Strep throat is also known as pharyngitis or streptococcal pharyngitis. It is an infection caused by bacteria of Streptococcus pyogenes or Group A Streptococcus (GAS). Streptococcal pharyngitis is highly contagious and can be spread by nasal secretions and saliva. Although the infection most commonly affects children under 16 years of age, it is quite common in the winter and spring seasons.

What is Strep Throat?

Physical checkups come first to detect strep throat. Your doctor will look for redness and swelling in the throat. Then, during the check-ups, your doctor will ask you if you have a headache and will check whether your lymph nodes are enlarged due to infection.

Since many bacteria cause sore throat, your doctor will examine your tonsils more and look at your throat. It can also do a lab test for bacteria. In a study published in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers found that up to ten percent of their bacteria can cause sore throats.

Complications

Strep throat infection is a contagious disease, it can easily be transmitted to you by coughing and sneezing from another sick individual. The infection is not dangerous in itself, but if left untreated it can start to get very bad. If the infection does not resolve within 2 days of starting treatment, another infection may occur, even causing the strep bacteria to spread to other areas outside the throat. Unless treated, it can even infect the sinuses and tonsils. If it progresses too far, it can also infect the middle ear, blood and skin.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the infection typically appear a few days after exposure to the bacteria. The most common symptom is sore throat. He may also feel difficulty in swallowing, swelling of the lymph nodes and tonsils. It may also cause abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue or headache in some people. These symptoms can also be seen as white rashes on the external tonsils.

How does strep throat feel?

The most important symptoms are undoubtedly the stinging and burning sensation in the throat, difficulty in swallowing, post-nasal drip, sore throat, cough, fever, dryness in the throat, itching and the feeling of foreign body escape. Apart from these, general symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, joint pain are also seen.

What are 3 symptoms of strep throat?

• Pain when swallowing
• Sore throat that can start very quickly
• Tiny, red spots sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus

Is strep throat treatable at home?

The infection can clear up without any treatment and go away on its own. But always seek the help of a specialist, because in some individuals the effect of the infection can be felt severe. Moreover, strep throat infection is a contagious disease until it is treated.

Doctors typically prescribe penicillin or amoxicillin to treat this infection. However, individuals who are allergic to penicillin can use new generation antibiotics instead. These include cephalexin, erythromycin, and azithromycin. All of these antibiotics kill the strep bacteria, relieve symptoms, and reduce the amount of time an individual is sick. Doctors may also prescribe pain relievers or antipyretic drugs.

In addition to these drugs, individuals with strep throat infection should rest a lot, drink water, and stay away from chemicals and environments that will irritate the throat. Some people are much more prone to strep throat infections. Doctors may recommend removing the tonsils in such cases.