Strep throat is a common infection that can affect both children and adults. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Up to 3 in 10 children with a sore throat have strep throat, about 1 in 10 adults with a sore throat has strep throat.” Below we review everything you need to know about this condition.
Symptoms of Strep Throat
There are many possible symptoms of strep throat, including:
- Sore throat
- White patches on the throat
- Red, swollen tonsils
- Fever
- Nausea
- Headache
- Body ache
- Skin rash
Causes of Strep Throat
Strep throat is caused by bacteria called Group A Streptococcus. It is spread when you’re in close contact with an infected person who coughs or sneezes, causing respiratory droplets to enter the air. You’re most likely to catch strep throat if you’re between five and 15 years old and if you’re in a crowd of people in an enclosed environment, or if someone in your household has it.
Treatment for Strep Throat
Before you can be treated for strep throat, you need first to be diagnosed. This is done using a rapid antigen test or throat culture, both of which involve rubbing a sterile swab on the throat and tonsils, then getting it evaluated by a lab.
If you do have strep throat, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics that you can pick up at The Medicine Chest Pharmacy. Most commonly, people with strep throat are either prescribed penicillin or amoxicillin. It’s important to take the full course of antibiotics even if you start feeling better before you’re done with them.
To manage symptoms in the meantime, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, suck on throat lozenges, drink tea with honey and lemon, gargle warm salt water, eat cold foods like popsicles and run a humidifier.
It’s important to seek medical treatment for strep throat right away, as it is associated with complications such as:
- Abscesses around the tonsils
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sinus infections
- Ear infections
- Kidney disease
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Ear, Nose & Throat Associates right away.