Sore Throat Treatment at AFC Urgent Care | Strep Throat Testing and Treatment

Sore throat is a common symptom of cold and flu viruses that make your day-to-day activities pretty miserable. Sore throat from viruses, illnesses, colds, and more can make it difficult to enjoy your day and focus on tasks. But the good news is that patients can begin sore throat treatment right away at AFC Urgent Care locations in the Philadelphia, PA area.

Our Philadelphia, PA, area walk-in medical clinics provide immediate, same-day cold and flu symptom treatment at our urgent care centers and walk-in clinics. Patients just need to visit us for same-day sore throat treatment and relief. No appointment is ever needed to see one of our highly-experienced providers. Do not worry about suspecting if the sore throat could be something more serious and get answers today.

We strive to provide not only accurate, but also a swift diagnosis of your symptoms and give you the treatment, or advice to make sure you feel better. Instead of waiting days for your primary care physician to be available or long waits in an emergency room, choose AFC Urgent Care to get immediate answers quickly and at an affordable price.

What are the main causes of a sore throat?

A sore throat, or pharyngitis, is usually caused by the influenza virus, rhinovirus (the common cold), allergies, or bacterial infections.

Patients with immune system deficiencies are more likely to get sore throats from an infection. The treatments for sore throats include OTC lozenges, anti-inflammatory medicines, saltwater gargles, and if necessary, antibiotics prescribed by a provider.

How is strep throat different from a sore throat?

If you have a sore throat it can be rather uncomfortable. It feels as if your throat is irritated and scratchy. However, a sore throat should be better within a few days, without the need for any additional treatment.

In comparison, strep throat is caused by a bacterium that is growing in your nasal canals and throat. It is incredibly painful and can often leave you unable to go about your usual daily activities. It can cause you to be unable to eat or drink and even water or soft foods can be difficult to swallow.

How is strep throat treated?

Once diagnosed, strep throat can be easily treated. However, the diagnosis is the key here. It is important that you are tested for strep throat, as the treatment is with antibiotics, something that is not necessary if strep throat is not present. We are very mindful about over-prescribing antibiotics, so we will only give them to you if you test positive for strep throat.

This is a simple test that will give you a diagnosis quickly and efficiently. Our rapid strep throat test is conducted in our state-of-the-art on-site lab. The results are generally produced within 15 minutes, meaning you’ll have your answers in a single visit to our medical clinic.

Sore throat symptoms

The types of sore throat symptoms that will impact patients include the following:

• Itching, fatigued, and painful throat
• Fever
• Chills
• Loss of Appetite
• Nausea
• Headache
• Rash

Sore throat treatment at AFC Urgent Care Locations in the Philadelphia PA area

At AFC Urgent Care locations in the Philadelphia PA area, we provide a variety of sore throat treatment options for patients of all ages. We encourage patients to come visit our urgent care center in order to alleviate immediate sore throat symptoms. The types of treatment range from preventive to direct urgent care.

Flu shots and seasonal vaccines help prevent sore throats from influenza viruses. Make sure you get your annual flu shot in order to protect against a common sore throat cause.

Additionally, AFC Urgent Care locations across the state provide immediate symptom relief so you can quickly relieve painful headaches, throat irritation, and other symptoms!