Strep Throat Symptoms and Treatments

Roughly 10% of children who will wake up tomorrow morning complaining that their throat is sore will actually be infected by Group A streptococci, or what is more commonly known as strep throat. Strep throat is really caused by a bacterial infection rather than a viral infection as is commonly assumed. Those nasty little bacterial critters worm their way into your throat and inflame the lining of the pharynx. Although common to the point of being one of those conditions generally regarded as a natural occurrence that must be dealt with, if strep throat isn't treated quickly problems can arise, including rheumatic fever, which can bring about arthritis, heart problems, and nephritis. Nephritis is a disorder characterized by an inflammation of kidney tissue. Strep throat can also lead to Scarlet Fever, which takes the form of rash on the skin that typically begins either in the armpits or around the pubis before spreading. Unfortunately, one cannot merely look into another's mouth and determine whether that sore throat is a simple sore throat or the more dangerous strep. If you suspect that either your sore throat or your child's is something more, it is best to get to a doctor so a throat culture can be taken to determine for sure.