Sore Throat Q & A

What causes a sore throat?

If you wake up with a dry or scratchy throat, it’s possible that your symptoms will go away by the time you finish breakfast. Your throat might feel sore because you’re thirsty or because you went to a concert or sporting event and used your voice a lot. 

In other cases, a sore throat is a symptom of sickness. Your sore throat could be linked to one of these common illnesses or conditions:

• Allergies
• Whooping cough
• The common cold
• The flu
• Mononucleosis (mono)
• Acid reflux

These conditions are all known to cause a dry, sore, or scratchy throat at times. However, the condition that most people associate with a sore throat is a bacterial infection called streptococcus pyogenes, or strep throat. 

When should I visit a doctor about a sore throat?

Not all sore throats require a doctor’s visit. If you can resolve your symptoms with a glass of water, seeking medical treatment would be a waste of time. You should book a visit to Acton Urgent Care for your sore throat if it comes with other symptoms, like:

• Fever
• Pain in your head or joints
• Skin rash
• Trouble swallowing
• Trouble breathing
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Swollen tonsils

These symptoms indicate that your throat soreness is a symptom of something else, often strep throat. Generally, if your sore throat is severe or lasts for a week or longer, you should seek professional treatment.

How is strep throat diagnosed?

At Acton Urgent Care, the team provides fast on-site rapid antigen testing for strep throat. They perform a physical examination and ask about your symptoms before taking a swab of your throat. The team tests the throat swab for the bacteria that causes strep throat. If they find some, they can get you started on the appropriate course of treatment right away.

How is a sore throat treated?

If you have a sore throat because of a viral infection, there isn’t much you can do for treatment. However, the infection should go away within a week. The team at Acton Urgent Care might recommend using over-the-counter pain- and fever-reducers to ease some of your symptoms. 

If you have strep throat, treatment is a bit different. The team prescribes you with a course of antibiotics. If you take your antibiotics exactly as your Acton Urgent Care provider tells you to, you’ll feel better within one to two days. Antibiotics also help stop you from spreading the infection to others.

If you have a persistent or painful sore throat, don’t hesitate to call Acton Urgent Care or book an appointment online right away.