Recent Blog Posts

Food Poisoning: When and Why to Visit AFC Statesville NC Food poisoning is an unwelcome and often unpredictable health concern that can strike when we least expect it. Defined as an illness caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages, it can manifest as various symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe gastrointestinal distress. While some cases resolve on their own with rest and hydration, there are instances where seeking prompt medical attention becomes crucial. ${custom_link_1_title ...

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Is an Urgent Care Walk-In Clinic Like Going to the ER? If you find yourself with an emergency medical condition that needs to be dealt with, it can often become an overwhelming situation. Thoughts of long waits, expensive treatments, and procedures at a hospital emergency room (ER) may cross your mind. However, the ER isn't always your only option - have you ever considered visiting an urgent care walk-in clinic? Urgent care clinics like AFC ...

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‘Tis the season for caroling, wrapping gifts and all of your favorite holiday traditions! We love this time of year for many different reasons, but our favorite is all of the time spent with friends and family. While spending more time together can be a blessing as you reconnect and make more memories, that close proximity also increases your risk of getting sick at the most inconvenient time. We want you to stay as healthy ...

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Getting Strep Without Tonsils? Is It Possible? AFC Statesville NC Has Answers for You Is getting strep without tonsils possible? The short answer is yes. Strep throat is caused by a particular strain of bacteria, group A Streptococcus. These bacteria can live in the nose and mouth.  The bacteria are spread through an infected person's saliva or mucus and contact with contaminated surfaces and objects. A person without tonsils can contract the infection if ...

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Can Bronchitis Turn Into Pneumonia?  Can bronchitis turn into pneumonia? In some cases, this happens when the inflammation of the bronchial tubes persists for some time and is not treated properly, leading to a bacterial or viral infection that can cause pneumonia.  When bronchitis becomes severe, the tiny hair-like structures (cilia) that line the bronchi can become damaged, making it difficult for mucus to clear from the lungs. This trapped mucus creates a breeding ground ...

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What Are the Degrees of Burns? A Guide to Identifying Burns So, what are the degrees of burns? If you’ve been wondering how to identify burns, we’ve got the answers for you. Burns are a common injury that can occur from various sources, including hot liquids, fire, chemicals, and sun exposure. Depending on the severity of the burn, it can range from a minor inconvenience to a life-threatening emergency. Therefore, it is crucial ...

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The thought of your baby contracting RSV can be an overwhelming concept for many new parents. You’ve read all the information and heard all the scary stories, and it be all-consuming every time your baby spikes a fever or coughs. While it is important to remember that not all RSV infections become severe, knowing what to look for can help you stay in control and get help when you need it. Our AFC Urgent ...

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Now that our children are back in school and spending significantly more time around other children and adults, the risk of getting sick goes up drastically. This is especially true as the fall and winter seasons approach because we are all spending much more time indoors. While we can’t always prevent illness in our kids, it is our duty to do what we can to keep them as healthy as possible. That’s where ...

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As a prominent care provider of accessible primary care, urgent care, and occupational medicine services nationwide, American Family Care (AFC) is uniquely positioned to guide and educate the public on pertinent health issues, such as the FDA’s recent decisions on the effectiveness of oral phenylephrine.  The FDA held a Non-Prescription Drug Advisory Committee meeting on September 11-12, 2023, to deliberate on the effectiveness of oral phenylephrine as an active ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) cough ...

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Why You Should See an Urgent Care Doctor for Wart Removal Home remedies for warts might not be as effective as you hope, so we recommend seeing an urgent care doctor for wart removal to treat these pesky growths at their source. Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can appear almost anywhere on the body, causing both physical discomfort and self-consciousness. This article takes you through everything you need to know about ...

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You are finally in the swing of things around your home and your family has figured out the routine of work, school, sports and activities. Things are going so smoothly that you finally feel like you are in control! Then someone gets sick. That is bound to happen in almost every household this season because that’s just how life works sometimes. Getting sick is never convenient, so finding out what is causing your symptoms ...

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We have certainly experienced quite a lot as a community over the last few years. The unease, frustration and worry we all endured during the pandemic took a toll on us all. Now that the emergency status for COVID-19 has expired, it can be easy to let our guards down. Unfortunately, we can’t do that! COVID-19 is still circulating around the country and cases are rising yet again in the Statesville area. We want ...

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Getting sick is possible during any time of the year, but it is more common in the fall and winter seasons. Believe it or not, those seasons are already approaching again! There are always different conditions and illnesses circulating, and many of them can cause fevers if you contract them. But before you panic and run to your medicine cabinet, you should know that most fevers are actually helping your body. Read on to learn ...

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Sports Physicals: Getting Ready to Go Back to School Before hitting the field, court, or track, there's a crucial checkpoint that ensures the well-being of our student-athletes: sports physicals.  These check-ups are a proactive approach to safeguarding the health and performance of young athletes. They not only fulfill school and sports league requirements but also serve as a comprehensive assessment to detect and prevent potential health issues. Pre-Register The Importance of Sports Physicals Physicals ...

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Getting sick comes in many different forms, and each of them are unpleasant in their own right. We know you want to feel better as quick as humanly possible, so we make sure we can help by having extensive knowledge and a variety of diagnostic tools at our fingertips. One of those tools is a state-of-the-art lab that can help identify many different illnesses and conditions by processing various tests right here in our center ...

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I Have an STD, But I'm Not Sexually Active If you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) but are not sexually active, there are a few reasons why this could be the case. "STD" refers to the constellation of diseases that result from a sexually transmitted infection (STI). For example, cervical cancer is an STD from the STI of HPV. Though it is possible to contract an STI even if you are not ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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