Strep Throat Treatment Specialist in Boca Raton, FL

Strep throat is caused by the bacterium known as Streptococcus pyogenes, also referred to as group A streptococcus or group A strep (GAS). Group A streptococcus is spread through direct contact with respiratory discharges from the nose or throat of an individual who has an active strep throat infection. Such discharges can occur when the infected individual coughs, sneezes, or shares food or beverages with another person. You can also become infected with strep throat after touching a surface contaminated with group A strep bacteria and then touching your nose or mouth.

The primary symptom of strep throat is a sore throat. In addition to sore throat, you may also experience any of the following symptoms with a strep throat infection:

• Abdominal pain
• Appetite loss
• Fever of or higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit
• Headaches
• Lymph nodes at the front of your neck are swollen and tender
• Muscle aches and pains
• Nausea, vomiting, or a stomach-ache
• Patches of white around the tonsil or back of the throat, as well as tiny red spots on the roof of your mouth called petechiae
• Red and swollen tonsils that may or may not have streaks of pus
• Significant pain when swallowing

In some cases, a person can carry the strep throat bacteria without experiencing any symptoms. Such individuals are known as strep carriers. However, strep carriers are less likely to spread the infection to other people and even less likely to experience severe complications.

Since strep throat is a bacterial infection, the primary treatment options for strep throat are oral antibiotics, such as penicillin or amoxicillin, to eradicate the bacteria. In general, antibiotic treatment is not prescribed until a strep throat test comes back positive and only if the individual is still experiencing adverse symptoms of a strep throat infection.

While the patient waits for their test results to come back, their doctor will likely recommend some at-home remedies to soothe the pain, such as drinking soothing liquids or gargling saltwater. Testing for strep throat is a quick and painless process involving a swab of the back of your throat with a cotton swab to obtain a respiratory sample. If the clinic uses a rapid strep test, results can return in as little as 20 minutes. Other strep tests are sent to a laboratory for analysis of the sample.

Since a sore throat is the hallmark sign of strep throat, it can be challenging to know if you are dealing with strep throat or just a sore throat from the common cold. However, there are a couple of observations you can make to see if your sore throat is likely caused by strep throat or the common cold. One observation to make is if there are white patches on your tonsils or back of the throat, as such symptoms would indicate a likely strep throat infection. Another observation you can make is if you are experiencing congestion, runny nose, or a cough, as such symptoms are common with viral colds but uncommon with strep throat.

Boca Medical Care is proud to provide strep throat treatment to patients from Boca Raton, Florida, and the surrounding area! For more information, please do not hesitate to Contact us, schedule an appointment, or visit our clinic at 9250 Glades Rd #100 Boca Raton, FL, for a walk-in appointment. We serve patients from Boca Raton FL, Deerfield Beach FL, Pompano Beach FL, Coral Springs FL, Delray Beach FL, Parkland FL, Boynton Beach FL, and Fort Lauderdale FL.