Getting Strep Without Tonsils? Is It Possible? AFC Ooltewah TN 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Diagnosing yourself can always be a little tricky, especially at this time of year. Many different infections share similar symptoms, so having a cough or body aches doesn’t automatically mean that you have a cold or the flu. It could also mean RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which can be a serious upper respiratory infection. RSV causes thousands of hospitalizations every winter season across the country, so knowing what to look for and taking ...
Being healthy is one of the greatest gifts in life. Taking care of your body and mind will pay off in a big way as your immune system and general wellness help you avoid illness and stay healthy. However, infections and other illnesses often have minds of their own and can’t entirely be prevented. Even if you are an otherwise healthy person, influenza can sneak up on you and cause you to become really ...
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 ...
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 ...
The dreaded sore throat can be one of the more frustrating symptoms of illness. While sometimes a simple drink of water can help ease the pain, other times it’s only the beginning of a frustrating infection that lingers for days. Unfortunately, a sore throat is a common symptom across many different illnesses, so it can be hard to diagnose yourself at home. Our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team is here to help! We can ...
It’s that time of year again when fall and winter illnesses rear their ugly heads. We all know that colds and the flu start to pop up more as the seasons progress, and we have to start including COVID-19 into the mix as well. COVID-19 cases are rising right now, and we expect to see more cases again as more people head inside when the temperatures start to cool off. Remember, you can get ...
Getting older is a blessing, but that doesn’t mean it is an easy thing to experience. Certain things become more difficult as we age, and falling at home becomes more of a concern. If you fall as a child or young adult, chances are you will be able to bounce back up with nothing more than a bruise and some residual pain. When you are older, the risk of severe injury or a dangerous ...
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 ...
If you have an addictive habit, you know how hard it can be to quit or take steps to reduce the habit in your daily life. Smoking is one of those addictions that can become a lifelong habit easily, and it can be really hard to give up. We understand that, but we also understand how harmful it is for your body, and we will always advocate for quitting the habit for good. Smoking negatively ...
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 ...
Feeling sick can involve a lot of different symptoms that can be frustrating and often confusing, especially if you don’t know what is causing it. Thankfully, there are many different diagnostic tools available today that can help pinpoint specific illnesses in a matter of minutes. One of those reliable diagnostic tools is a full-service lab! We can run a wide variety of test right here in our center that can diagnose you faster and ...
Getting bitten or stung by bugs is never a fun experience, and we certainly are seeing many more bugs and creepy-crawlies out and about lately because of this time of year. While most bugs are minor nuisances and aren’t dangerous, some of them can cause uncomfortable symptoms or even serious allergic reactions. Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team explains more about the bugs we typically come into contact with in the ...
Taking care of yourself includes taking care of your entire body. You know yourself best, so if you start to recognize symptoms that you aren’t familiar with, it may indicate the need to get tested for a variety of conditions. STDs are incredibly common in the United States and actually affect up to one in five people in any given year. Those are high odds, so you might find yourself in a position where ...
Getting older comes with many different perks and wonderful life experiences, but the possibility of losing your memory is certainly not one of them. It can be scary to think about forgetting your loved ones and your precious memories of a life well-lived. Unfortunately, dementia is a really common condition that affects more than 55 million people worldwide. While you can’t control your genetics, there are things that you can do to help reduce ...
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 ...
Avoiding injury is something that we all strive to do. Not only can injuries be painful, but they can disrupt your daily life while you are healing. While certain injuries like minor cuts or strains will heal on their own, more serious injuries like broken bones need to be treated in order to heal properly. If you suspect a broken bone after a particularly big fall or impact, come see us. Our center is fully ...
It’s not fair that food poisoning, and salmonella specifically, often appears after a fun dinner out with friends or after a home-cooked meal with your family! One minute you are enjoying a tasty meal and good company, and the next, you are doubled over in pain and looking for the nearest bathroom. Salmonella infections are a type of food poisoning that is found in contaminated food or water. Once ingested, it can make you ...
