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If you have never had a strep throat, chances are that you're just a newborn, but then, you wouldn't be reading this article, right? Strep throat is something most people go through in the course of their life. It's a common infection of the throat that usually clears up in 5-7 days without any treatment.
Children are most frequently affected by this throat infection, but it can happen to anyone. Consult your doctor right away for testing and treatment if you or your child exhibit any symptoms.
What are the Symptoms of Strep Throat?
Strep throat is a bacterial infection in which the throat may feel sore and scratchy. That accounts for only a small portion of sore throats.
Common symptoms of this mostly mild throat infection include:
- Throat pain that usually develops quickly
- Pain while swallowing anything
- Red, swollen tonsils, maybe with white patches or streaks of pus
- Tiny red spots in the area at the back of the roof of the mouth
- Inflamed, tender lymph nodes in the neck
- Fever
- Headache
- Rashes
- Nausea or vomiting
- Body aches
Many of these symptoms and signs may be present in you or your child without it being specifically strep throat. A viral infection or another illness may be the source of these symptoms.
Causes of Strep Throat
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus, is the bacteria that causes strep throat (also known as group A strep, or GAS).
If you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after being exposed to this bacteria, such as when a person who already has the infection coughs or sneezes, you could develop the infection. You can also contract it by sharing food or beverages with someone who's suffering from it.
Another way to contract the infection is by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after coming into contact with a doorknob or faucet that has been contaminated with group A strep bacteria. Children who put objects in their mouths also run the risk of contracting it.
How Does Strep Throat Spread?
The infection is quite contagious. Small respiratory droplets that become airborne when a person with the infection sneezes or coughs is typically how it spreads.
Children contract the infection more frequently than adults do. Children and teens between the ages of 5 and 15 are most likely to experience it. It's uncommon in children below three years of age.
The infection may also occur more frequently among adults who're frequently around children, such as parents of school-aged children.
Strep Throat Treatment
As it's a bacterial infection, strep throat is typically treated with an antibiotic by a physician. These drugs stop the spread of infections and bacteria.
The most common antibiotics used to treat strep infections are penicillin and amoxicillin. Different medications, such as the antibiotic azithromycin, may be prescribed by your doctor if you're allergic to penicillin or amoxicillin. The doctor's choice of antibiotics may also be influenced by whether the strep bacteria in a specific region has developed antibiotic resistance.
To completely beat the infection, it's crucial that you complete your antibiotic treatment course. When symptoms improve, some people stop taking their medication, which can lead to a relapse. If that takes place, the symptoms might return and the person's resistance to certain antibiotics could increase.
Apart from these treatments, home remedies such as drinking warm liquids, lemon-ginger tea, sucking on lozenges, and many more can also help. It is advisable to consult a doctor if your strep throat does not improve for 2-3 days. You can also check out these top 6 yoga poses to open throat chakra.
