It’s probably safe to say that many of us had strep throat several times when we were growing up. While strep throat is most common among children between the ages of 5 and 15, it can affect children and adults of all ages, and its severity varies from person to person.

Read on as our team at AFC Urgent Care Athens, TN shares some other helpful info on this common bacterial infection.

How Do I Know If I Have Strep Throat?

Before we explain its first symptoms, it’s important to know exactly what causes strep throat. Strep throat is a bacterial infection that is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria, which causes throat pain and inflammation.

While the overall symptoms of strep throat vary a little bit, the first symptoms typically remain consistent. In many cases, the first symptoms of this infection are a sore throat, difficulty swallowing and a fever. We’ve listed some more common symptoms of strep throat below.

Common Strep Throat Symptoms

• Sore, red throat with white patches
• Headache
• Chills
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Trouble swallowing

How Do I Know That I Don’t Just Have a Sore Throat?

While a sore throat is one of the first signs of strep throat, one of the tell-tale differences between a sore throat and strep throat is the absence or presence of a cough. According to experts, a cough typically means that you don’t have strep.

Additionally, those with only a sore throat don’t typically have pus or exudite in their throat, which is consistent with strep throat. If you believe you have strep throat, visit your doctor. Your doctor might perform a rapid strep test, which is a reliable and accurate test.

How to Tell If It’s Only a Sore Throat

• Runny nose
• Cough
• Red or watery eyes
• Sneezing

Are you feeling under the weather? If so, don’t hesitate to visit us at AFC Urgent Care Athens, TN! We can provide the care you need.