Vaccinations are one of the biggest public health innovations in history. Because of the myriad vaccines we have available, we have completely or nearly eliminated several devastating diseases, saving countless lives in the process. Diseases like measles, mumps, whooping cough and chickenpox can be debilitating, or even fatal. In order to keep your children — and other students— healthy, you must ensure their vaccinations are up-to-date before school starts. AFC Urgent Care is there for you ...
If your child plays team sports through their school, you are probably looking forward to cheering them on during their season, and planning out your schedule around their practices. But have you planned for their sports physical yet? The pre-participation sports physical is required almost universally in the United States. Sports physicals help prevent risk and assess the health and fitness of children to ensure the activity will be healthy for them. Here’s why ...
The summer equinox, also known as the longest day of the year, was June 20, and the rest of summer is looking pretty bright. With the sun shining that much, most people will be applying more sunscreen than usual. But here at AFC Urgent Care, we know that you need just as much sunscreen on cloudy days and during the winter as you do now. Sun damage can sneak up on your skin if you ...
Summertime is the best time for grilling outdoors with family and friends. But while you're grilling and chilling, we at AFC Urgent Care want to make sure you are staying safe, as well. So take some time to remember these tips for your next summer barbecue, and you'll be better prepared to keep you and your family safe around the grill. Grill Away from Your House It may come as no surprise that ...
Zika virus is a growing concern for people traveling this summer, as it has begun spreading rapidly through new regions in Central America and the United States. Zika virus typically has very mild symptoms, but it can put people at risk of complications such as infant microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. There is currently no cure or vaccine for the Zika virus. AFC Urgent Care wants you and your family to be protected while on vacation ...
Growing up, Dad looked out for your health and safety to make sure you reached adulthood in one piece. Now that Dad is getting older, there are things you can do to return the favor. If you see some healthy changes your dad could make in his life, but you don’t know how to help him do so, read on! AFC Urgent Care can help you navigate the sometimes-tricky conversations about Dad’s health ...
Growing up, Dad looked out for your health and safety to make sure you reached adulthood in one piece. Now that Dad is getting older, there are things you can do to return the favor. If you see some healthy changes your dad could make in his life, but you don’t know how to help him do so, read on! AFC Urgent Care can help you navigate the sometimes-tricky conversations about Dad’s health ...
Summer is prime time for beach action, and for good reason! The surf and the sand are so much easier to enjoy when it’s warm enough to play in them. But there are some risks you might not know about lurking in the depths. As we reach the end of Rip Current Awareness Week on June 5 through June 11, 2016, it's important to remember to practice safe beach behaviors any time you ...
Before we dive into this controversial topic, let's put safety first. If you are sexually active, then there's no excuse not to schedule confidential STD testing ASAP. You can even find same day STD testing at an urgent care clinic near you. Many Americans have heard of the most common STDs, and millions will contract one or more of these infections in their lifetime. Common sexually transmitted diseases include things like chlamydia, gonorrhea ...
What would the world be like with no tobacco use? For one day, the World Health Organization (WHO) wants us to try and find out. WHO coordinates the annual World No Tobacco Day with the goal of eliminating tobacco use around the world. This year, the goal of World No Tobacco Day is to encourage countries to legislate the packaging allowances for tobacco companies. Plain packaging is proven to reduce the attractiveness of smoking and ...
Gorgeous spring and summer weather means it’s time for the whole family to head outside! But your family members aren’t the only ones wanting to enjoy the warmer weather — this time of year is when all kinds of bugs like to come out in full force. While we love seeing all the pretty ladybugs, buzzing bumblebees and beautiful butterflies, there are some creepy crawlies that we wish we could avoid. In addition to ...
Injuries can happen when you least expect them — and they can be disorienting and chaotic when they do occur. You may be in too much pain to help yourself, or it may be during a time when your primary care doctor’s office is closed. So how can you get help when you need it? And what can you do to treat the injury on your own? Find out what to do in the event ...
Physical health is important to us all. Getting proper care when it comes to health is even more important. While only 29% of primary care doctors offer after-hours coverage, there are still many advantages to seeing your primary car physician over a physician at a walk-in clinic or after hours urgent care facility. Considering the wait time in emergency departments has increased from 46.5 minutes to 58.1 minutes in the United States from ...
Mother knows best when you’re growing up, but even the most informed and well-meaning mothers sometimes gave us advice that we later discovered wasn’t quite right. We here at AFC urgent Care took a list of some of the most popular pieces of motherly health advice and evaluated them. Read on to find out which pieces passed muster, and which ones we can leave behind! Put hydrogen peroxide on that scrape! Verdict: Not ...
Now that spring is in full swing, you and your family will likely be spending more time outside taking part in activities and enjoying the beautiful weather. However, there are some dangers unique to the outdoors that you should be aware of, to keep your family healthy all season. Here at AFC Urgent Care, we have some tips on how to avoid a seasonal trip to your urgent care center! Wear sunscreen — even when it ...
Spring is finally upon us, and after a long winter of hibernation, we are all ready to clean out the clutter and start our spring cleaning. But be careful! With spring cleaning comes the risk of injury, and every year more than 21 million people visit emergency rooms and urgent care facilities as a result of home improvement and cleaning injuries. Tips for Staying Safe and Healthy During Spring Cleaning Make sure stairs and floors ...
Alcohol is one of the most popular addictive drugs on the planet, but it’s one that people still haven’t quite learned how to use safely. Every year, more than 2.6 million Americans are hospitalized due to complications or injuries related to alcohol. April is Alcohol Awareness Month, so to help bring attention to this issue and give you the tools to enjoy a drink safely, AFC/Doctors Express compiled a list of ...
It’s early spring, which means it’s time for all young athletes to get ready to join their teams to compete in the spring, summer or fall. According to a report Sports and Fitness Industry Association, about 21.47 million children in the United States participate in organized sports, which comes to about 75 percent of boys and 69 percent of girls. One essential step in your preparation for your sport of choice should ...
Medicine is probably one of mankind’s biggest accomplishments. It can be listed up there with farming, electricity and the microchip as one of the advances that fundamentally changed how people lived, mainly because it gave us power over our own bodies that we had never had before. It might seem counter intuitive to think that medications could ever hurt us, but the reality is that medication misuse and adverse reactions cause more than 700 ...
The U.S. healthcare industry has always been subject to change. It's not easy to keep a rising population of about 300 million people healthy. Then you have to consider that as our society changes, our illnesses and need for treatment change, too. The industry has to reflect the changes in our society or we face dire health consequences on a larger scale. One such emergent issue that the healthcare industry must adapt to ...
