Recent Blog Posts

Local urgent care centers in Chattanooga, or family walk-in clinics, offer patients convenient and affordable urgent healthcare services. When you visit a family walk-in clinic, you can expect quick, quality care at a fraction of the cost of your local emergency room.  Emergency rooms tend to be very busy and crowded and are associated with longer waiting times and higher fees. By going to a walk-in doctor’s office for a non-life-threatening illness or injury ...

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What is an urgent care clinic? And how does it differ from the emergency room? When should you go to the emergency room, and when should you go to an urgent care center? Whatever questions you may have, AFC has the answers.    What Is An Urgent Care Clinic? Urgent care is the level of healthcare that lies between your primary care physician (PCP) and the emergency room. When you go to urgent care, you can ...

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If you suspect a bronchitis or pneumonia infection, you may be feeling pretty sick. Any time our lungs are affected by infection, it can make it harder to breathe normally and can cause a nasty cough. While you may feel sick for a while, the majority of cases will go away on their own in a week or two. That being said, it is crucial that you receive a proper diagnosis for your illness! Certain ...

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There is a lot to enjoy about the winter season in Tennessee! The drop in temperatures and winter activities can make it a fun time of year. The arrival of viral infections, however, is not one of the perks of the season. The common cold and the flu are common illnesses at this point in the year, and COVID-19 continues to stick around. If you are feeling sick, our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team can ...

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Influenza is one of the most common contagious illnesses in the world! Because of this, chances are you have at least had it or been exposed to it already this year. Since it is such a common illness, it is important to understand what symptoms are associated with the flu. If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, there is still time! Getting vaccinated at any point during the season can offer you protection ...

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When you are sick, you can expect to experience a wide variety of different symptoms. Headaches, congestion and a sore throat are all some of the more common side effects of illness. Fever is also a common symptom. While some fevers can cause even more symptoms, others can be present with no symptoms at all! In both cases, your body is working hard to overcome whatever illness you have. Our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team ...

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Getting sick is never on anyone’s to-do list, especially around the holiday season. Unfortunately, this time of year is usually when it is more likely that you will get sick. Influenza is all around us, but we have the tools at our disposal to help ward off serious illness. This is where an annual flu shot comes in handy! Our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team recommends that everyone eligible should get a flu shot ...

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Pregnancy can be such a wild time in your life. All of the changes, planning and preparing can keep you busy from morning until night! The miracle of life is a wonderful thing, but it also can cause some unpleasant symptoms, including headaches. Headaches can happen at any point and can indicate different things based on which trimester you are in. While many headaches are just an annoyance during pregnancy, there is a small possibility ...

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When we stop to think about some of the greatest human inventions, things like the internet, the telephone and the wheel all probably come to mind! We would also add the development of antibiotics to that star-studded list. The development of antibiotics has reduced our risk of serious complications or death due to a bacterial infection drastically. Coming down with an ear infection or strep throat is no longer usually a threat to your life ...

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When you have vertigo, it is more than just a dizzy spell. Your entire body and head is affected and your world seems to continually spin or shift around you. It can be debilitating and begin to impact your daily life. Even though vertigo can be a diagnosis, it is not a disease. Rather, it is a symptom coming from a variety of conditions. Approximately 40% of Americans end up having a case of vertigo ...

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If you start to notice that your child’s back looks curved or he or she is complaining of chronic back pain, you may start to wonder if a spinal issue is to blame. If your child has scoliosis, the spine has formed into an “S” or “C” shape instead of in a vertical line. Having scoliosis can be genetic or an abnormality that happened during development, and sometimes there is no known cause. If ...

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Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are not usually common conversation starters amongst family or friends, but they are actually more prevalent than you think! They happen to millions of Americans every year, and they can range from mild to severe cases. If you think you may be suffering from an STD, it is important to be evaluated and tested right away to prevent long term issues. Our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team will care for ...

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No one wants to break a bone—that much is true. However, broken bones are among the most common injuries in America, as millions of people suffer from them each year. Read on to learn more about fractures and why they should be treated immediately from our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team. What Is a Fracture? A fracture—or a “broken bone,” as it’s commonly known—occurs when a bone completely or partially breaks ...

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Mesenteric adenitis is a condition that affects children and teens more often than adults. This condition occurs when the lymph nodes in the abdomen become swollen when trying to fight off a bacterial or intestinal infection. Our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team highlights important info about mesenteric adenitis below, so keep reading. What Causes Mesenteric Adenitis? The most common cause is a viral or bacterial infection in the intestines, as we said previously. When an ...

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Although spiders do a lot of good, such as ridding households and gardens of unwanted pests, they can also be pests themselves. Plus, they’re pretty terrifying to look at (sorry, spider-lovers). Although most spider bites are relatively harmless, some types of spiders can pack a venomous punch and cause serious side effects. Read on to learn more about spider bites from our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team! How Can I Know If I’ve ...

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If you’ve had a kidney stone before, you know what symptoms to be on the lookout for again. If you’ve never had a kidney stone, though, and you start to experience lots of pain in your side and a burning sensation when urinating, how are you supposed to know for sure that what you’re experiencing is a kidney stone? Our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team shares some helpful answers below, so keep ...

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Seasonal allergies are things that so many people struggle with each year. They can come on strong, and they can be hard to shake. Many people deal with them for years and years and just accept it. While that is OK, we believe it’s important to know what typically causes seasonal allergies and what you can do to combat them so they don’t interfere with your daily life in a significant way. Read ...

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Bruising is a part of life. Bruises show up after you do things like play contact sports or bump hard into a chair or table. For some, though, they show up often without seemingly having real initial cause. Read on to learn more about bruising from our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team! What Exactly Is a Bruise? A bruise is a common skin injury that results in a discoloration of the skin. Blood from damaged ...

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Gastrointestinal diseases and disorders affect millions of Americans every year. While the symptoms that you continue to experience might seem commonplace to you, they might be a sign that you are actually experiencing a GI disease. Since many GI diseases share similar symptoms, diagnosis can be challenging. Learn more about GI diseases and their diagnoses from our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team below! What Are GI Diseases? Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases affect the gastrointestinal tract, which ...

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Mono (medically known as mononucleosis) is a common illness, and it’s especially common among young adults. It’s often referred to as the “kissing disease,” since it is most often transmitted to others by kissing or sharing of bodily fluids, like saliva. Extreme fatigue is the most famous of mono symptoms, but can cases of mono result in anything worse than that? They can, and our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team explains further below ...

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