Recent Blog Posts

Local urgent care centers in Natick, 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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“I thought strep throat was a symptom of COVID-19?”. You may have seen this question circulating across the internet, but strep throat is actually a completely different illness. The major difference between the two is that strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection while COVID-19 is a viral infection. We get that it’s confusing, but don’t always assume it’s COVID-19. We’re seeing patients coming in with sore throats, but they ...

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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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The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front of the neck. Sadly, millions of Americans are diagnosed with a Thyroid condition. Thyroid disease is a common endocrine disorder, and can cause a wide range of symptoms, from fatigue and weight gain to depression and anxiety. Being educated on Thyroid Disease will help you better understand the cause, symptoms, and treatments available.  You may be at a higher risk of developing a thyroid ...

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RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common respiratory virus that can make anyone with a weak immune system or pre-existing lung conditions very ill. While RSV usually has no lasting effects, it can be especially dangerous for very young children and people 65 years of age and older. In these groups, RSV may cause serious complications like pneumonia or bronchiolitis (swollen airways in the lungs).  Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your child’s risk ...

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Are you worried about your blood sugar levels before the holidays? Us too! Last year, our holiday season got canceled for the most part, but this year it’s looking like it’s going to actually happen and you know what that means? Grandma's stuffing and holiday sweets and treats! If you can’t remember the last time you had your A1C levels checked, then it’s probably time to get that done because ...

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Last year, we got ahead of ourselves with social gatherings during the Thanksgiving and winter holidays causing many of us to get sick with both the flu and COVID. But, because COVID and flu have symptoms that overlap, it gives us more of a reason to avoid them this 2022 winter season because we also have to worry about the monkeypox virus. What a trifecta with the potential to cancel our favorite holidays again.  AFC ...

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Bees are suddenly swarming your outdoor picnics, playgrounds and parks. It’s not your imagination. Angry bee season is upon us and it’s time to prepare for bee stings, bee swarms and bee allergies. Why? Because bees are getting close to the end of their life cycle and are preparing to die off. Their resources are almost depleted and they’re fighting to survive, making them more angry, aggressive and in a stinging mood ...

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Have you booked your child’s back to school physical yet? Let’s help you cross it off your checklist. Whether they decide to play a fall sport or need updated immunizations, a physical at AFC Urgent Care Natick will help cover all of this so that your little trooper is prepared for the 2022 school year. Here is what you should know about getting your child a physical. An Annual Physical Will Build Your ...

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UV Safety Awareness month may seem like a buzzkill to your summer plans, but it’s actually for your own good. The truth is that UV rays are very harmful to the body and it does more than just give you a “tan”. When it comes down to it, protecting yourself from harmful UV rays is actually pretty easy - especially when you brush up your knowledge on what UV rays are and ways to prevent ...

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June is Men's Health Month, and it's an important time to reflect on the many ways in which men can improve their health and wellbeing. There are many different health problems that are specific to men, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and cardiovascular disease- which affects the lives of millions of men every year. Men are also more likely to experience injuries than women, and are more likely to die from accidents ...

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Let’s face it; deer ticks and people are just not meant for each other. One loves to hike while the other loves to bite and give unwanted diseases like Lyme disease. If you ever get bitten by a deer tick, you better hope it’s a short-lived marriage because Lyme disease is not something you want to get.  The truth is, deer ticks are very sneaky and they like to latch onto you without ...

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There are good things and bad things about sex. It’s supposed to be fun and adventurous. That being said, it can also become scary and not fun when you get an unwanted STD. ‘How did this happen?’ Is something many of you might be asking. The truth is, STDs are silent and sneaky. Most don’t show outward symptoms,  and if left undetected or untreated, can be passed on to someone else. Also, it ...

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The signs of spring are all around; flowers blooming, warmer weather, noses sneezing, and chests wheezing. Yes indeed, spring can be a beautiful time of the year, but it’s also peak time for spring allergies. After all, we did have a warm winter causing a “priming effect” that made our immune systems more sensitive to tree and grass pollen. AFC Urgent Care Natick is here to help you prepare for a severe spring allergy ...

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“I thought strep throat was a symptom of COVID-19?”. You may have seen this question circulating across the internet, but strep throat is actually a completely different illness. The major difference between the two is that strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection while COVID-19 is a viral infection. Both are highly contagious and a sore throat is a very common symptom between the two. But, how can you tell if your sore throat ...

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Have you ever been told to get a certain type of COVID-19 test over another, but never knew why? We’ve all been there. But, no one ever explains the differences between the tests,  making COVID-19 testing pretty confusing.  What’s the deal with all the Rapid COVID-19 tests?! Aren’t they all the same thing? The type of COVID-19 test you take actually matters because you don’t want to get a false negative ...

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  The holidays are here and many of us are trying to take extra precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19. We may not have as many restrictions as last year, but late November and December are filled with holidays and gatherings that may increase the chance of contracting COVID-19 if we’re not too careful. Although we can’t eliminate all risk, we can mitigate it, especially by creating various kinds of accommodations for people with higher ...

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When was the last time you checked your blood sugar levels? If you can’t remember the last time, then it’s probably time to get them checked because you might be at risk for developing diabetes. Being diagnosed with diabetes often leads to other health complications that can increase your risk for other diseases like cardiovascular disease.  There are millions of people who are not aware of the symptoms or signs of diabetes and ...

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The 2021/2022 Flu season is approaching and many of us are wondering what to expect, since COVID-19 is still around. Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine or the flu shot? If you ask us, we highly suggest getting both so that you can avoid the dreaded “twindemic”. The CDC states that you can, in fact, receive both at the same time. In response to this, we have new updates to the flu vaccines to ...

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Angry bee season is already upon us and it’s time to prepare for bee stings and bee swarms. During the late summer and early fall, bees and wasps become very aggressive and can potentially sting you if provoked.   Why? Because they’re getting close to the end of their season and are preparing to die off. Their resources are almost depleted and they’re fighting to survive, making them more angry and more aggressive ...

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