You want your child to head back to school this fall as healthy and prepared as possible. But what if they have a sore throat? Is this something that should prompt a trip to the doctor for an urgent care appointment, or is it nothing to worry about?
At Associates in Family Medicine, Dr. Mahshid M. Hamidi and our staff provide same-day urgent care treatment for our patients with problems like a sore throat. If you’re not sure what to do, contact our San Diego, California, office, and we’ll be happy to advise you.
A sore throat, medically called pharyngitis, is pain or irritation of the throat, and swallowing can make it feel worse.
The most common reasons for sore throats are viral infections, including the common cold, influenza (the flu), mononucleosis, measles, chickenpox, and COVID-19. The sore throat clears as the virus runs its course, in about 5-7 days.
Less commonly, bacterial infections may lead to a sore throat. The most common of these is Streptococcus pyogenes, also called group A streptococcus. The strep throat infection is most common in children and teens. Bacterial infections like strep need to be treated with antibiotics.
Additional causes of a sore throat include:
Seasonal allergies or a reaction to a medication, food, or other substance can lead to a sore throat. Mucus builds up in the sinuses and runs down the back of the nose and throat. This postnasal drip can cause a sore throat and make it feel worse.
Low humidity or dry indoor air from central heating or air conditioning can make your throat feel rough and scratchy. Breathing through your mouth, often caused by a stuffy nose, can also cause a dry, sore throat.
Irritants in the air can lead to an ongoing sore throat. Irritants may come from air pollution; tobacco smoke; chemical fumes; and dust, pollen, and mold. Eating spicy foods and drinking alcohol can also irritate the throat.
Yelling, talking excessively loudly or for a long time, or screaming at a concert can all strain the muscles in the throat, leading to pain.
If your lower esophageal sphincter doesn’t close properly, stomach acid can back up in the esophagus, leading to pain. It’s usually accompanied by other symptoms, including heartburn, a hoarse voice, and the feeling of a lump in your throat.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that you should take your child to the doctor if their sore throat doesn’t clear after they have a drink in the morning. In addition, you should seek immediate care if your child has difficulty breathing, isn’t able to swallow, or is drooling excessively.
Your Associates in Family Medicine doctor will examine your child’s throat to see if it’s red or shows visible signs of infection, and will most likely take a throat culture. We use a rapid antigen test to screen for strep throat. We get the results back in just a few minutes.
If the test comes back positive, we’ll prescribe a course of antibiotics. If it’s negative but we still suspect it might be strep, we’ll send a throat culture to a laboratory. Determining if the pain is caused by strep takes 24-48 hours, but the diagnosis is more sensitive. In the meantime, we might recommend over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and plenty of rest and fluids to make the throat feel better.
If your child is complaining about a sore throat, it’s better to err on the safe side and come into Associates in Family Medicine for a check-up rather than sending them straight to school. Call our office at 858-565-6394 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hamidi, or send us a message online. We also accept telehealth appointments.
