Do you or does someone in your family have a painful sore throat that won’t go away? It may be strep—and strep is serious. Find out for sure with a strep test at Fast Track Urgent Care. Since strep throat is a bacterial infection, you need to get treatment to feel better and stop the infection from spreading to others. Visit one of our two walk-in clinics to get a strep throat test in the Rockville area. Fast Track offers convenient evening and weekend hours.
Should I Be Tested for Strep Throat?
So how do you know if you need strep throat testing and treatment? Consider the following:
- Is your throat sore?
- Do you have pain when you swallow?
- Is there swelling around your throat?
- Is your throat bright red in color?
- Do you have any white or yellow spots on the back of your throat?
- Do you have a fever?
If you have any of the above symptoms, come to Fast Track’s walk-in clinic for strep throat testing and strep throat treatment.
How Is Strep Throat Treated?
Because strep is a bacterial infection, antibiotics are used to treat it. Because strep is contagious, it’s very important that you get your strep throat treated so you don’t infect others. Strep throat treatment with an antibiotic will shorten the time you are contagious (typically, you are no longer contagious after taking antibiotics for 24 hours) and will also help relieve your symptoms.
How Is a Strep Throat Test Done?
A typical strep throat test comprises a short physical exam and either a rapid strep test or a throat culture.
- Rapid Strep Test (RST): A doctor or nurse swabs your throat and tonsils to collect bacteria for testing. The test is complete in about 15 minutes.
- Throat Culture: A doctor or nurse swabs your throat and puts the sample in a cup to see if an infection grows. It takes 1-2 days for the results to appear, however, a throat culture is considered more accurate than an RST.
Because rapid strep tests are not always accurate, sometimes your doctor will need to perform a throat culture. After the doctor confirms you have strep throat, you will be prescribed an antibiotic.
Why Choose Fast Track for Strep Throat Treatment in Maryland?
When you visit our Rockville, Maryland walk-in clinics for strep throat treatment, you will benefit not only from exceptional and expeditious medical care, but from lower payments as well. Our friendly doctors and nurses are more than qualified and can immediately assess your sore throat and provide the right treatment.
Fast Track’s board-certified doctors and nurses can provide the appropriate strep treatment for you, as well as many other medical services. When you need prompt, professional medical care near the Rockville area, contact us or visit one of our walk-in clinics.