urgent care for strep throat

Should You Visit UrgentMED for Strep Throat?

Posted On Dec 19th 2018 , General Health
urgent care for strep throat

We’ve all experienced a sore, scratchy throat, which is often a sign of something worse to come – a cold, the flu, or other viruses.  Allergies can also cause a sore throat.  But it can also be a sign of strep throat, a highly contagious and potentially dangerous, painful bacterial infection, affecting the throat and the tonsils. Should you visit UrgentMED urgent care for strep throat? That’s an excellent question, which we’re about to explore. We’re all about good health and prevention here at the affordable clinics that make up the UrgentMED network.

Strep Throat Is Very Contagious

Strep throat is a type of sore throat caused by group A Streptococcus and is common in children, but adults who are constantly around children can get it, too. You’re also more likely to get it as an adult if you have a weakened immune system. Warning: It often spreads in your household. Here is how it spreads. When an infected person sneezes, coughs or even breathes, tiny respiratory droplets containing the bacteria go into the air, and anyone nearby can inhale the drops, also becoming infected. You can also become infected by sharing a glass or food with the patient. It’s also passed through kissing.

urgent care for strep throat

Signs of Strep Throat

Often times the signs of strep throat are obvious, and other times, not so much. For example, you may not even experience a sore throat at all. But here are some obvious signs:

  • A severe and sudden sore throat
  • Pain when swallowing
  • Cold symptoms: coughing, sneezing
  • Red and swollen tonsils
  • White or yellow spots or coating on the throat or tonsils
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
  • Fever over 101* (38.3 *C)

We Can Quickly Diagnose Strep Throat

Timing is crucial when it comes to being diagnosed. For starters you want to feel better, and, while strep throat usually isn’t serious, left untreated, it causes serious complications, such as kidney issues and rheumatic fever, which can damage the joints and hearts. Plus- you don’t want to infect those around you. Now, about that test. A doctor cannot simply examine a patient ‘s throat or tonsils and determine they have strep throat.  Strep throat requires a medical diagnosis. But all it takes is a quick and simple test involving a throat culture, which we can perform at any UrgentMED location. You’ll have the results within 20 minutes.

Strep Throat Treatment

Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics – penicillin or amoxicillin (Amoxil), which usually start taking effect within 24-hours of the first dose. You can be diagnosed and receive treatment right here at UrgentMED.

urgent care for strep throat

Does strep throat go away on its own? Yes, it can go away on its own in 3 to 7 days. But here’s the problem. As we mentioned earlier, strep throat is very contagious, and you can remain contagious for 2 to 3 weeks, which increases your chances for more medical complications, as well as increases the chances of you infecting others. Why take the chance?

Take Strep Throat Precautions

If you suspect you have strep throat, here are some important precautions to take:

  • Do not share drinks or food with anyone
  • Avoid kissing
  • Wash hands constantly
  • Come in and get tested immediately

We’re a Full-Service Urgent Care Center

Should you visit UrgentMED urgent care for strep throat?  Yes, of course. Here at the affordable clinics that make up UrgentMED network, we can test for strep throat and other medical conditions, through our full lab. We offer all types of diagnostic testing.  We also offer non-surgical procedures, and provide fast and affordable emergency care. With 15 locations, we’re conveniently located near you. UrgentMED is the largest comprehensive urgent care network in Southern California. We look forward to helping you stay on a healthy track.


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