Rapid Strep Test – strep throat early signs, causes, symptoms and treatment

Long gone are the days of having to wait for lab results to come back to see if you in fact have strep throat. After going to the doctor with an awful sore throat, and having to wait for your results to come back to start your medicine, you now can get results within minutes. Your doctor can now administer something called a rapid strep test where they can determine if you need to be treated for strep throat immediately. Strep throat is caused by a virus or a bacterium that infects the throat.

The rapid strep test is a fast and precise diagnostic instrument used to establish if strep bacteria has affected the patient’s throat. The same examination can be used to evaluate for the existence of Streptococci in other tainted areas especially wound infections.

Benefits of Quick Strep Test

Patients gain both right away and prospectively in the long-term by speedy diagnosis of streptococcal infection of their sore throat. Antibiotic cure offers a faster elimination of symptoms, cuts down the period of illness and able to stop the risk of spreading of infection to those around you.

To administer the rapid strep test a doctor takes a swab of the patient’s throat to see if the bacteria that causes strep throat is present. The results from the rapid strep test are available instantly so you don’t have to wait for up to three days a culture to come back from the lab. Because you get the results immediately the doctor is able to prescribe medicine the same say to treat the infection. An antibiotic such as Amoxicillin is generally given to treat strep throat.

Rapid Strep Test Kits

Within families with children where germs are easily spread, a family might consider buying a rapid strep test kit for the house. This easy to use kit comes with 25 strips for you to insert into the mouth and determine if in fact the cause of the sore throat is the strep bacterium. This average cost for this kit is around $35 dollars and can be purchased online or at select drug stores in your home town. This kit will save you time and money going to the doctor for a sore throat that is not in fact strep.

Strep Throat Treatment

The use the rapid strep kit you must first wash your hands or use gloves before administering the test. Remove all the contents from the box and lay them on a flat surface. Next take the strip and swab the back of the person’s mouth near the throat. You then put the strip into a chemical solution that will change colors signaling the presence of the strep bacterium. If the bacterium is present then you must make an appointment to see a physician immediately for a prescription.

The good news is strep throat is easy to cure with antibiotics prescribed by a physician. So time is of the essence when diagnosing strep throat, so the rapid stress test will cut the diagnosis time.