Such as:
Of these, the one most likely to cause serious complications is having a strep throat. Because if it isn't treated on time, it may lead to kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can lead to a rash, inflamed joints and, in severe cases, damage to the valves of the heart.
With this in mind, let's get started.
Let's start with that.
Symptoms alone cannot diagnose strep throat. You will need a rapid test or throat culture to test for strep throat at the healthcare provider's office.
The earlier we send you to the doctor's office, the better for you and your family
Strep is contagious.
Let's answer a few more questions and see if you may be looking at strep.
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Note that, the throat can also appear bright red or dark red with spots on the roof of the mouth.
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Here is why:
If those apply to you, seek urgent care or call the doctor.
Let's rule out other things that can cause a sore throat which may need doctor visit if you don't think they apply to you.
You may be looking at a cold or flu here.
Cough, laryngitis, and stuffy nose are not characteristic of strep throat infection. Their presence suggests another cause (usually viral or allergic).
If you feel it is a strep throat, visit the nearest urgent care clinic. Even if it comes out negative and is a flu, you can still get started with flu treatment such as tamiflu.
Would you like to see what a pharmacist recommend you use over the counter to give you some relief for the sore throat or see the nearest urgent care to you?
If all you have is just a sore throat and fever, let's continue to see if you are looking at strep throat or infectious mononucleosis.
You will need a rapid test or throat culture to test for strep throat.
This is the way to distinguish between infectious mono and strep throat.
Even, detection of streptococci in the throat area does not exclude infectious mononucleosis.
The doctor would have to make sure that your spleen is not enlarged. If it is, then would probably rule in infectious mononucleosis and do some other tests.
Let's continue and see if we can rule out infectious mono for now.
Strep symptoms include:
Strep symptoms include:
Strep symptoms include:
Moving forward, we will assume that the sore throat started slowly or you are not sure how it all started.
Symptoms of infectious mono include:
Symptoms of infectious mono include:
Symptoms of infectious mono include:
Symptoms include:
If you suspect any of those two from the discussions above, you should visit the nearest urgent care clinic or your doctor's office as soon as possible.
If the healthcare provider suspects mono, they will need to examine you and do some blood tests especially what is called a monotest.
This test looks for antibodies that form in the body during the infection, called heterophile antibodies.
If strep is the suspicion, then the doctor would have to do a rapid test or throat culture to test for strep.
This is the way to distinguish between infectious mono and strep throat.
Even, detection of streptococci in the throat area does not exclude infectious mononucleosis. The healthcare provider would have to make sure that your spleen is not enlarged. If it is, would have to rule in infectious mononucleosis and do some other tests.
Would you like to see what a pharmacist recommend you use over the counter to give you some relief for this sore throat?
Or you think you should see the nearest urgent care to you from the discussions so far?