You wake up feeling drained. The moment you take the first sip of water, it’s like you’re swallowing razor blades.
Talking? Forget it. Even whispering feels like dragging sandpaper on raw skin.
You’re thinking: Is this just a nasty sore throat from the weather… or full-blown strep throat? And can urgent care help right now?
“Strep throat can start mild and spiral fast into fever, chills, swollen glands and throat pain that hijacks your entire day,” says Dr. Asrar Sheikh, MD, at Family Urgent Care.
With over 12 million strep throat cases treated in clinics every year in the U.S., it’s one of the most commonly underestimated infections.
So, how do you know when strep is serious enough to require urgent care? In this blog, we’ll discuss the signs, symptoms, and the critical tipping point when strep becomes urgent.
Common Causes of Strep Throat
This infection easily spreads through respiratory droplets and in places like schools, offices, and households.
The most common causes of strep throat include:
- Close contact with an infected person
- Weakened immune system
- Crowded environment
- Poor hygiene
- Touching contaminated surfaces
- Sharing personal items
- Exposure to infected surfaces
To prevent the infection, you can avoid sharing personal items and wash your hands frequently to reduce the risk of infection.
Symptoms Of Strep Throat That You Should Not Ignore
Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by streptococcus pyogenes, which makes your throat feel sore and scratchy. Here are some common symptoms of strep throat that you should not ignore:
- Fever
- Pain when swallowing
- Red and swollen tonsils
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Tiny, red spots on the roof of mouth
- White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms along with a sore throat, it’s important to get tested promptly.
But keep in mind, not every sore throat is strep throat. It could also be tonsillitis or a viral cold, and the symptoms can sometimes overlap.
Curious about the difference? Read this: Strep Throat vs. Tonsillitis vs. Viral Cold – Know the Signs
When symptoms are unclear, urgent care can help you get the right diagnosis and treatment. So what exactly can they do? Keep reading to find out.
How Can Urgent Care Help You In Treating Strep Throat?
If you’re dealing with a sore throat that’s getting worse day by day, urgent care can be a convenient first stop, especially when you’re unsure if it’s just a viral infection or something more serious like strep.
Here’s how a nearby urgent care clinic typically helps with strep throat:
- On-the-Spot Evaluation: You can book an appointment same-day at some clinics where your provider examines your throat, checks swollen tonsils, lymph nodes, or red spots in the mouth.
- Rapid Strep Test: They often use a quick throat swab test (results in 5–10 minutes) to confirm if your infection is caused by streptococcus pyogenes.
- Treatment If Needed: If the test comes back positive, they can prescribe antibiotics right away to help you recover faster and reduce the risk of complications.
- No Appointments Necessary: In urgent care clinics, you usually don’t need to wait days to see a healthcare provider. They accept walk-ins and have extended hours, even evenings and weekends.
So, if your throat pain feels more intense than usual or is paired with fever, difficulty swallowing, or white patches on your tonsils, urgent care can offer quick clarity and relief.
How Long Does Strep Throat Last?
The duration of strep throat can vary depending on the severity of the infection, your overall health, and how quickly you begin treatment.
For most people with mild symptoms, strep throat starts to improve within 4 to 5 days, especially with proper medication, rest and hydration.
However, recovery can take longer in cases with more severe symptoms, a weakened immune system, or a lack of self-care.
“If your sore throat persists beyond a few days, especially with symptoms like fever, painful swallowing, or visible white patches on the tonsils, contact your healthcare provider immediately,” says Dr. Sheikh.
“Untreated strep can lead to complications, and timely treatment makes a big difference in recovery,” he adds.
Complications That Can Arise from Untreated Strep Throat
A strep throat infection can be managed if treated in time, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems.
Rheumatic fever, kidney inflammation, and abscesses near the tonsils are serious complications that can arise if an infection is left untreated.
If the strep bacteria start releasing toxins in multiple organs, this situation can cause a life-threatening condition called streptococcal toxic syndrome that can cause organ failure.
So, doctors often recommend patients not to ignore the early signs such as sore throat, fever, swollen tonsils, etc. You must seek medical care from a healthcare professional and get prompt treatment.
Does Urgent Care Provide Antibiotics for Strep Throat?
Yes. Urgent care clinics are fully equipped to diagnose and treat strep throat, including prescribing the right antibiotics for you.
When you visit, the provider will typically perform a rapid strep test, a quick swab of your throat that gives results in just a few minutes. If needed, they may also send a throat culture to the lab for confirmation, especially if the rapid test is negative, but your symptoms suggest otherwise.
“If your test is positive for strep, we prescribe antibiotics like penicillin, amoxicillin, or azithromycin to start treatment right away,” says Dr. Asrar Sheikh, MD, at Family Urgent Care.
Antibiotics don’t just help you feel better faster, they also lower the risk of complications like ear infections or rheumatic fever.
So if you’ve been toughing it out with a sore throat that won’t quit, urgent care can offer quick answers and real relief.
What You Can Do at Home to Speed Up Strep Throat Recovery
Once it is confirmed that you have strep throat, you can follow these doctor-recommended steps to fasten your recovery within days.
- Take antibiotics and over-the-counter medicines on time as prescribed.
- Use warm salt water gargles.
- Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
- Avoid sharing personal items with your family
- Practice oral hygiene.
- Stay away from irritants.
Taking care of yourself at home is essential; otherwise, your symptoms will take weeks to get better.
Reminder: Once you start taking antibiotics, you might start feeling better in two to three days. However, if there’s no improvement, call your healthcare provider for further support.
Quick Relief for Strep Throat at Family Urgent Care
For the residents of Indiana and Illinois, we bring good news! Unlike other clinics, you don’t need to wait weeks to book appointments with us.
We provide same-day checkups with extended hours so you can visit us as soon as possible and find relief without waiting hours, days or even weeks.
Our experienced healthcare providers and consultants quickly examine your signs and symptoms, send strep throat samples if needed and provide a proper treatment plan to make sure you recover within two to three days.
You can get strep throat testing within minutes along with a counseling session on how to manage your symptoms at home.
If you can’t come to the clinic, don’t worry! We offer telehealth services so you can start your treatment right from the comfort of your home.
So, if you or anyone in your family is experiencing a naggy sore throat, walk-in or book an appointment now to get effective treatment.
