Recent Blog Posts

Urgent care providers offer convenient, time-saving alternatives to visiting an emergency room for minor, non-life-threatening medical conditions. These healthcare centers typically have shorter wait times and offer services like X-rays, urgent treatment of colds and flu, sprains, strains, and fractures, on-site lab tests, and physicals. Urgent care centers provide efficient diagnoses of various health problems, ranging from minor to severe. Some are also equipped with on-site lab testing capabilities so that patients can get results ...

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A sinus infection, or sinusitis, is a frustrating ailment that causes a runny nose, congestion, swollen and/or itching eyes, a sore throat, headaches, and other symptoms. While there isn’t necessarily a quick sinus infection cure, there are certainly ways that you can ease your discomfort and speed up your recovery.  If you’re suffering from sinusitis, know that you aren’t alone; approximately 90% of patients with colds have an element of viral ...

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Local urgent care centers in New Bedford, 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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We’re all aware that COVID-19 (Omicron B.1.1.529…the latest variant) has not only impacted us, but the whole world. It’s appropriate to say that we know more about COVID-19 than we did before. That being said, not every symptom we feel is because of COVID-19. There are other winter illnesses out there that have symptoms of sore throats that we can’t forget about. Take strep throat for instance. It ...

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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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Thyroid disease is an often overlooked yet very common condition that can have a huge impact on your overall health and wellbeing. It can cause a range of symptoms, and potential health issues. Afterall, this small butterfly shaped gland controls more bodily processes than you think! It's important to be aware of the causes, symptoms, and treatments of thyroid disease, so you can catch it early and get the treatment you need to stay ...

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  If you have a young child or are expecting one, you may be concerned about the risk of contracting RSV and other viruses. Unfortunately, little ones aren’t immune to catching RSV this season. It can be particularly dangerous for babies and children who cannot fight off an infection as easily as adults can.   But, adults can also get it, too, especially if they’re immunocompromised! With the recent outbreak of RSV and children’s ...

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The prevalence of diabetes is rising at an alarming rate, and it’s not just impacting adults. It can start at a young age, making the lives of our children more complicated than it already is. This is a condition you don’t want to develop as it usually requires frequent monitoring and management, and of course, because it can be life-threatening. That’s why November has been dedicated to raising awareness about this disease ...

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September and October have always been considered the months where people get their “annual” flu shot. Now, we also have to consider COVID booster shots because the virus continues to mutate. Last year, many people skipped out on their booster shots and flu vaccine causing us to cancel our favorite holidays. AFC Urgent Care New Bedford doesn’t want you to make the same mistake as last year. We are aware of the potential threat ...

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Have you noticed that bees are getting more aggressive lately? It’s not your imagination, and it's pretty common this time of year. This just means that we’re entering angry bee season.  Around this time of the year, late summer and early fall, bees get close to the end of their life cycle and are preparing to die off. During this time, bees become very aggressive and their is a higher chance of ...

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It’s that time of year. August is notorious for back to school shopping, back to school supplies, and most importantly, back to school physicals. Physicals are a great way to determine if they’re healthy, up to date on immunizations, and cleared to participate in school sports. Need answers about what to expect for this year’s back to school physicals? AFC Urgent Care New Bedford has created a guide on what you should ...

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With summer in full swing, we’re spending more time outdoors while soaking up the sun. But did you know that too much time in the sun can be a really bad thing? Summer sun exposure is linked to a number of short and long-term health issues, including sunburns, skin cancer, skin aging, eye problems, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It’s important to remember not to lose sight of UV safety during your summer ...

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Men’s Health month is a very important month that addresses the many health issues that are specific to men that could easily be prevented by getting regular checkups. But, fact:  unlike women, men are less likely to visit the doctor for medical help or preventative care.This makes men more likely to develop health issues with age.  AFC Urgent Care New Bedford wants to help close this gap by offering full checkups for men ...

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I got bitten by a deer tick! “How do you remove a deer tick?” is a very common question people have when encountering one of these little black legged guys. Unlike other ticks, deer ticks carry Lyme disease, which can affect the joints and nervous system. These little buggers love the grassy plains and woodland areas in Massachusetts making them a serious threat to hikers.  As we approach the warmer months, deer ticks will be ...

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Sexually transmitted diseases and infections (also known as STD and STIs) are very common in the U.S and continues to be a growing concern for certain age groups, especially over the last few years. There are an estimated 26 million new infections in the United States each year and almost half of these numbers are young adults between ages 15 and 24. What is the 2nd largest demographic contracting STD’s and STIs? Seniors ...

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Spring has sprung! Flowers are blooming, temperatures are rising and birds are chirping. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, “Ah, spring,” might soon turn into “Ah-choo, spring!” Seasonal allergies, sometimes called hay fever, are allergy symptoms that happen during certain times of the year, usually when outdoor plants release their spores. COVID-19 is still very much a threat and ruling this out will help you take the steps we mentioned above to find allergy relief ...

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Our bet is that you’re probably thinking it’s COVID-19. Not so fast. Not all cases of a sore throat are from COVID-19. Although we are experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases thanks to the Omicron variant, we are also in the middle of flu, cold and strep season. Winter is filled with illnesses.   At this time we are seeing an influx in patients coming in with sore throats. Strep throat is very common ...

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Did you refrain from ringing in the new year with friends and family….again?  As we are seeing, there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases thanks to the Omicron variant over the past two months. If you attended multiple gatherings in the past two weeks, chances are you might have been exposed.  With so many testing options out there, it’s hard to tell the differences between them. We all have heard of a ...

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The holidays are here and families are having their gatherings in larger groups than usual. The main concern is how are we all going to celebrate safely when there are back-to-back holidays? We just made it through Thanksgiving and we just began celebrating Hanukkah.  We hope everyone has been safe, but we can’t guarantee this because not everyone is vaccinated for COVID-19. At the same time, we have The Delta variant circulating around Massachusetts ...

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Are you at risk for diabetes? Understanding the risks and how to prevent it is important because there are more than one “type” of diabetes, and it can be confusing.  Diabetes is a chronic health condition that continues to affect millions of people in the United States every year. And it’s growing.  As the disease can often feel like a life sentence of daily management, it is extra important to be educated this National ...

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