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How is strep throat treated?
What is strep throat?
How do you get rid of strep throat at home?
Aug 29, 2022 · Strep throat is an infection of your throat, and sometimes tonsils, that's caused by bacteria. Find out how you get a diagnosis, ways to treat it, and home remedies that can make you feel...
- Overview
- What is strep throat?
- Strep throat symptoms
- Strep throat causes
- Strep throat treatment
- Complications from strep throat
- How is strep throat diagnosed?
- How to prevent strep throat
- Strep throat vs. sore throat
- Strep throat vs. the common cold
Strep throat is a contagious bacterial infection that can cause a sore, swollen throat and other symptoms.
Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and pain in the throat. This common condition is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria.
Strep throat can affect children and adults of all ages. But it’s especially common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. Sneezing, coughing, sharing food utensils, and other types of close contact with someone with a strep throat infection can spread strep from one person to another.
The severity of strep throat can vary from person to person. They typically develop within 5 days of exposure to strep bacteria.
Some people experience mild symptoms, like a sore throat. Other people have more severe symptoms, including fever and difficulty swallowing.
The common symptoms of strep throat include:
•a sudden fever, especially if it’s 101˚F (38˚C) or higher
•a sore, red throat with white patches
•a headache
Strep throat is caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes or group A Streptococcus (also known as group A strep, or GAS).
You can catch strep throat if you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after being exposed to these bacteria, like when someone with strep throat coughs or sneezes.
Strep throat can be spread when you share food or a drink with someone with an active strep throat infection.
You can also get strep throat by coming into contact with an object contaminated with group A strep bacteria, like a doorknob or faucet, and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Kids who put objects in their mouths can also catch strep throat this way.
Because strep throat is a bacterial infection, a doctor will typically prescribe an antibiotic to treat it. These medications inhibit the spread of bacteria and infections.
There are eight different antibiotics recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to treat strep throat. They include:
•penicillin (oral or intramuscular)
•amoxicillin (oral)
•cephalexin (oral)
•cefadroxil (oral)
If it’s left untreated, strep throat can cause serious complications.
The potential complications include:
•ear infection
•sinusitis
•pneumonia, which occurs when the bacteria that cause strep throat pass into the lungs
•peritonsillar abscess, which is a pus-filled infection that develops in the back of the tonsils
A doctor may rule out strep throat if you have clear symptoms that indicate a viral infection, like a cough and runny nose. But it’s important to see a doctor even with these symptoms, so they diagnose the illness and treat it, if necessary.
See your doctor if you experience any of the following:
•a sore throat that lasts longer than 2 days
•a sore throat with white patches
•dark, red splotches or spots on the tonsils or the top of the mouth
•a sore throat with a fine, sandpaper-like pink rash on the skin
There’s no vaccine available to prevent strep throat. One of the most effective ways to help avoid infection is regularly washing your hands. If you can’t access soap and water, you can use a hand sanitizer instead.
Don’t share drinks or food with someone who has strep throat. If someone in your home has strep throat, don’t share their towels, sheets, or pillowcases. Wash dishes and laundry in water that’s hot and soapy.
Parents of children with strep throat can help stop the spread to other family members by:
•keeping the child’s eating and drinking dishes separate
•not sharing food, drinks, napkins, cloths, or linens between the child and others
•having the child cover all coughs and sneezes
Infectious sore throats are usually caused by a virus, while group A strep bacteria cause strep throat.
Not all sore throats result from a strep infection, and not all are infectious. Other illnesses or conditions can cause a sore throat too. These include:
•the common cold
•a sinus infection
•postnasal drip
•acid reflux
Strep throat and the common cold have different causes. Viruses cause the common cold, while a bacterial infection causes strep throat.
If you have a common cold, you usually have symptoms like coughing, a runny nose, and hoarseness. These symptoms, especially coughing, are not common with strep throat.
When your throat is sore due to a cold, the pain usually develops gradually and disappears in a couple of days, although some colds can last up to 2 weeks. The pain from strep throat can occur suddenly. It’s more severe and can persist for days.
Colds typically clear up on their own without the need for medical treatment. To prevent complications like rheumatic fever, antibiotics are usually prescribed to treat strep throat.
- Valencia Higuera
Nov 30, 2022 · Strep throat usually causes throat pain and difficulty swallowing. This photo of strep throat shows inflammation and red spots, caused by the infection. It's possible for you or your child to have many of these signs and symptoms but not have strep throat.
Nov 30, 2022 · In most cases, antibiotics will quickly wipe out the bacteria causing the infection. In the meantime, try these tips to relieve symptoms of strep throat: Get plenty of rest. Sleep helps your body fight infection. If you have strep throat, stay home from work if you can.
Nov 20, 2023 · Treatment usually requires antibiotics. Strep throat can spread quickly and easily, especially during late winter and early spring. It causes: 20% to 30% of sore throats in children. 5% to 15% of sore throats in adults.
Dec 20, 2022 · Strep throat is an infection in your throat and tonsils caused by a type of bacteria called group A Streptococcus. You need antibiotics to treat strep throat.
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