Recent Blog Posts

Dealing with sinus pressure and other cold symptoms can be uncomfortable and exhausting. Congestion, headaches, and facial pressure often make it difficult to focus or get a good night’s sleep. While most colds resolve on their own, there are practical ways to relieve symptoms quickly and feel more comfortable as your body recovers. Sinus pressure can be uncomfortable, and sometimes signals that you have a secondary infection called a sinus infection. If you’re ...

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Winter brings chilly weather, shorter days, and unfortunately, a higher risk of flu. Influenza viruses spread more easily during colder months, making it important to take proactive steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. While no strategy can guarantee complete immunity, simple, practical measures can significantly reduce your chances of catching the flu this season. The flu can cause severe symptoms. If you’re feeling sick, walk into AFC Urgent Care Southcenter for rapid ...

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Is a cough keeping you up at night? Coughing is a natural reflex that our bodies use to clear debris from the airway and respiratory system. However, when you’re sick, pathogens can cause persistent irritation in the lungs and sinuses, leading to a cough that keeps you up at night. Keep reading to learn about common causes of a nighttime cough and why your cough seems to worsen at night. If you’re suffering ...

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When the temperature starts to drop during the fall, cases of contagious illnesses tend to increase. Viral infections like colds and the flu can easily spread in an indoor environment like an office or school. While getting a cold is a minor illness which often goes away on its own, colds can cause irritating and unpleasant symptoms like severe congestion, coughing and fatigue. In some cases, colds can cause earaches due to the build up ...

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Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system. It can lead to a variety of symptoms, primarily affecting the lungs and airway. RSV also usually causes a fever as an immune response to the infection. While most healthy adults experience mild symptoms, RSV can lead to severe symptoms, especially for anyone who is considered ‘at-risk’. This includes young children, the elderly and anyone with underlying lung conditions. Keep reading ...

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Feeling stuffed up? Congestion is a common symptom associated with mild viral infections, seasonal allergies, and environmental irritants. While congestion is usually easily managed at home and goes away with time and proper management, severe cases of congestion can lead to a sinus infection forming. Sinus infections are secondary infections that lead to bacterial growth within blocked sinus passages. However, luckily sinus infections are preventable with proper symptom management in most cases. If you’re ...

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Being sick is never fun. Having an upset stomach due to an illness can seriously disrupt your daily life. Upset stomachs and symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by a wide range of different conditions. Understanding potential causes can help you determine whether you should seek medical care for treatment. This article will review common causes of an upset stomach and when your symptoms may indicate that you should seek medical care. If ...

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During the fall, illness cases tend to skyrocket. With kids back in school and the temperatures dropping, illnesses spread quickly. There are many different conditions that circulate in the fall, including colds, COVID-19, the flu, strep throat, and more. The flu and COVID-19 are both viral infections that can lead to severe illness, especially for young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Keep reading to learn more about how to differentiate flu symptoms from COVID-19 ...

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When the weather’s hot and the sun is out, it can be tempting to lie outside and soak up some sun. Sun exposure can be dangerous if you don’t adequately protect yourself. Sunburns can happen quickly, even when it’s shady. Most sunburns are mild and will heal on their own after a few days out of the sun, but in severe cases, they can cause serious symptoms like blistering. Keep reading to ...

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During the summertime, the last thing on your mind might be whether you have a cold. However, summertime colds can happen. Colds share symptoms with many other conditions, including seasonal allergies and COVID-19. It is important to know the difference between these conditions so that you know how to best treat your symptoms and when to self-isolate. This article will discuss some of the common summertime symptoms of COVID-19. At AFC Southcenter, our walk-in clinic ...

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As the weather warms up, stinging insects come back in full force. Although they often won’t sting unprovoked, bee and wasp stings can be incredibly painful and even cause anaphylaxis for individuals with allergies to their venom. If you’re stung by an insect, it is important to understand when you may need to seek medical care and how to treat your sting at home effectively. Keep reading to learn more about how to ...

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Ear infections are bacterial infections that occur deep within the ear canal. They can happen to anyone, but are most common in young children due to their small ear canals. Ear infections can happen due to a variety of different conditions and circumstances. In the summertime, water being trapped within the ear canal after swimming is a very common cause. In some cases, ear infections can heal on their own; however, they do sometimes require ...

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When the sun comes out and the weather warms up after a long winter, the earth defrosts and begins a new blooming season. While the warmer weather may tempt you to go outdoors, the spring allergies can make it difficult to get outside and smell the flowers. Spring allergies can cause a variety of different symptoms depending on how severe your allergies are. Feeling tired and fatigued during spring allergy season is completely normal, but ...

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Small injuries happen all the time. In most cases, a small cut like a paper cut will heal on its own without medical intervention. However, even with a small injury, it is important to understand how to prevent and identify signs of an infection. Infections can happen quickly and cause uncomfortable symptoms like redness and swelling. Keep reading to learn more about signs of infection for minor injuries. If you have a cut and are ...

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Have you ever felt sick, but been too busy to visit the doctor? While some illnesses clear up on their own, not all will. It is important to understand when you should seek medical care for your illness symptoms so that you don’t allow an illness to continue to worsen without proper treatment. Pneumonia is most commonly caused by a bacterial infection in the lungs. There are two major varieties of pneumonia - walking pneumonia ...

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HFMD is often perceived as an illness that only impacts young children, but adults can get hand, foot, and mouth, too. Dispelling the myth that HFMD exclusively affects children is critical, especially since adults may not realize they're carrying the virus and could inadvertently spread it. Schedule an Appointment What Is Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease? HFMD is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects young children, typically those under the age of five. It ...

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When your little one develops a fever, it's natural to worry and wonder, "How long do fevers last in infants?" Fevers are often the body's way of fighting infections by creating a less hospitable environment for germs. While fevers can seem concerning, they are usually not harmful and often resolve on their own. Schedule an Appointment Understanding How Long Fevers Last in Infants In most cases, fevers in infants last around two to three days ...

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Are sugar rushes real? For decades, many parents have believed in the idea of a “sugar rush,” a phenomenon where kids become hyperactive after consuming sugary snacks or drinks. This belief has led to widespread efforts to limit sugar intake, especially during times when parents want their children to stay calm and focused. Despite its popularity, scientific research shows that the so-called sugar rush is actually a myth. In this blog post, we'll explore ...

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Coughing is a common symptom of many different illnesses. A cough lasting two weeks can be concerning, but it is not always a sign of a serious condition. A persistent cough often results from a lingering respiratory infection, allergies, or irritants like smoke and pollution. However, if the cough is accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath or worsening severity, it may indicate an underlying issue that requires medical attention. Understanding the common causes ...

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During the colder months, many different illnesses circulate. The flu is a very common illness that can lead to severe illness symptoms including congestion, a fever, cough, sore throat, and more. Flu symptoms are highly contagious and spread easily from person to person through respiratory droplets when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, or talks. The influenza virus can also survive on surfaces, making indirect transmission possible if someone touches a contaminated object and then touches ...

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