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A sore throat always comes as an unwanted surprise. The sharp pain in your throat, which may worsen when you swallow or talk, will make you experience discomfort at school or work and keep you from a comfortable night’s sleep. However, sometimes the sore throat is a more serious case of strep throat, which you should get checked if you suspect this may be the case.
At our urgent care Centers in Orange County, CA, we can provide you or your child with quick sore throat or strep throat relief. When you visit any of our walk-in urgent care centers, you’ll get a proper diagnosis and treatment to ease your symptoms and expedite recovery.
Highlights of Our Urgent Care Centers:
A sore throat or pharyngitis is a painful condition of the throat that may cause discomfort when you swallow. A viral infection like a common cold or flu usually causes the condition. Other potential triggers of a sore throat include:
You may also have a sore throat if you experience symptoms such as:
Conversely, strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes scratchiness of the throat. Strep throat infection symptoms include:
You should seek specialized treatment for sore throat or strep throat before your symptoms worsen. Our urgent care specialists can run several tests to determine the cause of your throat discomfort and provide an appropriate treatment. By intervening early, we can help prevent your infection from spreading to other parts of the body, especially if you have a weak immune system.
Generally, you should seek urgent care if you or your child experiences any of the following issues:
We offer several strep throat tests, including:
Our doctors will first assess your general appearance (or your child’s) for strep throat signs/symptoms. Using a stethoscope, we’ll test for breathing difficulty. Vital signs like fever, presence of swollen lymph nodes, and nasal pathway obstructions are critical considerations in our physical strep throat tests. We may also insert a special light instrument into your nose and mouth to check for swelling, redness, and other problems in your throat.
Strep A tests can help us tell if you have the bacteria that cause strep throat in your system. There are two types of these tests:
The specialists at our urgent care centers don’t usually prescribe antibiotics for a viral sore throat infection. These drugs can’t kill any virus in your system. Fortunately, the viral infection goes away in a week or so. However, we may prescribe antibiotics if we diagnose you with a bacterial throat infection like strep throat.
The drugs are effective when administered properly, and you might get much better before finishing your prescribed dosage, but you should still finish your course of antibiotics to completely free your body of the strep A bacteria and avoid repeat infections.
Antibiotics kill the strep A bacteria in the patient’s body. Taking the medication exactly as prescribed can have impressive treatment outcomes such as:
Since strep throat is contagious, staying home until full recovery minimizes your likelihood of infecting others. Also, getting plenty of sleep and voice rest helps protect your throat and stay healthier as you get better. If you must go out while still unwell, observe precautions such as:
For a professional checkup and effective sore throat medicine for you or your little one, visit one of our Irvine Woodbridge Walk-In Urgent Care, or Costa Mesa Urgent Care, right away!
Yes, FCCMG Urgent Care can diagnose strep throat using a rapid antigen test. This test provides quick results, allowing us to confirm if you have a bacterial infection like strep throat and begin treatment right away.
The key difference is that a viral sore throat usually accompanies symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or congestion, and it improves on its own in a few days. A bacterial sore throat, such as strep throat, is often more severe and may cause a fever, swollen lymph nodes, and painful swallowing. FCCMG Urgent Care can help differentiate between the two using a rapid test.
Yes, strep throat is a bacterial infection and requires antibiotics to effectively treat it. If diagnosed with strep throat, FCCMG Urgent Care will prescribe the appropriate antibiotics to help you recover quickly and prevent complications.
Yes, FCCMG Urgent Care treats sore throats in both adults and children. We provide comprehensive care and will evaluate symptoms to determine whether the sore throat is viral or bacterial.
With proper antibiotic treatment, strep throat typically improves within 2-3 days. It's important to complete the full course of antibiotics to ensure the infection is fully treated and to prevent complications.
Yes, strep throat is highly contagious. To prevent spreading it, avoid close contact with others, wash your hands frequently, and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. It's also important to stay home from work or school until you've been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours.
No appointment is needed for sore throat treatment. You can either walk in or reserve your spot online at FCCMG Urgent Care for quick evaluation and care.
Yes, FCCMG Urgent Care can provide a note for school or work if you are diagnosed with strep throat. Simply request a note during your visit, and we will provide documentation for your absence.
Most insurance plans cover sore throat evaluations and treatments at FCCMG Urgent Care. We recommend checking with your insurance provider to confirm your coverage details before your visit.
If your sore throat doesn't improve after starting antibiotics, or if your symptoms worsen, return to FCCMG Urgent Care for a follow-up evaluation. We may recommend additional tests or adjustments to your treatment plan to ensure you recover properly.
We're Open Every Day!
Mon - Fri:
8AM - 8PM
Weekends & Holidays: 8AM - 5PM
We're Open Every Day!
Mon - Fri:
8AM - 8PM
Weekends & Holidays: 8AM - 5PM
