Sore Throat Treatment

What Causes a Sore Throat

If you wake up one morning with an itch in your throat and a bit of dull pain, then it’s time to visit Fast Pace Health before your affliction turns into a full-blown infection. Come see our team of providers at one today to get prompt treatment for your illness. The longer you wait, the worse your infection may become. A sore throat is most commonly caused by a viral infection such as a cold or the flu. Strep throat is caused by bacteria and requires treatment with antibiotics.

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Scratchy, dry, and painful are three words that can be used to describe sore throats. You might as well add miserable, depressing and horrible to the list as well, because sore throats are never fun. Sore throats are caused by a variety of diseases and conditions and can affect people of all ages. Usually, a sore throat is a sign of inflammation or irritation in the throat that needs to be addressed by a healthcare provider.

Symptoms of Sore Throat

The symptoms of a sore throat may vary due to its cause. Signs and symptoms of a sore throat may include:

• Pain or scratchy feeling in the back of your throat
• Pain that worsens when you talk or swallow
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dry throat
• Swollen, red tonsils
• White patches on your tonsils,
• Hoarse voice

Common infections that cause sore throats include the common cold, the flu or strep throat. These conditions may cause the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough
• Runny Nose
• Sneezing
• Body and muscle aches
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting

In general, it’s best to see a provider about your symptoms if you have a sore throat for more than 24 hours or if your pain is accompanied by difficulty breathing, a high fever, or blood in your saliva or mucus.

How is the Cause of a Sore Throat Diagnosed?

Fast Pace Health will begin with a physical exam that will include using a lighted instrument to look at the ears, nose, and throat. The local Provider will then palpate the neck to feel for swollen glands. The Provider will then listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope.

Fast Pace Health will use a simple test to determine if the sore throat is strep throat. They will use a sterile cotton swab to get a sample from the back of your throat. This test is a rapid antigen test and will produce results in a few minutes.

A more reliable test can also be performed called a throat culture. This test is sent to the lab for testing and the results return in 24 to 48 hours.

Anyone can get a sore throat, however there are many risk factors that make certain people more susceptible to infections that cause sore throats. A few of the risk factors include:

• Being a child or a teenager
• Being exposed to secondhand smoke
• Having allergies
• Being exposed to chemical irritants
• Having frequent sinus infections
• Living or working in small, close quarters
• Being immunodeficient

What is the Treatment for a Sore Throat?

• Viral Treatment– A sore throat caused by a virus will last five to seven days and usually requires supportive treatment. To ease pain and fever you can use Tylenol or Ibuprofen as directed. Never give aspirin to children or teenagers because it has been linked to Reye’s syndrome.
• Strep (Bacterial) Treatment– If your sore throat is caused by strep the Provider will prescribe antibiotics which should be taken as prescribed until completely finished.
• Supportive Treatment-Rest, Drink plenty of fluids avoiding caffeine and alcohol, Gargle with salt water, and use a cool-air humidifier.

How Can I Feel Better?

At the first sign of a sore throat, visit Fast Pace Health — Urgent Care. We have a team of community-based doctors and nurses who can diagnose the cause of your sore throat and give you the right treatment. With Fast Pace Health you will be seen quickly and treated with care and compassion.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 9-1-1.