Respiratory tract infections affect how you and your child engage in activities because they affect your breathing. Other than causing shortness of breath or altered breathing patterns, some also make it hard for you to swallow food. In this case, it is essential to consult your physician for prompt treatment to provide symptomatic relief. That is why Flu & strep in Sugar Land have tests performed to help your doctor determine which organism is the cause of your respiratory disease. Since flu and sore throats are common respiratory infections, below is what you must know about what each test examines and when it is needed.
What is the flu test?
A flu test involves using several evaluation methods to help rule out influenza. However, if there is an outbreak of flu in the community, your symptoms are enough for your care provider to determine if you have flu. Therefore, the specialist performs a thorough physical examination of flu-like symptoms such as fever and heavy cough. However, if your doctor suspects you could be suffering from pneumonia, they may request a chest x-ray.
Other tests required are blood work, including a CBC test. The most common method used in testing flu is using an antigen test. The test uses swabs to collect samples from your throat and nose for culture. The physician processes the culture and gives the results to your doctor for evaluation. The results are processed quickly to help the attending doctor decide which treatment is right to treat flu symptoms because it is a viral disease. But if you are diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, you will be given an antibiotic on top of other medications that are supposed to provide symptomatic relief.
Who should be tested for the flu?
The symptoms of flu are different in adults and children. Therefore, you or your child is required to seek immediate medical advice if you begin experiencing the symptoms below.
Flu symptoms in children include:
- Gray or bluish skin color
- Persistent or severe vomiting
- Trouble breathing
- Rapid breathing
- Flu-like symptoms that improve and later return with cough and fever
Adult symptoms include:
- Sudden dizziness
- Persistent or severe vomiting
- Confusion
- Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
- Flu-like symptoms that disappear and return with a worse cough and fever
- Pressure or pain in the abdomen or chest
- High fever for more than three days
What is a strep test?
Pharyngitis or sore throat is mainly caused by Viruses, bacteria, or reactions to allergens which are easily detected using certain diagnostic tests. Sore throat is commonly caused by viruses or sinus drainage and bacterial infection, mainly streptococcus bacteria.
A strep test is an accurate and quick diagnostic tool to determine if streptococcus bacteria is present in your throat. It can also detect the presence of streptococcus in infected wounds or lesions. It is performed using a swab that is quickly rubbed over the back of the mouth and tonsil. The swab with the sample is then placed in a container for processing, and later the doctor evaluates the strep test.
At times the symptoms you might be experiencing are not enough for your care provider to conclude the underlying cause of your flu or sore throat. That is why St. Michael’s Elite Hospital performs both strep and flu tests to help determine which treatment suits you. Therefore, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, visit them today or book your appointment online for prompt diagnosis and treatment of your symptoms.