Diagnosing if throat soreness is an indication of a virus or a strep bacteria is a procedure that is easily accomplished by our medical professionals at Makana North Shore Urgent Care. We have provided a brief guide to the differences in symptoms between these two very distinct conditions.
Recognizing the Differences between Strep and Sore Throat
Strep throat is caused by an infection of streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat spreads by having contact with an infected person’s saliva or nasal secretions. Although strep throat is more common in children ages 5 to 15, it also occurs in adults. To diagnose strep throat, we can check a rapid strep test or if necessary send a throat swab to the lab for a culture.
A sore throat can be caused by viruses or other bacteria as well. The most common cause of sore throats is viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms. Other causes of sore throat include smoking, pollution, irritants in the air, allergies, and dry air.
Symptoms associated with strep throat include:
Sudden sore throat
Loss of appetite
Painful swallowing
Swollen lymph nodes
Red tonsils with white spots
Fever
Nausea and vomiting
Symptoms associated with a sore throat (which can commonly accompany a cold) include:
Runny nose
Watery eyes
Cough
Sneezing
A low fever (below 101° F)
Visit our Princeville Walk-In Clinic for Fast Diagnosis and Treatment
If you or your child is suffering from any symptoms that may indicate strep, it’s important to see a medical provider. Untreated strep throat can cause serious complications such as kidney inflammation, abscess formation, and rheumatic fever.
If you are worried about strep throat, simply come to Makana North Shore Urgent Care where we conveniently offer on-site strep testing. A board-certified provider can perform a physical exam and run a simple rapid antigen test to detect strep bacteria. He or she will swab your throat and test the swab to see if any antigens are present, with results available in just a few minutes.
If the test is positive, we can prescribe a course of antibiotics to fight the infection. Antibiotics can lessen the severity of your symptoms, reduce the duration of the infection, and prevent spreading the illness to others. With treatment, you should start to feel better within 1–2 days and fully recover within a week or so.
