What Is An EKG?
Sometimes, your heart may need extra attention to ensure it's healthy. At UMG Urgent Care, we use EKGs to check your heart in a quick and easy way. Our goal is to make your health checks stress-free. A simple EKG test can tell us a lot about your heart's health. An EKG, also known as an electrocardiogram, is a medical test that helps us learn more about your heart. The letters "EKG" stand for the German word "elektrokardiogramm," but in English, we use it interchangeably with ECG. Essentially, an EKG records the electrical signals from your heart. Every time your heart beats, it produces small electrical impulses that the EKG machine can capture and record. These signals are shown on paper or a screen so your doctor can see how your heart works. If you're experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of heart problems, call our Columbia, MD team to evaluate your heart's condition.
How Does An EKG Work?
The EKG monitor tracks EKG rhythms to identify if everything is beating as it should. A normal EKG will show that your heart is functioning properly while an abnormal EKG can reveal signs of issues, like past or ongoing heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms (such as atrial fibrillation), blocked arteries, an enlarged heart, or other concerns. The EKG test results provide an essential look into the health of your heart. The whole process of an EKG test is quick and comfortable. During an EKG, you'll lie down comfortably while small, sticky patches called electrodes are placed on your chest, arms, and legs. These electrodes are connected to the EKG machine, which records your heart's motions, measuring the electrical activity, heart rate and rhythm, any blockages, and heart damage. The heart monitoring also ensures that the sinus rhythm (the normal rhythm of your heart) is maintained and that the heart is able to effectively pump blood. The EKG test only takes about ten minutes from start to finish, and most of that time is just setting up the electrodes. The actual recording of your heart activity lasts less than a minute.
What Are the Benefits of An EKG?
If you're having certain symptoms, like chest pain or a feeling that your heart is racing or skipping beats, an EKG can help our team at UMG Urgent Care understand what's happening. It's a great tool to look for the causes of your symptoms and guide us in giving you the right care at our Columbia, MD facility. An EKG can provide the following:
- Early detection
- Quick diagnosis
- Continued heart health monitoring
- Assessment of risks before surgery
- Evaluation of medication and its effects
- Noninvasive and simple test
UMG Urgent Care Reviews
This is a brand new facility, and everything is spotless. Bianca, the receptionist, and nurse assistant is courteous and very helpful. I was taken care of right away. Bianca checked my vitals, and cleaned the cut I had on my finger. She also gave me a tetanus shot that was totally pain free! I was amazed!Then I saw Stephanie, the nurse practitioner. She is also very nice and calm. She explained well to me what to do to care for my cut. She was very reassuring. She took really good care of my wound. This was a very good experience!
The staff is so welcoming! Super patient and kind! Quick and efficient but take care of your needs!So thankful for this team being so close to where I live 🫶🏼
I usually dread going to urgent care due to long waits and so-so service, but this place completely changed my expectations!I visited today for something I thought was urgent and was pleasantly surprised by how smooth and professional everything was. From the check-in with Bianca to the care I received from Dr. Stephanie, everyone was courteous, thorough, and truly caring. This is not your typical urgent care — it’s a gem. I’m so glad I found it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for top-notch care and a kind, efficient team.
Brought my daughter here on a Sunday after a harrowing experience Friday at an ENT office in Laurel. Someone described the facility as more like a spa than an urgent care and I agree!! Even better, the staff is incredible. We were greeted professionally and checked in promptly by Odette. She was friendly and efficient. Dr. Wurapa helps Dr. Stephanie Arsenault on weekend and he was nothing short of incredible. He put my already-anxious daughter at immediate ease, discussing colleges and her future plans. He walked us through each step of the treatment and made sure she was comfortable along the way. Even though it isn’t as close as many others, I will return here any and every time we have an urgent care need. They also have a dentist office and PT on staff. The facility is maintained impeccably. Highly recommend!!Thanks to UMG for making this stressful weekend a distant memory!!
My wife had dizziness and nausea all day and they gave her a shot and she felt better immediately. Very nice, caring staff and nice clean facilities. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
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Take Care of Your Heart Health
One of the best parts about having an EKG is that it's completely safe. There are no side effects or risks since it's a noninvasive test. The electrodes on your skin read the electrical activity, and there are no electric shocks or discomfort. Take care of your heart health at UMG Urgent Care. Our team is here to help you understand what's going on with your heart and make sure you're in good hands. Visit us at our Columbia, MD location to learn more about how we can keep your heart healthy and strong.