Strep Throat: First Aid and When to Go to Urgent Care

Getting a sore throat and worried it could be strep? Your urgent care center can do a rapid test to see if you have strep throat. The doctors can also prescribe antibiotics to help you feel better quicker and keep you from spreading strep throat to others.

If you have strep throat, you may need to go to an urgent care center or the ER for antibiotics.

Causes of Strep Throat

The bacterium called Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as A streptococcus, is behind strep throat. The contagious bacteria are spread through tiny droplets sprayed into the air when a person sneezes or coughs. Strep throat can also be spread when people share food or drink.

Symptoms of Strep Throat

Generally speaking, strep throat is a minor infection. It can cause quite a bit of pain, though. Some symptoms include:

• Pain when you swallow
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes at the front of the neck
• The quick onset of sore throat
• Swollen, red tonsils
• Streaks of pus or white patches on the tonsils
• Red spots on the roof of your mouth

Some other symptoms are not as common for strep throat and may indicate complications. If you have any of the following symptoms, go to urgent care immediately:

• Stomach pain
• Headache
• Vomiting and nausea
• Scarlet fever or rash

Some symptoms are not related to strep throat. You may have a virus instead of strep if you have a runny nose, cough, pink eye, or a hoarse voice.

Strep Throat Is More Common in Some People

It is true that anyone can get strep throat, but it is more common in children. While it is widespread in children aged 5-15, it is rare in children three and under. Strep throat is also more common in parents of kids in school and other adults who are around kids regularly. The most reoccurring risk factor is spending time with or being close to someone with strep. It is also more common with those who visit crowded settings such as daycare centers, schools, and military training facilities.

Treatment for Strep Throat

Typically, strep throat goes away in a week or less, even if you don’t receive antibiotics. If you do not take antibiotics, you may be contagious for up to three weeks and are at an increased risk of rheumatic fever or other complications.

When you go to the doctor, they will do a test to see if strep bacteria are behind your illness. If you test positive, you may get antibiotics. If it is negative, your doctor may take a throat culture. If this is positive, they may prescribe some antibiotics. This testing is essential for children, as they are more prone to rheumatic fever.

When to Go to the Urgent Center or ER for Strep Throat

When your sore throat doesn’t go away or is combined with symptoms such as fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes, you must go to the ER or urgent care. These are strep throat signs and will need medical attention right away.

Visit Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center for Strep Throat Treatment

At Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center, our primary goal is to provide the residents of Sussex County with exceptional service and the proper billing for the care they need. Our combined emergency room and urgent care in Milton is fully equipped to handle everything from allergies to chest pain 24/7 with on-site labs, x-ray, ultrasound and CT.

Every patient at our ER and urgent care walk-in clinic is seen by an ER-trained physician at every visit, regardless of the level of care they need. Our approach makes care more affordable by avoiding the higher cost of the emergency room if patients only require urgent care services. Our ER and urgent care clinic is open 24/7.

Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center is located at 18383 Hudson Road, Milton, DE 19968.