When Should You See A Doctor For A Sore Throat?
A sore throat is a very common complaint among patients. While most sore throats are due to viral infections that resolve with time and home treatment, there are times when you should see a doctor for further evaluation or medications.
Children
Children often complain of a sore throat due to a cold virus or a viral sinus infection, which antibiotics won't help. If your child wakes up with a sore throat, have him drink a full glass of water and wait at least 20 minutes to see if it lessens in severity or goes away completely. If it does, there's no cause for alarm. If your child's sore throat persists or if it's accompanied by a fever, it's best to have a doctor take a look. Seek emergency medical treatment if your child has difficulty breathing, drooling or is unable to swallow.
Adults
As with children, a sore throat in adults is typically caused by a viral infection. Other common symptoms that often occur with a sore throat include fever, body aches, sneezing, runny nose and cough. Warm salt water gargles, drinking hot fluids, staying away from smoke and taking over-the-counter decongestants, pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen, can help relieve symptoms while a virus runs its course.
If you have a sore throat accompanied by a fever higher than 101 Fahrenheit, rash, earache, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, see a doctor as soon as possible. You should also be seen if you have a sore throat that lasts longer than a week or is so severe you have trouble sleeping.
Is it Strep?
In some cases, a sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria rather than a virus. You may have strep throat if your sore throat isn't accompanied by a cough or runny nose, symptoms that are usually indicative of a viral infection. Strep throat can also cause a rash and visible white pus on your tonsils. Swollen lymph nodes in your neck may also indicate strep. A doctor can easily test for strep with a throat swab and prescribe antibiotics if necessary. You should not be contagious after a full 24 hours of taking antibiotics.
If you think you need to see a physician and can't get an appointment with your primary care doctor, consider visiting an urgent care facility like Alaska Urgent Care LLC. A sore throat isn't something that requires an emergency room visit unless accompanied by other severe symptoms, such as an allergic reaction or a very high fever, and going to an urgent care clinic won't cost as much as an ER visit.
