Recent Blog Posts

If you haven’t already seen it, within the next few weeks, you’ll notice everyone around you coughing, sneezing, and looking downright miserable. Cold and flu season is here! A typical flu season can last from late November through March. Along with getting vaccinated for the flu, practicing good hygiene and health habits can keep germs at bay, and will help you avoid catching a cold. Here are a few ways you can protect ...

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Occupational Health refers to the many disciplines devoted to the safety and well-being of employees in the workplace, often concentrating on injury prevention. Even with solid practices in place, accidents do occur, and having an experienced occupational healthcare provider you trust can make all the difference. Workplace injuries can result in lost time, indemnity costs, and lower productivity for an employer. Studies have shown that the same workplace injury can have catastrophic consequences to the ...

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The beautiful New England falls brings along the dreaded flu season, a time of year where everyone is coughing, sneezing, and looking downright miserable. Flu season is here, and you’re not exempt from getting sick if you’re not careful. Even the healthiest of us can catch the flu, especially spending a lot of time indoors around others who may be sick. Want to avoid catching the flu? There are a few actions you ...

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Veteran Physician to Lead Medical Operations for Area’s Premier Walk-in Clinic   (Edgewater, Maryland – February 6, 2017) – American Family Care (AFC), the nation’s leading provider of urgent care, accessible primary care, and occupational medicine, welcomes Dr. Jerry Ann Hunter to the AFC team as Medical Director. In her new role Dr. Hunter will oversee all clinical and lab services at the AFC’s medical center in Edgewater, Maryland.   Prior to joining AFC, Dr. Hunter ...

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The summer may be winding down however the suns rays are not! Just because the weather may not be as hot does not mean you cannot get sunburned. Did you know sunburn is the main cause of melanoma cancer? Melanoma cancer is the worlds most common form of cancer. Use these tips to stay away from sunburn! What is sunburn? The sun releases three types of ultraviolet rays, UVA, UVB, UVC.  UVA & UVB are the ...

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As Mother’s Day approaches, most of us are planning visits and meals or hunting for a last-minute gift to celebrate Mom. Whether you’re a mom, a dad, or just a grateful child, Mother’s Day is a great time to think about health. After all, we want Mom to be around forever! At AFC Urgent Care , we’re urging moms to use the day as a way to make health a priority. In ...

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Summertime brings many opportunities for outdoor activities. From camping and hiking to playing tag in the backyard, kids and adults alike can enjoy the warm weather. Make sure your family takes the following precautions to avoid missing outdoor fun due to mosquito and tick bites. Before you go outside: Use bug repellent on your skin and clothing. The CDC recommends wearing an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains active ingredients such as DEET or picaridin. Wear ...

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Poison ivy is the most common allergy in the United States, affecting about 50 million people every year. The rash from poison ivy is caused by an allergic reaction to urushiol, an oily substance in the leaves, stems and roots of poison ivy, through direct contact. Urushiol is also found in poison oak and poison sumac, which means the rash can be contracted by interacting with any of the three plants. Other than direct contact ...

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When it comes to treating your seasonal allergies with home remedies, there’s usually more fiction than fact. There are healing claims about everything from apple cider vinegar to local bee pollen. The doctors at American Family Care understand that not everyone wants to grab a drug off of the pharmacy counter, but people want to be able to breathe too! So are there any proven natural remedies that the doctors here at AFC can ...

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Life might be easier if kids came with an instruction book. Most parents usually have enough questions to fill one and it can be extra difficult when your child is looking to you for answers and you don’t have any. That is especially true when they don’t feel good. All they want is for you to “fix it and make it better” but that’s hard to do when you aren’t so ...

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While there is a lot of talk about the ‘universal health benefits’ of going gluten-free, there are many aspects of the lifestyle that most people are still unsure or unaware about. We believe that there is some truth out there, but that it is also important to clear the air on some of the bigger gluten and gluten-free myths Myth #1: Everyone should try going Gluten-free! Unless you have been medically diagnosed with celiac disease ...

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As the blissful fragrance of the new season fills the air, the grass turns bright green and birds sing their cheerful tune, most of us will opt outside to reap the benefits of beautiful weather. However, for more than 50 million allergy sufferers in the U.S., seasonal triggers can put a real damper on the blossoms of spring. With everything on the market today, from over-the-counter tablets to doctor prescribed nasal sprays, choosing the ...

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As long as Jenna can remember, every spring and fall in Ohio brought a familiar rite of passage, red, watery, puffy eyes that were hard to keep open at times, and bouts of near-constant “a-choos” that literally brought her to a standstill because, well, you can’t walk and see where you’re going when your eyes are half closed and you’re sneezing your fool head off. Between tree pollens in the spring, and ...

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Through social media, television and in magazines, we constantly hear about the importance of physical activity for keeping our bodies fit and healthy. However, we don’t often hear about how important it is to keep our brain fit. According to Be Brain Fit, performing brain exercises regularly can increase memory, focus and concentration. It can also improve self-confidence, motivation and productivity while enhancing fluid intelligence, creativity and mental flexibility. Brain exercises, referred to as ...

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Many allergy sufferers feel they are waging a battle with the great outdoors this spring season, trying to keep watery eyes, runny noses and itchy throats from keeping them down. But the truth is, allergies can be triggered just as much by allergens hiding inside your home as they can by the ones outdoors. Before you lock yourself indoors to avoid the spring allergy season, the team at American Family Care wants to make you ...

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When the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and a light breeze is blowing, it is oh-so-tempting to throw open the windows and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of spring. Maybe you are even itching (pun intended) to roll up your sleeves and tackle some serious spring cleaning. But if you are one of the more than 20 million sufferers of allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, you know that picture-perfect scene brings ...

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The signs of spring are all around; flowers blooming, bees buzzing, noses sneezing, and chests wheezing. Yes indeed, spring can be a beautiful time of the year, but it’s also a peak time for seasonal allergies. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), allergies are a major cause of illness in the United States. As many as 50 million people — about one in five — suffer from allergies. Seasonal allergies, like other ...

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It seems like no sooner does the sneezing and wheezing from one season end that the next one begins. And so it goes. The winter cold and flu season that ravaged the country was a doozy. Now, we are enjoying longer days, more sunshine and nature’s reproduction cycle at work. Which is to say, pollen season is upon us. Just look outside. Cooler states started to see plants release pollen in February and March ...

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" You’ve probably had that scratchy, itchy feeling. The one that starts in the back of your throat and suddenly turns into a painful burning sensation. Some people say it’s like trying to swallow broken glass. Now that’s a pretty vivid description of the common sore throat and if you have ever had one that bad then you’re not likely to forget it. Usually, a simple sore throat will come along with ...

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If you’ve gotten your flu shot already, great job! You’re much better protected against getting the flu this flu season. And if you still haven’t gotten your yearly flu shot yet, there’s no time to waste! Protecting yourself against the flu is vital to your health, as well as the health of those around you, and as we approach peak flu season you’re more likely than before to catch the ...

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