High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading driver of heart disease and stroke, and it’s often silent. Many people feel fine even with numbers high enough to damage blood vessels, kidneys, heart, and brain over time. Others ignore subtle cues, such as morning headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath on stairs, or chest pressure chalked up to “stress” or “being out of shape.” This guide explains what to watch for, who’s at higher risk ...
Short days, heavy coats, and indoor routines make winter in Massachusetts a prime setting for low vitamin D. Because our skin synthesizes vitamin D from sunlight, levels often drop in late fall and winter, especially at northern latitudes. While mild deficiency may be silent, a notable dip can show up as fatigue, generalized aches, low mood, frequent colds, or slow bone healing. Over time, deficiency increases the risk of bone loss and fractures. This guide ...
From front steps to parking lots, winter surfaces can become unexpected skating rinks. Falls happen, often to the wrists, ankles, knees, hips, and tailbone. The critical question after you catch your breath is: Do I need an X-ray? This guide breaks down fracture vs. sprain clues, what to do in the first 24–48 hours, when to walk into urgent care, and what recovery really looks like. At AFC Urgent Care Beverly, we evaluate winter ...
Every winter across the North Shore. In schools, offices, hockey locker rooms, and coffee shops, one phrase starts making the rounds: “There’s a stomach bug going around.” In most cases, that “bug” is norovirus, a microscopic powerhouse of contagiousness that causes sudden vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and a general feeling of being wrung out. Norovirus isn’t the flu (influenza); it’s a gastrointestinal virus that spreads by tiny particles, often from hands, surfaces ...