Strep Throat, Flu. COVID-19, or Allergies-Which is it?
Let’s face it: Being sick is never fun or convenient. However, this time of year, being sick is even more challenging because diagnosing the specific illness isn’t always easy. From Strep Throat to the Flu, to COVID-19, or just everyday allergies, knowing what is keeping you down and how to treat it properly requires assistance.
In our latest blog article, we’ve put together an insightful resource to help you become more familiar with your illness, such as determining what it is and the best way to recover from it. Take a look!
What’s Got You Down?
As mentioned above, myriad illnesses often share similar symptoms, making it difficult to determine what is causing you to suffer and how to heal from it. In particular, Strep Throat, the Flu, COVID-19, and common allergies can all appear as one another. As such, we’ve broken down each ailment to offer you a better understanding.
Signs and symptoms of Strep Throat can include:
- Throat pain that usually comes on quickly
- Painful swallowing
- Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
- Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth (soft or hard palate)
- Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck
- Fever
- Headache
- Rash
- Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children
- Body aches
Strep Throat is treated with antibiotics and rest.
People who have Flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
- Fever or feeling feverish/chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue (tiredness)
Some people may also experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The Flu is treated with antiviral medications and supportive care.
Possible COVID-19 symptoms include:
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Difference between Flu and COVID-19:
Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2, and Flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. You cannot tell the difference between Flu and COVID-19 by symptoms alone because some of the symptoms are the same.
What are common seasonal allergy symptoms?
- Congestion
- Sneezing
- Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
- Runny nose and eyes
- Post nasal drip (drainage in the throat)
- Fatigue
- Coughing
Allergies are treated with antihistamines, decongestants, and other medications.
The only way to accurately diagnose and treat an illness is to see a healthcare provider, like Victoria ER. Our skilled, professional, and friendly team can conveniently test for Strep Throat, Flu, and COVID-19. Victoria ER 24-Hour Emergency Center is dedicated to providing our local community with access to fast and accurate testing at our facility 24/7. We offer 15 Minute Rapid COVID-19/FLU/STREP Testing & 2 Hour RT-PCR COVID-19 Testing with same-day results.
