Your throat hurts and you are unsure of the reason why. Could it be a sore throat or strep throat? COVID is another possibility that could cross your mind. Sore throats can lead to something more serious. You should visit a walk-in clinic in Beverly Hills to determine whether you or your child has a sore throat, strep throat or something more severe. 

Strep Throat

Strep throat is a bacterial infection and can be spread by saliva from person to person. It is most common in children between the ages of 5 to 15 but can also affect adults of any age. Testing for strep throat will require a medical professional to swab your throat and send the sample off to a lab. However, symptoms can typically indicate whether you have strep throat or a sore throat. Strep throat does not go away on its own and will require medical attention. 

Sore Throat

A sore throat can be caused by many things including allergies, dust, or bacteria in the air. Some common causes are also the flu and viral infections. Sore throats are signs that you are about to get a cold and will often go away in a day or two. Sore throats are most commonly seen during the winter months. If you begin to notice that the sore throat does not go away within 48 hours or you begin to have trouble swallowing, it may be time to visit a walk-in clinic Beverly Hills for further care. 

What Are the Symptoms of Strep Throat?

Symptoms for sore throats and strep throat can be similar but some are distinct from each other. Symptoms of sore throat are:

• Fever
• Earache
• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Difficulty breathing
• Swollen, scratch throat
• Swollen glands
• Cough

On the other hand, strep throat has some of the following symptoms: 

• White patches on tonsils
• Headaches
• Ear infections
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rash
• sore throat without cough
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Red spots on the roof of the mouth
• Difficulty swallowing6
• Rheumatic fever

If you or your child are experiencing any symptoms of strep throat you should visit a walk-in clinic Beverly Hills to be examined and get proper treatment. 

Treatment for Throat Issues

Treatment can be different for a sore throat and a strep throat. For strep throat, you will need a medical professional from a walk-in clinic Beverly Hills to prescribe antibiotics such as amoxicillin or Penicillin. You will need to complete the entire course of treatment even if you feel better to kill all of the bacteria. 

A sore throat can be treated at home by drinking warm liquids, sucking on ice chips, taking over-the-counter medication, and gargling warm salt water. You will also need to get a lot of rest and drink lots of fluids. 

UrgentMED Can Treat Your Throat Problems

If you or your child are experiencing signs of strep throat or want to ensure that your sore throat is not a sign of something worse, you will need to be seen by a doctor. UrgentMED has several walk-in clinics in Beverly Hills and locations throughout Los Angeles so you can visit us and stay close to home.