Sore Throat

IAM Healthy Our Services Sore Throat

IAM Healthy

Family Physicians & Geriatric Physicians located in Apopka, FL

A scratchy throat can quickly turn to a condition that makes it hard to swallow. A sore throat is often a side effect of cold or flu, but can also indicate a serious problem that requires intervention from the team at IAM Healthy located in Apopka, Florida. If you have a sore throat that feels knife-like and interferes with your ability to eat or drink, call the office or book an appointment to be evaluated.

Sore Throat Q & A

What causes a sore throat?

Usually, a viral infection such as the cold or flu is responsible for your sore throat. You can suspect this cause if you have other symptoms such as a runny nose, mild fever, fatigue, and cough. A sore throat may also originate from:

  • Streptococcus bacteria
  • Allergies
  • Tonsillitis
  • Acid reflux (GERD)

Many of these issues won’t go away on their own and require medical care. The team at IAM Healthy can offer allergy testing or medications or lifestyle changes for GERD relief.

What is strep throat?

Strep throat is caused by bacteria. You acquire it from:

  • Breathing in droplets of the bacteria
  • Touching something with droplets of strep bacteria on it
  • Drinking from the same glass or using the same utensils as someone with strep

Being around someone with strep who is sneezing and coughing can also get you sick.

Suspect strep if you have a severe sore throat, white patches on your tonsils, and swollen lymph nodes. You’ll likely have a fever, too, but no accompanying runny nose or cough.

Children more commonly get strep as compared to adults. This doesn’t mean adults are immune, however.

How is a strep test conducted?

At IAM Healthy, the providers do a rapid strep test to check for strep. The provider swabs the back of your throat to gather a sample and test for the bacteria. If you have strep, antibiotics resolve the bacterial infection.

If your rapid strep test is negative but the providers still suspect strep, you may have a throat culture, which allows the sample to grow for a few days to see if strep develops.

When should I seek care for a sore throat?

In many cases, a sore throat resolves on its own. Don’t hesitate to call IAM Healthy, however, if you experience:

  • A severe sore throat that makes swallowing difficult
  • A persistent sore throat that doesn’t get better after three days
  • A sore throat accompanied by a fever of 100.4 that’s lasted for more than two days

Sore throats are common, but if yours feels unusual, call IAM Healthy. Alternatively, book an appointment online while you’re here on the website.

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