If you smoke, you know how hard it is to think about quitting! Addictive habits are by nature hard to give up, especially if they have been a big part of your life for many years. Smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco is one of the most common addictions amongst adults, so you are certainly not alone. Smoking is bad for your health no matter which way you look at it, so we will ...
Contracting an STD is just like getting sick in the traditional sense. You come into contact with a bacteria or virus, and as it grows, it can make you feel sick or produce some really unpleasant symptoms. The trouble with STDs is that they can also exist without producing any symptoms, so you might not even know that you have one! This is why routine STD testing is the responsible thing to do for yourself ...
Picture this: You had a wonderful weekend away at Lake Norman splashing in the water, hiking through the woods and enjoying many nights under the stars. You get home, hop in the shower and notice a tick really embedded in your skin. Tick bites are not only kind of gross, but they actually can be dangerous in certain situations. Not every tick is infected with Lyme disease, but the risk is always there. Our AFC ...
Getting hurt can be a scary experience no matter what happened. Thankfully, many injuries can heal on their own if they are mild enough. Sprains, strains, bruises and bumps are all a normal part of life from time to time. Injuries that are more severe are less common but require a bit more attention. Broken bones can cause a significant amount of pain and need to be treated properly in order to heal correctly and ...
If you have a broken bone or a fracture, urgent care may be able to help. Learn the different types of fractures (broken bones), what we treat, and when to go to the ER vs. urgent care. How Do You Know a Bone is Broken? Every year, millions of people break a bone. Broken bones typically result from a trauma like a fall, car accident, or sports injury. Medical conditions such as osteoporosis or repetitive ...
Being an adult is hard work at times! Not only are you in charge of yourself, but chances are that you have a busy household to run and kids to keep on track. While you are consumed with getting everyone off to work, school, practices and bedtime, it can be easy to overlook the importance of taking care of yourself. We want you to be the healthiest version of yourself, and that starts with taking ...
Summer, here we come! As we are well into the spring season, we are grateful for the sunnier days and warmer weather, and it will only continue to get better. However, that means that our exposure to sunlight will probably increase as we are spending more time outside in the sunshine. We want you to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful weather, but we want you to do it safely. Experiencing a sunburn is painful ...
Physical for sports exams, also known as pre-participation physical examinations (PPEs), help determine whether a person is physically fit to participate in organized sports activities. This physical exam aims to identify any possible medical conditions that could put the athlete at risk for severe injury or illness during practice or competition. Sports physicals are typically done annually, though some states may require more frequent exams based on age and the type of sport being played ...
Infections come in all shapes and sizes, and they can affect different parts of your body. In the case of a salmonella infection, your intestinal tract is affected. This type of infection can make you feel pretty miserable for a few days as your body works to overcome the bacteria. The symptoms associated with a salmonella infection can often look similarly to common stomach bugs, so it can be hard to tell the difference on ...
While it is possible to develop lower back and leg pain from COVID, there are also several other causes. As experts in urgent healthcare services, AFC in Statesville indicates why you might be experiencing back pain after COVID and explains some other reasons you might have lower back pain. Lower Back and Leg Pain from COVID Lower back pain is a possible symptom of COVID-19. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given ...
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, chances are your symptoms have arrived in a big way already. That’s all thanks to pollen! Pollen is the most common seasonal allergy, and it can come from blooming flowers, grasses and trees at this time of year. More than 80 million Americans experience seasonal allergies every year, so you are certainly not alone with your runny nose or itchy eyes. If you are looking to learn more ...
So, what is mono, and what are the symptoms? American Family Care in Statesville has answers, and treatment, for you. Mononucleosis (mono) is an infectious viral disease most commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but other viruses can also cause it. Also sometimes known as the “kissing disease,” mono is spread through saliva and can even be passed from person to person from sharing cutlery and utensils. According to the CDC, mono occurs mainly ...
The healthcare industry has evolved to include telehealth urgent care, an innovative technology that has made it easier for people worldwide to access healthcare virtually. This medical service offers faster urgent care visits through virtual appointments, providing services from physical exams to diagnostics, which allows healthcare providers to connect with patients remotely, providing care, support, and information from a distance. This can be particularly beneficial for patients with mobility or transportation issues, with busy schedules ...
There are a variety of reasons why your ear might hurt! Allergies, sinus infections and even a tooth issue could all cause lingering ear pain. In addition, ear infections are one of the most common types of conditions that cause pain in one or both ears. Ear infections are really common, and they can cause significant pain while you have one! Our AFC Urgent Care Statesville team explains what other symptoms indicate an ear infection ...
The ups and downs of the pandemic affected all of us in different ways. While we adjusted and shifted our processes to keep up with the latest guidance, our community persevered right alongside us! The pandemic’s emergency status is about to expire in May. That means certain processes and procedures will revert back to normal, including some aspects of telemedicine. What won’t be changing, though, are the high-quality in-person visits that a stop ...
Sleep is such an important part of our lives, but it often gets overlooked during our busy schedules. As adults, we understand when it is time to wind down in the evening and the importance of prioritizing sleep. It can be much harder for our children to understand this concept! Encouraging your children to go to bed earlier or fall asleep at night can seem like a daunting task, but it will only benefit you ...
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 ...
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 ...
Local urgent care centers in Statesville, 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 ...
It is always hard to see your children not feel well! It seems like there are so many different illnesses that could infect your child, especially in the winter months. Upper respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia are possibilities, alongside more common illnesses like colds or the flu. While anyone can get pneumonia and bronchitis, it can be particularly dangerous for young children to contract these types of upper respiratory infections. Want to know more ...
