Spots on back of tongue sore throat

A sore throat can leave you feeling run down, hoarse, and unable to eat or speak normally. Luckily, most sore throats are caused by viruses and go away on their own.

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1. Sore throat without a runny nose, hoarseness, cough, or pink eye
2. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
3. Red, swollen tonsils often with white patches or streaks
4. Red spots on the roof of the mouth
5. High fever or rash
What Does Strep Look Like? | Strep Throat Images
Other related questions:
About FastMed
What causes bumps on back of tongue and sore throat?
Why do I have red spots on my tongue and a sore throat?
Do bumps on back of tongue mean strep?
What does strep throat tongue look like?

On the other hand, strep throat is caused by bacteria and requires antibiotic treatment. At Physicians Medical Urgent Care in San Jose, California, Dr. Sveltlana Burkhead and Dr. Ines Munoz De Laborde are experts in diagnosing sore throats and strep infections.

If you see any of the 5 following signs, it might be time to come to our offices for a quick in-office test.

1. Sore throat without a runny nose, hoarseness, cough, or pink eye

Viral infections are usually behind most sore throats. Because viruses often attack multiple areas of the respiratory system, they often cause other cold and flu-like symptoms as well.

If you have a sore throat in addition to a runny nose, hoarseness, cough, or pink eye, it’s likely to be a viral infection. We may prescribe you some medicines to help with the symptoms but viral infections usually resolve on their own with a bit of rest.

On the other hand, if you have a sore throat without any of the above symptoms, it might be strep throat caused by the group A streptococci bacteria.

2. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

Your lymph nodes work to filter the lymphatic system which is involved in immune responses to infection. That's because your lymph nodes often get swollen and tender in response to infection.

While there are multiple lymph nodes located throughout your body, lymph nodes usually swell up in response to local infections nearby. Swollen lymph nodes in your neck often suggest a throat infection like strep throat.

3. Red, swollen tonsils often with white patches or streaks

Strep bacteria often attacks the tonsils as well as the throat, causing streaks or patches of pus to develop. While viral infections can sometimes cause tonsil swelling (tonsillitis), they are unlikely to cause the white streaks and patches associated with strep throat.

4. Red spots on the roof of the mouth

Tiny red bumps on the roof of your mouth care called petechiae and are a common symptom of a strep throat infection. These bumps are caused by small capillaries in the roof of your mouth leaking and are often caused by serious infections.

5. High fever or rash

Low fevers (less than 101℉) are sometimes associated with viral sore throats, but high fevers and rashes are almost always signs of strep infections. Left untreated, these high fevers can lead to a condition called rheumatic fever which can cause long-term damage to your body.

Similarly, if you notice a sudden fine pink rash or a bright red throat, it might be a cause of another strep complication called scarlet fever. While scarlet fever can usually be easily treated with antibiotics, it’s important to see us immediately if you notice any of these signs.

It’s easy to confuse viral sore throats with strep throats, but they require different treatments. If you are experiencing the above symptoms, we can confirm your strep diagnosis with a simple swab and send you home with antibiotics to clear up the infection.

If you think you might have strep throat, call the Physicians Medical Urgent Care team at 888-265-2120 or book an appointment online to get your throat diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

While getting a sore throat commonly leads to further symptoms, it does not always mean you have strep throat. Many times, a sore throat is a precursor to a common cold or other viral illness. What does a sore throat look like? What about a sore throat vs. a normal throat? A sore throat has unique indicators such as white spots on the throat or bumps in the back of the throat that can alert you to whether it’s viral, like a cold, or bacterial, like strep throat. Take a look at strep throat pictures to get an idea about strep throat and what it looks like.

What Does Strep Look Like? | Strep Throat Images

As you can see in the following picture of strep throat, there are a number of differences in a sore throat compared to a virus and a bacterium.

For a viral sore throat, there are typically fewer symptoms than what would be found with strep throat. You will commonly see red, swollen tonsils and a red, swollen throat. If you have these symptoms, and these symptoms only, chances are your illness is strictly viral, and you can gargle salt water to help relieve the symptoms.

Pic of strep throat above.

Strep Throat vs. Tonsillitis
The beginning of strep throat usually starts with a sore throat and then moves on to other cold symptoms, including a runny nose or congestion. Because strep throat is an infection from streptococcus bacterial, it can cause tonsillitis. If you have strep throat, you will most likely have a more severe sore throat that lasts longer.

If your symptoms are coming from a bacteria instead of a virus, there are more symptoms that you will likely notice. Some of the following symptoms are indicators of what strep throat looks like:

Sore, swollen, red throat, and tonsils
Swollen uvula
Tiny white spots on the back of the throat, tongue, and tonsils
Bumps in the back of the throat
Gray, furry film on the tongue (can give the tongue a white appearance)

If you have some or all of these symptoms that look like strep throat, you should seek medical attention from the healthcare professionals at FastMed Urgent Care.

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About FastMed

FastMed Urgent Care owns and operates nearly 200 centers in North Carolina, Arizona and Texas that provide a broad range of acute/episodic and preventive healthcare services 365 days a year. FastMed also provides workers’ compensation and other occupational health services at all its centers, and family and sports medicine services at select locations. FastMed has successfully treated more than six million patients and is the only independent urgent care operator in North Carolina, Arizona and Texas to be awarded The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for quality, safety and infection control in ambulatory healthcare. For more information about locations, services, hours of operation, insurance and prices, visit www.fastmed.com.

What causes bumps on back of tongue and sore throat?

Swollen lymph glands can cause the cells under the skin to swell and look bumpy, which doctors call pharyngitis. Viral infections cause 60–90% of pharyngitis cases. Other viruses, such as chickenpox, herpes, croup, and mono, sometimes cause swelling and a cobblestone throat.

Why do I have red spots on my tongue and a sore throat?

Red spots are usually caused by an infection from bacteria, like strep throat, a virus, or fungus. Treating it depends on the cause but you can reduce the pain with numbing creams.

Do bumps on back of tongue mean strep?

Some of the following symptoms are indicators of what strep throat looks like: Sore, swollen, red throat, and tonsils. Swollen uvula. Tiny white spots on the back of the throat, tongue, and tonsils.

What does strep throat tongue look like?

White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils, back of the throat, and tongue. Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth. Whitish, furry film on the tongue.