TBH Medical is a direct primary care (DPC) provider in Colorado Springs, CO. Aja Hardesty, MSN, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, is a double board-certified Nurse Practitioner in Colorado Springs with 15+ years of emergency room, urgent care, and primary care experience. With direct primary care, you skip the hassles of insurance and pay a low-cost monthly membership fee to have faster and more personalized access to essential primary care services – Same-Day or Next-Day Appointments – No Copays. No Deductibles. No Surprise Bills – Clear Upfront Pricing and Great Personalized Care!
Direct Primary Care is a great money-saving option if you don’t currently have medical coverage or wish to pair it with a high-deductible plan or a military plan. You can save even more money by paying for your DPC membership with HSA or FSA funds. And you’ll definitely enjoy the much shorter wait times to be seen!
We want your sore throat or strep treatment to be as simple and quick as possible. For details on the rapid test itself, see our strep A test page.
A sore throat refers to any pain, irritation, or inflammation of the throat. A sore throat can be caused by:
Strep throat is a contagious infection caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria. A viral sore throat typically resolves on its own, but strep throat requires a medical diagnosis and antibiotic treatment to prevent serious health issues.
The symptoms of strep throat usually begin quickly and can include:
Unlike a typical viral cold, strep throat usually doesn’t involve a runny nose, cough or pink eye.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a viral and bacterial sore throat because both are painful. A viral sore throat usually has other symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or hoarseness. A bacterial sore throat usually has a higher fever and no typical cold symptoms, but the only way to know for sure is to see a medical professional.
At TBH Medical, our nurse practitioner will perform a physical exam and discuss your medical history and symptoms. We will look at your throat, tonsils, and lymph nodes to check for signs of a bacterial infection. Then we will decide which diagnostic tests you need to confirm the presence of the streptococcal bacteria.
A rapid strep test is the first-line test for diagnosing strep throat. The rapid strep test is a quick swab of the back of the throat and tonsils.
When we suspect strep throat, we perform a rapid strep test by swabbing the back of your throat to collect a sample. If the rapid test comes back positive, we treat your strep throat without sending anything else to the lab. If the rapid test comes back negative and we still suspect strep based on your symptoms, we send the swab off to the lab to make sure a bacterial infection is ruled out.
Rapid strep tests give us results within 10-15 minutes, while you’re still at our office. That way, we can get you diagnosed and come up with a treatment plan before you leave our office. If we send a clinical throat culture to the lab, it typically takes 24-48 hours to process.
The treatment we use for your sore throat depends on what’s causing it. If it’s viral, we treat you with supportive care as your body gets rid of the virus. If it’s strep throat, we treat you with antibiotics to kill the bacteria, shorten the duration of your symptoms, and lower your risk of complications.
Yes, you need antibiotics to treat strep throat. Antibiotics kill the Group A Streptococcus bacteria, shorten the amount of time you have symptoms, and prevent you from developing serious complications, such as rheumatic fever or nephritis. Antibiotics won’t treat a viral sore throat and should only be used when you have a bacterial infection.
Though you need prescription antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection, you can use over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve throat pain and bring down a fever. You can also use natural treatments, such as:
These treatments support your medical care and help you feel more comfortable as you heal.
At TBH Medical, we make it easy to get in to see us as soon as you get sick. We leave room in our schedules to accommodate urgent appointments when you need them for severe sore throats or other acute conditions. You can reach out to us to schedule an appointment at your convenience.
TBH Medical is a direct primary care (DPC) practice, meaning we are a membership-based model. This allows us to offer individualized, convenient, and unhurried care for our current patients. Members receive priority, comprehensive care for acute and chronic conditions, and direct communication with their nurse practitioner. If you are interested in becoming a member or have questions about availability for acute, non-member visits, please call our office for more information.
We advise our members to call as soon as they have acute symptoms so we can schedule a same-day or next-day visit. We are not a walk-in facility, but because we communicate directly with you, you won’t have to wait in a crowded urgent care facility to be seen.
At TBH Medical, acute illness visits are covered by your simple, monthly membership fee. There are no co-pays or office visit fees to see a provider. If outside labs or prescription medications are necessary, these are disclosed and discussed prior to any additional costs.
Your TBH Medical membership covers the cost of in-office diagnostics such as the rapid strep test. If an outside lab culture or prescription antibiotics are needed, we have negotiated wholesale-price discounts for our members. This ensures affordability and transparency if these services are required.
By choosing TBH Medical, you will see a nurse practitioner who is familiar with your overall health, rather than an unfamiliar provider at an urgent care facility. You won’t have to wait for an extended period of time in a crowded urgent care office, and you won’t have out-of-pocket costs that are often associated with urgent care visits. We offer follow-up care and care coordination that is not available at an urgent care facility.
If your symptoms persist or worsen after 48 hours of antibiotic treatment, or if you have additional symptoms, you should contact TBH Medical.
At TBH Medical, we use a rapid strep test for fast and accurate diagnosis of strep throat. Additionally, if you are prescribed an antibiotic, we will follow up to confirm it is working and effectively treating your specific type of bacteria. This ensures we can quickly change your antibiotic if needed to help you recover fully and stay safe.
The best way to prevent sore throats and strep throat is to practice good hygiene: wash your hands with soap and water frequently, or use a hand sanitizer. Avoid sharing utensils, cups, or other personal items with someone who is sick. If you or a family member has strep throat, replace your toothbrush after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment to prevent reinfection.
Yes. TBH Medical closely tracks your medical history and follows up with you if you experience recurrent infections. If you have recurrent strep throat or chronic tonsillitis, we will perform a full evaluation to determine the cause and, if needed, refer you to a specialist, such as an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician.
Yes. TBH Medical provides full-spectrum primary care for all ages. We can evaluate and treat your child’s sore throat or suspected strep throat. We strive to make our office a comfortable and welcoming place for your child, and we use age-appropriate testing methods. Our nurse practitioner will work closely with you to make sure your child’s treatment plan is safe and easy to implement at home.
If you are allergic to penicillin or other antibiotics typically prescribed for strep throat, we will prescribe an antibiotic you are not allergic to. We keep a careful track of the medications to which you are allergic and will prescribe an antibiotic in a different class. We will not prescribe an antibiotic to which you are allergic, but we will work to find one that will safely cure your infection.