Most of us have experienced the nagging discomfort of a sore throat. When you or your child is dealing with throat pain and associated symptoms, deciding whether to seek medical care can be difficult. Understanding the symptoms and causes of a sore throat can help.
You may be wondering, “Should I go to urgent care for a sore throat?” You should know that ClearChoiceMD offers exceptional care for adults and children of all ages at each of our locations across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Our experienced clinicians can diagnose your sore throat and provide effective treatment.
Sore Throat: Understanding Symptoms
Depending on the cause, a sore throat can present with a variety of symptoms, including:
- Pain when swallowing or talking.
- Swallowing difficulty.
- Scratchy sensation in the throat.
- Hoarseness.
- Swollen, reddened tonsils.
- White patches or red spots on your tonsils.
If an infection is causing your sore throat, you may have other symptoms, including:
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Sneezing or a runny nose.
- Cough.
- Body aches.
- Rash.
- Nausea and vomiting.
If you or your child is experiencing a sore throat or other symptoms, it’s important to understand when to seek medical care.
When to Go to Urgent Care for a Sore Throat
Some symptoms can indicate that you may have strep throat or another infection. You should go to urgent care for a sore throat if:
- You have a fever.
- Your symptoms have lasted more than 48 hours.
- You have swollen, tender lymph nodes.
- You have a rash.
- You were diagnosed with strep throat, but antibiotics haven’t helped after 48 hours.
If you or your child are having difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical attention at an emergency room.
What’s the Difference Between Strep Throat and the Common Cold?
A sore throat can be caused by a variety of viruses, including the common cold. In some cases, a bacterial infection can be the problem. Strep throat, which results from infection with a bacterium called Streptococcus pyogenes, is one of the most common bacterial causes of a sore throat.
A Cold vs. Strep
Understanding the difference between a cold and strep throat can help you know when to seek help.
- Onset: A sore throat caused by a cold usually comes on gradually. Strep throat often starts suddenly, with significant throat discomfort.
- Symptoms: A cold is often accompanied by a runny nose, sneezing, and coughing. A strep infection usually does not include a cough or runny nose. In addition to a very sore throat, strep is usually accompanied by a fever. It may also involve swollen tonsils with white patches or red dots, tender lymph nodes, a rash, body aches, and nausea or vomiting.
Complications of Strep Throat
Whereas a cold typically resolves with time, strep throat should be treated by a medical provider to prevent dangerous complications, including:
- Scarlet Fever: This strep complication is characterized by a rash on the body.
- Kidney Inflammation: A strep infection can affect the kidneys, resulting in a condition called poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.
- Arthritis: Painful inflammation of the joints after a strep infection is known as poststreptococcal reactive arthritis.
- Rheumatic Fever: This complication of a strep infection involves the joints, nervous system, and skin and may result in lasting damage to the heart.
If you suspect you or your child has strep throat, visit ClearChoiceMD today for rapid diagnosis and care. Prompt strep throat treatment can help to prevent complications.
Options for Strep Testing
Our ClearChoiceMD providers can assess your symptoms and order testing to diagnose strep throat quickly. Our onsite labs offer a wide range of diagnostic tests, including:
- Rapid Strep Test (RST): Our experienced staff will collect a sample from the back of your throat using a swab. Results are available in as little as 10 minutes, enabling your provider to start treatment right away.
- Throat Culture: If your RST is negative but your provider suspects strep throat, they may order a throat culture. In this test, a sample collected from the back of your throat is cultured in our onsite lab for 1-3 days to provide a more definitive result to guide treatment.
Strep Throat vs. Tonsillitis
Our experienced providers at ClearChoiceMD can also help to differentiate between strep throat and tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils), another possible cause of a sore throat.
Whereas strep is caused by a specific bacteria, tonsillitis can be caused by bacteria or viruses. An examination of your tonsils and diagnostic tests can help your provider determine the cause of your sore throat and provide treatment.
Urgent Care: Sore Throat Diagnosis and Treatment at ClearChoiceMD
When you visit ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care for throat pain, our caring staff will work to ensure you see a provider quickly. Onsite labs with rapid testing will help us diagnose the cause of your sore throat, start appropriate medication to relieve your symptoms, and start you on the road to recovery.
If you have a strep infection, you will likely be prescribed an antibiotic. It is important to take the full course of an antibiotic to fully eradicate bacteria and prevent complications.
For rapid, excellent medical care, visit a ClearChoiceMD location near you.
