that isn’t attached to a hospital. It’s open 24/7 and charges emergency room prices, including ER copays and facility fees. An urgent care center treats non-emergency illnesses and injuries for much less, but isn’t open 24/7 and can’t handle major emergencies. Several freestanding ERs operate in Northern Virginia, so check the sign carefully: if it says “Emergency,” expect ER-level bills.

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  • Urgent Care Guides
• • OCTOBER 17, 2026
  

  Urgent Care vs. Retail Clinic (like CVS MinuteClinic): Which Should You Choose?

  Retail clinics inside pharmacies and stores are best for simple problems, such as a minor sore throat, pink eye or a vaccine, usually seen by a nurse practitioner. Urgent care handles a wider range, including X-rays, stitches, splints, IV fluids, breathing treatments, lab work and EKGs, often with physician oversight. If you might need a test, an X-ray or a procedure, urgent care saves you a second trip.

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  • Urgent Care Guides

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