Symptoms and Treatment for Strep Throat

Strep throat is a medical condition very common between children, teenagers and less common in adults. Fall and winter are the seasons when more outbreaks of strep throat make the classes empty in the schools around the country. The adults who catch strep throat are likely the ones more close to children, as teachers or caregivers.

Strep throat is an infection in the throat cause by bacteria named streptococcus, and he symptoms are:

Headache

Pain and difficulty swallowing

red and irritated tonsils

white patches over the red tonsils

fever over 100 F

stomach pain, nausea and loss of appetite

in many cases, rash all over the body.

Strep throat is not the same of sore throat. A sore throat is an irritated throat, and commonly it is a symptom of a cold virus. We don't need antibiotics to treat a sore throat, and with some pain medication as Tylenol or Ibuprofen and lozenges to chew we will be fine soon. But strep throat requires, if we suspect we have it, a test. Doctors these days use rapid tests, and the results are ready in minutes. If the test for strep throat is positive, the doctor will prescribe a treatment of at least ten days of antibiotics. Once we start using the antibiotics, we are no longer contagious. Some pain medicine from over the counter can be use to relieve the throat pain, the headache and the fever, but they will disappear when the antibiotics start working. If we developed a rush on the skin, products as calamine lotion would help.

Until the antibiotics work, the best thing we can do to feel better is sleep all we can, or rest. It is important drink a lot of fluids, to avoid dehydration, and follow a soft diet so we don't upset our stomach. Chew lozenges or candy may help to ease the pain in the throat. Some home remedies can help to go through strep throat easily, like use warm water with salt to gargle, or infusions or herbal teas as licorice tea.

It is very important to go to the doctor if we suspect we have strep throat. If we don't treat it, we can suffer of much more serious illness, like rheumatic fever or scarlet fever. If we don't treat strep throat we can keep spreading it for twenty one days.