Virtual visits for strep throat treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Yes, they can. The healthcare practitioner will want to discuss the symptoms and signs of strep throat that you're experiencing. They'll also want to conduct a physical exam, including examining the back of your throat.

In some cases, the healthcare provider may request additional testing before offering a diagnosis for strep throat. This will be to help ensure infections are classified accurately as viral or bacterial, so that appropriate treatments can be administered.

Once you know the cause of your strep throat symptoms, the healthcare practitioner can suggest appropriate strep throat treatments. This includes prescription strep throat medications like antibiotics, which may be required as part of your treatment plan.

Yes, our physicians can prescribe strep throat medications online during your consultation. Once you accept a prescription for strep throat, you’ll have the option of picking it up from any pharmacy or to have it delivered to your door at no additional cost.

You can visit our How it Works page to learn more.

Strep throat is an infection of the tonsils and throat. Strep throat is caused by a bacteria called group A streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis.

Strep throat can affect people of all ages, though it's most commonly seen in children. Strep throat is very contagious, and can lead to complications if left untreated.

If you or your child is showing signs of strep throat, you should speak to a healthcare practitioner as soon as you can.

Without treatment, strep throat can lead to complications such as:

• Infections in other areas (e.g., skin, blood, sinuses, tonsils, middle ear, etc.)
• Scarlet fever
• Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis
• Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease
• Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney)

The symptoms and signs of strep throat can present themselves similarly to other bacterial and viral infections. A healthcare practitioner will want to check for symptoms beyond a sore throat, which could help identify the condition.

Some commonly occurring strep throat symptoms include:

• Headache
• Body aches
• Difficulty swallowing
• Red, swollen tonsils
• White patches or streak of pus on tonsils
• Tiny red spots on the soft or hard palate at the back of the roof of the mouth
• Tender or swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Fever
• Nausea or vomiting (particularly in young children)

In some cases, strep throat can cause a rash that is red and has a texture similar to sandpaper. It typically starts around the face and neck, but can spread to the rest of the body.

This could also be a sign of scarlet fever, which is caused by the same bacteria that causes strep throat. Scarlet fever, like strep throat, is very contagious. If you or your child is experiencing a rash with other strep throat symptoms, you should talk to a healthcare provider right away.

The group A streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis bacteria is the direct cause of strep throat.

Like many bacterial infections, strep throat is contagious. This means that it can spread through close contact. When someone who has strep throat coughs or sneezes, infected droplets are released into the air. If these droplets land on you or a surface and contaminate your eyes, mouth, or nose, you can become infected.

Sharing personal items (e.g. drinks, clothing, towels, etc.) can also cause strep throat to spread. This could be part of the reason why teens and young children are more likely to contract strep throat.

The healthcare practitioner will want to check for signs of strep throat by performing a physical exam and checking the back of your throat.

In some cases, the healthcare provider will suggest additional testing so that they can provide a clear diagnosis for strep throat.

This additional testing could include:

• Throat culture tests
• Rapid antigen tests
• Molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test

These tests will help determine the cause of the strep throat signs you're showing. Determining the exact bacteria or virus that's causing your infection, will determine what type of treatments the healthcare practitioner suggests.

Once you have a clear strep throat diagnosis, the healthcare provider will suggest prescription strep throat medications to treat your condition.

If you or your child have begun to show signs of strep throat, you should talk to a healthcare provider.

A healthcare provider from Maple can help provide you with a clear strep throat diagnosis and help develop a treatment plan. You may require antibiotics to treat strep throat, and there can be complications if you don't seek strep throat treatments.

This condition won't go away on its own. Book a visit with a healthcare practitioner from Maple. They can suggest strep throat treatments that will ease your symptoms, help avoid complications, and speed your recovery.

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with our network of Canadian-licensed doctors, nurse practitioners and specialists via secure text, audio or video call. Sign in to your Maple account to start a visit. Learn more about how Maple works here.

A visit works a lot like an in-person appointment. A doctor or nurse practitioner will ask about your symptoms, review your health history and recommend a treatment plan that's right for you. Not every visit leads to a prescription. Sometimes, you might need to see someone in person. When that happens, we'll help you figure out what comes next.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to care online. Connect with our network of Canadian-licensed doctors and nurse practitioners in minutes via secure text, audio or video call.

Membership is $85/month. One membership. Care for your whole family. In eligible provinces, membership includes:

• Daily visits: one visit a day with a doctor or nurse practitioner for each family member in your household
• Pediatric care: covered pediatric primary care visits, available by appointment
• Second Medical Opinion: when you're unsure about a complex diagnosis, like cancer or MS, or want to understand all your options, you and your family can access an expert Second Medical Opinion
• Personal Health Check-Ins: personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to help you stay on top of your health
• iCBT courses: internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy self-assessments and courses
• Specialists: see a specialist in days, not months. No referral necessary.
• Specialist referrals: a referral to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed

Membership can't be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. A Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) may cover your membership fees. Check with your HSA provider for details.

Your Maple monthly membership covers virtual care for you, your spouse and your dependents under the age of 18 who share the same primary residence. Full disclaimer and refund policy here.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX, plus Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Privacy is at the core of how we deliver care. We follow Canadian privacy and healthcare laws, including PIPEDA and PHIPA, to protect your personal and health information.

Our policies and consent processes are simple and easy to understand, so you stay in control. Strong security infrastructure and strict data policies protect every session. You keep control of your personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. We also work with privacy and security experts and review our policies regularly.

All doctors and nurse practitioners who deliver care through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their regulatory colleges. They must follow the telemedicine policies set by the medical regulator in each province.

Regulators across Canada recognize the value of virtual care. It helps improve access to care for patients and makes care delivery more efficient for practitioners and Canada's healthcare system.