The holiday season has arrived in the Athens area once more, and we are so excited to get started celebrating. No matter what holidays you observe or how you choose to celebrate, chances are that you will be spending a lot more time with friends and family at this time of year. All of this extra time means that the risk of getting sick increases as well, which can be problematic and can interrupt your ...
Getting Strep Without Tonsils? Is It Possible? AFC Athens TN Has Answers for You Is getting strep without tonsils possible? The short answer is yes. Strep throat is caused by a particular strain of bacteria, group A Streptococcus. These bacteria can live in the nose and mouth. The bacteria are spread through an infected person's saliva or mucus and contact with contaminated surfaces and objects. A person without tonsils can contract the infection if ...
Can Bronchitis Turn Into Pneumonia? Can bronchitis turn into pneumonia? In some cases, this happens when the inflammation of the bronchial tubes persists for some time and is not treated properly, leading to a bacterial or viral infection that can cause pneumonia. When bronchitis becomes severe, the tiny hair-like structures (cilia) that line the bronchi can become damaged, making it difficult for mucus to clear from the lungs. This trapped mucus creates a breeding ground ...
What Are the Degrees of Burns? A Guide to Identifying Burns So, what are the degrees of burns? If you’ve been wondering how to identify burns, we’ve got the answers for you. Burns are a common injury that can occur from various sources, including hot liquids, fire, chemicals, and sun exposure. Depending on the severity of the burn, it can range from a minor inconvenience to a life-threatening emergency. Therefore, it is crucial ...
Upper respiratory infections become much more common in the fall and winter months, and we are already seeing a spike in different infections across our community. While there are many different upper respiratory infections, RSV is one of the most common illnesses that impact us during this time of year. It has the potential to make certain populations really sick, so knowing what symptoms to look for is crucial. Read on as our AFC Urgent ...
Can you believe it is already time to start talking about influenza? This year went by fast, and we are already starting to see flu cases rise around us for the season. Getting your flu shot early in the season helps give you the best protection against the most common strains of the flu for this upcoming year. Our AFC Urgent Care Athens, TN team explains more about the flu and how to stay healthy ...
As a prominent care provider of accessible primary care, urgent care, and occupational medicine services nationwide, American Family Care (AFC) is uniquely positioned to guide and educate the public on pertinent health issues, such as the FDA’s recent decisions on the effectiveness of oral phenylephrine. The FDA held a Non-Prescription Drug Advisory Committee meeting on September 11-12, 2023, to deliberate on the effectiveness of oral phenylephrine as an active ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) cough ...
No one wants to get sick, but it can be especially frustrating if you start to experience symptoms that are common across many illnesses. Is it COVID-19, strep throat, the flu or just a simple cold? A runny nose or a fever is probably not enough to diagnose yourself on your own, which is where we come in! Our AFC Urgent Care Athens, TN team can evaluate your symptoms and offer a more reliable and ...
Why You Should See an Urgent Care Doctor for Wart Removal Home remedies for warts might not be as effective as you hope, so we recommend seeing an urgent care doctor for wart removal to treat these pesky growths at their source. Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can appear almost anywhere on the body, causing both physical discomfort and self-consciousness. This article takes you through everything you need to know about ...
It certainly has been a tumultuous few years dealing with the pandemic and various strains of the COVID-19 virus. We are grateful that the number of infections have dropped dramatically over the years, but it is still circulating throughout our community. In fact, there has recently been a rise in cases in the South. That means we all need to be vigilant and remember our prevention strategies so we can stay safe and healthy this ...
Sports Physicals: Getting Ready to Go Back to School Before hitting the field, court, or track, there's a crucial checkpoint that ensures the well-being of our student-athletes: sports physicals. These check-ups are a proactive approach to safeguarding the health and performance of young athletes. They not only fulfill school and sports league requirements but also serve as a comprehensive assessment to detect and prevent potential health issues. Pre-Register The Importance of Sports Physicals Physicals ...
It is normal to experience all kinds of changes to your body as you age. While getting older is certainly a blessing, it can bring about challenges that you didn’t expect, including at-home falls. Falling or tripping when you were younger was often not a big deal and you would hop back up with maybe a bruise. When you are older, though, that same fall could lead to a serious injury like a broken ...
Most health professionals will tell you that a well-rounded diet and exercise are crucial to your health. That is certainly true, but don’t forget about your daily routine! Poor habits, like smoking, have a direct impact on your overall health and can cause some serious health issues for you later in life. Tobacco is highly addictive, and it can be really hard to think about quitting. However, putting down the cigarettes for good will ...
I Have an STD, But I'm Not Sexually Active If you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) but are not sexually active, there are a few reasons why this could be the case. "STD" refers to the constellation of diseases that result from a sexually transmitted infection (STI). For example, cervical cancer is an STD from the STI of HPV. Though it is possible to contract an STI even if you are not ...
Contracting an STD is a common issue across the country! While the nature of the illness can be sensitive, it should be treated just like any other illness you come down with. Testing for it and treating your symptoms will help prevent the STD from getting worse, and it stops the spread from person to person. Your sexual health impacts your overall health, so you should always make it a priority. Getting tested for STDs ...
Diagnosing and treating illnesses often takes some investigative work. While some illnesses are pretty straightforward and can be diagnosed with a simple physical exam, others require a bit more digging in order to find the right diagnosis. In order to do so, we have to have a few different diagnostic tools under our belts. One of these tools is our state-of-the-art lab we have right on site! This lab helps us run a wide variety ...
If you enjoy spending time in the Great Outdoors, chances are you have encountered at least a few bug bites in your life. While most of them are just a mild annoyance and a bit itchy, they are normally nothing to worry about. However, if you don’t see what bit you immediately, it can be a bit worrisome! Allergic reactions can happen at any point, even if you have never had a reaction to ...
No one wants to think about the possibility of developing a memory disease as they age. Losing precious memories and connections with loved ones is hard on everyone involved. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are relatively common. In fact, there are almost 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s right now. Memory conditions are often genetic, but there are things you can do to support your brain as you age to help ...
Getting hurt is never fun. It can be painful, frustrating and even scary if the injury is severe enough. While many injuries are minor and heal on their own with time, what happens when the injury you thought was no big deal is lingering and causing you significant pain? That’s where our team comes in to help! Our AFC center is fully equipped with an X-ray machine and highly skilled X-ray technicians who can ...
It can be frustrating to get sick, no matter what you are suffering from. But it can be especially frustrating to start feeling ill after going out for a fun dinner with friends or making a delicious meal at home. If your stomach starts to hurt and you are experiencing other gastrointestinal symptoms, you may start to wonder if you came down with food poisoning. Food poisoning can occur due to many different kinds of ...
