Sore Throat (Pharyngitis)

Diagnosis

After reviewing your symptoms, the doctor will ask if you might recently have been exposed to someone with strep throat or any other infection involving the throat, nose or ears.

After recording your temperature, your doctor will exam you, paying particular attention to your mouth, throat, nose, ears and the lymph nodes in your neck. If your doctor thinks you have strep throat, he or she may prescribe antibiotics without further testing. If there is some uncertainty, the doctor may want a strep test. A rapid strep test is done in your doctor's office, takes only a few minutes to doand detects 80 percent to 90 percent of all cases of strep throat. If this quick test is negative, but your doctor still believes you might have strep, your doctor will take a sample of your throat fluids for more intensive testing in a laboratory. Results will be available in 24 to 48 hours.

Expected Duration

If you have simple viral pharyngitis, your symptoms should gradually go away over a period of about one week. If you have strep throat, your symptoms should subside within two to three days after you begin taking antibiotics.