Recent Blog Posts

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 ...

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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 ...

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Local urgent care centers in Natick, 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 ...

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“I thought strep throat was a symptom of COVID-19?”. You may have seen this question circulating across the internet, but strep throat is actually a completely different illness. The major difference between the two is that strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection while COVID-19 is a viral infection. We get that it’s confusing, but don’t always assume it’s COVID-19. We’re seeing patients coming in with sore throats, but they ...

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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 ...

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The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front of the neck. Sadly, millions of Americans are diagnosed with a Thyroid condition. Thyroid disease is a common endocrine disorder, and can cause a wide range of symptoms, from fatigue and weight gain to depression and anxiety. Being educated on Thyroid Disease will help you better understand the cause, symptoms, and treatments available.  You may be at a higher risk of developing a thyroid ...

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RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common respiratory virus that can make anyone with a weak immune system or pre-existing lung conditions very ill. While RSV usually has no lasting effects, it can be especially dangerous for very young children and people 65 years of age and older. In these groups, RSV may cause serious complications like pneumonia or bronchiolitis (swollen airways in the lungs).  Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your child’s risk ...

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Are you worried about your blood sugar levels before the holidays? Us too! Last year, our holiday season got canceled for the most part, but this year it’s looking like it’s going to actually happen and you know what that means? Grandma's stuffing and holiday sweets and treats! If you can’t remember the last time you had your A1C levels checked, then it’s probably time to get that done because ...

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Last year, we got ahead of ourselves with social gatherings during the Thanksgiving and winter holidays causing many of us to get sick with both the flu and COVID. But, because COVID and flu have symptoms that overlap, it gives us more of a reason to avoid them this 2022 winter season because we also have to worry about the monkeypox virus. What a trifecta with the potential to cancel our favorite holidays again.  AFC ...

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Bees are suddenly swarming your outdoor picnics, playgrounds and parks. It’s not your imagination. Angry bee season is upon us and it’s time to prepare for bee stings, bee swarms and bee allergies. Why? Because bees are getting close to the end of their life cycle and are preparing to die off. Their resources are almost depleted and they’re fighting to survive, making them more angry, aggressive and in a stinging mood ...

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