Recent Blog Posts

Local urgent care centers in Ooltewah, 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 ...

Read more..

Are you dreaming of the warm summer months? We sure are! While we wait out the rest of this winter with the hope of spring on the horizon, it is important to check in with your mental health from time to time. Mild bouts of sadness or feelings of occasional loneliness are typically just a part of life, but lingering or worsening feelings could indicate an emerging seasonal affective disorder diagnosis. Our connection to the ...

Read more..

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 ...

Read more..

Both bronchitis and pneumonia share similar symptoms, so it can be hard to tell on your own what you are suffering from. While you may know that a deep cough that produces mucus might indicate a lung infection, we have the tools and equipment necessary to provide you with a more accurate diagnosis. If left untreated, bronchitis and pneumonia can turn into more severe infections that are actually life threatening. This is why it is ...

Read more..

The winter season has a lot of perks, but the spike in viral infections is not one of them. When the temperatures drop, viruses like the common cold and influenza tend to spike and linger throughout the entire season. When you start feeling ill, it can be hard to determine what you are suffering from on your own. We can help! Our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team can help diagnose your condition, and we can ...

Read more..

Influenza is making the rounds, and the cold and flu season is in full swing in the new year already. Because of this, it is important to refresh your memory about the most common symptoms and some treatment options if the flu enters your home this season. We want your entire family to stay healthy this year! If you haven’t yet, come see us for your annual flu shot. In addition, check out our ...

Read more..

If you or someone in your family is fighting off an illness, chances are that a fever may make an appearance. Fevers are a natural reaction to illness in our bodies, so seeing a high temperature on a thermometer should not be an immediate cause for concern. Not all fevers can make you feel sick, so even if you officially have a fever, you don’t necessarily need to treat it unless you are experiencing ...

Read more..

<img src="https://www.afcurgentcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AFC-Urgent-Care-Ooltewah-Tennessee-Flu-Shot.jpg" alt="Do I Need a Flu Shot Every Year?"><p>When the weather gets colder, the flu becomes much more prevalent and widespread. While some people will only experience mild symptoms, others can become seriously ill and even be at risk of death due to complications.</p> <p>We are so grateful that the flu vaccine exists! It has been effective against the flu for over 50 years, and a shot is recommended every year to protect you from serious illness. Read on as our AFC Urgent ...

Read more..

When you are pregnant, there is so much on your mind. Planning, preparing, dreaming about your child and taking care of yourself can occupy your entire day! Along with all of the preparation comes an increase in bodily changes. With so much change happening in your body, a resulting symptom like headaches can be common throughout each trimester. While most headaches are only a minor nuisance, some can indicate a serious problem called preeclampsia. Our ...

Read more..

Being a parent is certainly a hard job! In addition to taking care of your children on a daily basis, the cold and flu season brings extra challenges to your home. One illness in particular that worries many parents is respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. While anyone can contract RSV, it is especially dangerous to infants, small children and those who are immunocompromised. If your little one starts to exhibit some cold-like symptoms, it may ...

Read more..

We owe a lot of our improved health in the last century to the development of antibiotics. They are an incredibly effective tool at tackling certain illnesses, and they reduce the rate of death due to infection complications significantly. But it is important to know that they are only helpful against bacterial infections, so you need to know what illness you are suffering from in order to seek the appropriate treatment. Read on to get ...

Read more..

If you find yourself in a particular dizzy spell, it can be unpleasant to get up and move around! Feeling off-balance can make daily life difficult. When you have vertigo, that sensation is increased greatly and can be debilitating. Vertigo is much more than just a simple case of being dizzy. Your entire world and surroundings will feel like they are moving and it can make it impossible to get around or move your head ...

Read more..

Scoliosis can be an uncomfortable and painful condition that affects the entire body. If you have scoliosis, it means that your spine is more curved than it should be. The vertebrae that support your back are typically interlocked in a straight line, but if you have scoliosis, your spine is “S” or “C” shaped. The majority of scoliosis cases don’t have a known cause, so the best course of treatment is usually symptom management ...

Read more..

Discussing your sexual health may not be at the top of your list of favorite topics of conversation, but it is incredibly important to your overall health! Sexually transmitted diseases are very common in the United States, so know that you are not alone if you think you may have contracted an STD. If your partner tells you that he or she has an STD after you have been together for a while or if ...

Read more..

Keeping your kids active is one of the best things you can do for them. If your child has an asthma diagnosis, it is even more important to foster a healthy relationship with exercise. While it can seem scary to watch your child run around knowing that an attack could happen at any moment, there are ways that you can reduce that risk every day! We can help support a positive relationship between your child ...

Read more..

If you have children who are heavily involved in sports, you know how busy life can get! From games to camps to tournaments, they are constantly in motion. But what if the unexpected happens and your child accidentally gets injured while playing his or her favorite sport? Our team at AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah frequently treats sports-related injuries, and we have some tips and insight to share below. Are Some Sports More Dangerous Than Others ...

Read more..

Did you know? Around 2 million fractures happen each year in the United States, which makes this issue one of the most biggest reasons people seek medical care every year. There are many different types of fractures, but they all need immediate medical care for bones to heal properly. Read on to learn more about them from our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team! What Exactly Is a Fracture? A fracture is the medical term for ...

Read more..

"It can be tough to tell the difference between mesenteric adenitis and appendicitis. Both conditions cause similar symptoms, but the latter is much more serious than the former. Read on to learn more about both from our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team! What Is Mesenteric Adenitis? Mesenteric adenitis refers to the swelling of the lymph nodes in the abdomen. It’s often caused by a viral or bacterial infection in the intestines, which then causes ...

Read more..

To many, spiders are pretty darn scary. Even though these creepy-crawlers do a lot to maintain our beautiful spring lawns and gardens, they pack a punch and can bite when provoked. Thankfully, though, out of the 3,000 types of spiders in the United States, the majority of them won’t cause serious symptoms if they bite you. Read on to learn more from our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team! How Will I Know If ...

Read more..

Do you know someone who has had a kidney stone? If so, you likely have heard they are very painful and aren’t any fun at all to experience. While this is certainly the case, kidney stones are highly treatable. Our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team further highlights what you need to know about kidney stones below, so keep reading! What Are Kidney Stones? Kidney stones are hard objects that are made up of chemicals ...

Read more..