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A scratchy throat, discomfort or pain in the back of the throat, and similar feelings are so common we almost consider them as natural as breathing. The leading causes behind it are the common cold and relative drainage, allergies, or the dry winter air. But how can you differentiate whether you have strep throat or mono? Visit AFC Urgent Care Lyndhurst for step and mono testing. Our on-site lab allows results quickly to help get you the treatment you need to feel better soon.

Strep Throat

The A group streptococcus bacteria cause strep throat, and in it, inflammation and pain in the throat is a regular occurrence. You can expect your strep throat to cure within a few days or a little longer at most with the help of antibiotics. To get tested, your doctor will swab a sample of the back of your throat. A rapid test will have results within a few minutes, and a culture will be ready in a few days.

However, if you leave strep throat untreated, severe complications can arise in your health. As a result, you may likely develop rheumatic fever or scarlet fever, your kidney can suffer inflammation, and you may also develop a peritonsillar abscess.

You may experience mild to moderate symptoms in strep throat initially, but these can worsen in just a matter of days. The telltale signs of the worsening condition include:

• Discolored urine
• Breathing problems
• You may develop spots in the back of your throat
• Joint pain
• Difficulty swallowing
• Rash
• Fever beyond 101 F
• Tender and swollen lymph nodes
• Suffering pain that prolongs beyond 48 hours

Mononucleosis

Mono transmits through saliva and occurs due to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is a far milder condition than strep throat and has no specific medical treatment. Most people who develop mononucleosis can recover with plenty of rest and high fluid consumption. If you fall sick with this condition, you can hope to recover in a few weeks and most likely even before.

However, this condition may be relatively uncomplicated and non-threatening, but there can be certain complications. It is, therefore, imperative to closely monitor your symptoms and get as much rest as possible.

Mono has some common symptoms, as given below:

• Swollen and soft spleen
• Headaches
• Skin rash
• Swollen tonsils
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Sore throat
• Fatigue

If a person develops serious complications, the worsening symptoms can include anemia, heart problems, breathing problems, and other problems relating to the swollen tonsils. Mono is also known to cause swelling of the spleen. Pain or pressure in the upper abdomen is common with mono, but it is important to avoid contact sports until cleared by a doctor. If not, your spleen may rupture.

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