If the flu has made its way into your home, you certainly aren’t alone! There have been thousands of influenza cases across the country this season, and North Carolina is no different. If you are feeling under the weather, seeking treatment and relief is probably at the forefront of your mind. While the flu is a viral illness and needs to run its course, there are some things you can do to ease your symptoms. Read on →

Getting sick is never fun. It can be especially a nuisance when it is cold outside and leaving your home to seek medication sounds even more miserable. In order to make the most of your trip, you should understand what kind of illness you are suffering from! Viral infections and bacterial infections are two different kinds of illnesses that require different treatment options. Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Hickory team breaks down the difference between the two infection types below. Read on →

If you have a little one sick at home right now, you are not alone! There are so many illnesses circulating right now that it can feel like an uphill battle keeping your kids healthy. If your child is sick, chances are that he or she has had a fever at some point. Did you know that fevers can actually be aiding in his or her recovery? Most fevers are not serious and can actually help your child feel better faster. Read on →

Influenza season is upon us once more! While it may feel like we just made it through last year’s season, it is time to start protecting ourselves from this year’s strains. Did you know that there are different versions of the flu shot available to you? While there is the standard flu shot that protects against the most common strains, there are high-dose vaccines designed to provide an extra layer of protection for the most vulnerable people. Read on →

Headaches can be a tricky condition. If you start to experience pain in your head, neck or scalp, it can be scary! Some headaches can indicate a serious problem, while others can just be a sign that you need to drink more water. Thankfully, the majority of headaches don’t indicate a major issue and can be remedied by rest and fluids. Wondering what else you should know about headaches? Our AFC Urgent Care Hickory team shares the details below. Read on →

As the weather starts to change and cool down, cold and flu season begins. No one wants to get sick, but when there are so many illnesses circulating at this time, sometimes it is unavoidable! A specific illness that you need to be especially careful about is respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. While RSV normally produces minor symptoms in adults, it can be dangerous to infants and small children. Read on →

Antibiotics are a wonderful tool used to reduce the amount of complications from infection and the potential for death. This includes all people, especially vulnerable populations like the elderly! However, antibiotics are only helpful against bacterial infections, so it is important to know what illness you are suffering from in order to seek the proper treatment. Visit us at AFC Urgent Care Hickory to start the process toward an antibiotic prescription, and check out our latest blog post about antibiotics below. Read on →

Vertigo is not just a spell of dizziness. When you have vertigo, your world seems to continually spin or is constantly in motion around you. It can be debilitating and can create significant struggles in your daily life. Vertigo itself isn’t a disease, rather, it is a symptom stemming from a variety of conditions. It is relatively common, affecting about 40% of Americans at least once during their lifetimes. Our team at AFC Urgent Care Hickory takes you through the details about vertigo below. Read on →

Back pain can originate from a variety of sources, but when you have sciatica, it’s an entirely different kind of pain. It’s usually a burning, shooting pain that radiates down your back and into one of your legs. It can be debilitating and can feel like an electric shock every time you move. The good news is that most cases of sciatica will go away on their own, even if it is really painful at the moment. Read on →

If you suspect that you have an STD, getting tested and treated quickly should be on the forefront of your mind. STDs are incredibly common, and we offer testing right in our clinic. Our staff understands that your sexual health affects your overall physical health, so we aim to make the STD testing process easy and efficient. It is important to get tested quickly to prevent a more serious infection from developing. Read on →