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 Springfield, 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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Can COVID-19 cause a sore throat? Yes, COVID-19 can cause a sore throat, but it isn’t Strep Throat. It seems like every symptom we feel nowadays is COVID-19. Let’s not forget there are other illnesses out there, especially during the winter season. The flu, Strep throat, and colds are amongst some illnesses preying on us during the winter.  To clear up the confusion, AFC Urgent Care Springfield is here to provide you with ...

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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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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 condition if you: Have a family history of thyroid disease. Have a medical condition (these can include pernicious anemia, Type 1 diabetes, primary adrenal ...

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There are many strains of human respiratory viruses, some of which can be extremely dangerous for infants, children and even older adults with weaker immune systems. RSV is one of the preliminary viruses a child may develop that can be very challenging for their growing immune system. Even though it’s not the flu, RSV is often referred to as “the flu” because it commonly occurs during the same time period every year, usually between ...

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November is American Diabetes Month. Why do we need a month to acknowledge it?  Because the disease is one of the most prevalent in the U.S. and the numbers of people with Type 1, Type 2 and Pre-Diabetic are staggeringly high and climbing each year.    Did you know:  Prevalence: In 2019, 37.3 million Americans, or 11.3% of the population, had diabetes. Nearly 1.9 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, including about ...

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September and October are considered, to most people, as annual flu shot months. For some, it’s also time for their COVID-19 booster shot. For those eligible,  the CDC states that one can get both their booster shot (or 1st time shot) and a flu vaccine at the same time. Now is the time to start getting these vaccines as it can take 14 days for the vaccines to build immunity.  At the same time ...

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Angry bee season is right around the corner! As summer is coming to an end and fall approaches, bees and wasps become aggressive and are more likely to sting people if provoked. Yellow jackets are most angry and seek revenge since they are close to the end of their life cycle and approaching death. Bee stings are painful and potentially fatal if you’re allergic. Fortunately, there are a couple of things you can do ...

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Come August, your child is going to be needing their annual physical to prepare for a new school year. It’s the most important physical of the year and it covers a whole lot more than a sports physical or check up. If you got your child a sports physical for summer camp or summer sports, this does not mean you can skip the back to school physical. Annual school physicals are more comprehensive and ...

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