It is harder to know when you have strep throat. Typically, sore throats are caused by a viral infection and not strep bacteria. Strep throat usually does not occur with cold symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, or a runny or stuffy nose. The more cold symptoms you have, the less likely it is that your sore throat is a strep infection.
In some cases of strep infection, a skin rash develops and spreads over the neck and chest and eventually over the whole body. The rash feels rough like sandpaper. This condition is called scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is treated with antibiotics. This usually leads to a quick recovery. Scarlet fever is not dangerous if treated. Symptoms of strep throat usually begin within 2 to 5 days after you come in contact with someone who has a strep infection.
Strep throat usually goes away in 3 to 7 days with or without antibiotic treatment. In contrast, if allergies or irritants are the cause of your sore throat, it will usually last longer unless the cause is eliminated. If strep throat isn't treated with antibiotics, you will continue to be contagious for 2 to 3 weeks even if your symptoms go away.
You are much less contagious within 24 hours after you start antibiotics and are less likely to develop complications of the strep infection. Complications of strep throat are rare but can occur, especially if your throat infection isn't properly treated with antibiotics. Complications can occur when the strep infection spreads to other parts of the body and causes other infections, such as an ear or sinus infection or an abscess near the tonsils peritonsillar abscess.
Complications can also result in your immune system attacking itself and causing serious conditions such as rheumatic fever. Treating strep throat can greatly reduce your risk for rheumatic fever and its complications. It is not clear whether treating the strep infection with antibiotics reduces your risk for inflammation of the kidneys acute glomerulonephritis. Your risk of getting strep throat increases if you come in close contact with others, especially children, who have a strep infection.
The size of a child's tonsils isn't a risk factor for throat infections. Children or adults who have had their tonsils removed can still get strep throat. Call a doctor if the following symptoms develop 1 to 2 weeks or longer after a strep throat infection. These symptoms may indicate rheumatic fever. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 2 days of treatment with an antibiotic. Watchful waiting is appropriate if your sore throat occurs with symptoms like those of a cold, such as sneezing, coughing, and a runny or stuffy nose.
In general, the more of these symptoms you have, the less likely it is that your sore throat is caused by a strep infection. You can try home treatment if your sore throat is not severe and you have other symptoms of a cold. For more information on what to do if you have sore throat symptoms, see the topic Sore Throat and Other Throat Problems. Your family doctor or general practitioner can evaluate a sore throat, do throat cultures or quick tests, and prescribe antibiotic treatment if needed.
You may be referred to a specialist, such as a pediatrician for your child, or an otolaryngologist ear, nose, and throat specialist. If surgery to remove chronically enlarged or infected tonsils or adenoids is suggested, you may be referred to an otolaryngologist.
Strep throat is diagnosed from your medical history, a physical examination of your throat, and a lab test, such as a throat culture. Sometimes a rapid strep test is used to check for strep. Your doctor may confirm the results of the rapid strep test with a throat culture. Current treatment guidelines recommend that your doctor confirm strep throat with a lab test, such as a throat culture, and not just diagnose strep throat from your symptoms.
But your doctor may begin treatment for strep throat before the result of your throat culture is back if you have three or four of the following symptoms:. One or both of the following tests are used to confirm that you have strep throat. If symptoms of strep throat are present, it is important to be tested for strep infection.
Prompt treatment will reduce the spread of strep throat and may reduce the risk of complications , such as the infection spreading to other parts of your body causing ear or sinus infections or an abscess behind or around your tonsils peritonsillar abscess. The rapid strep test is not used in many parts of Canada. If you need to be tested for strep throat and the rapid strep test is available, it may help to discuss with your doctor the advantages and disadvantages of each test.
For instance, results from a rapid strep test are available within 10 to 15 minutes, and results from a throat culture may take 1 to 2 days. A throat culture is more accurate. It is possible for a person to carry the strep bacteria and not have any symptoms. If a number of infections occur in the same family, or if there have been severe complications such as rheumatic fever or toxic shock syndrome , it may be helpful to test family members to learn whether they are carriers of strep infection.
But it is unusual for a person to catch strep throat from a carrier. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin, cephalexin, or penicillin are used to treat strep throat. Antibiotics work only against bacterial infections such as strep throat. They will not help sore throats caused by allergies or viral infections such as colds. Antibiotic treatment can begin immediately if a strep infection is confirmed by a rapid strep test.
But there is no harm in waiting for the results of a throat culture to confirm strep throat before starting antibiotic treatment. In fact, it is better to wait until strep throat has been confirmed so that antibiotics are not used unnecessarily. Overuse of antibiotics can make them ineffective.
Although waiting to treat strep throat may prolong the time you have the illness, delaying treatment for a few days doesn't increase the risk of rheumatic fever or other complications. Your doctor also may recommend non-prescription medicines such as acetaminophen or anesthetic throat sprays to help relieve the pain and discomfort caused by strep throat.
Acetaminophen will also reduce fever. Wash your hands often when you are around people with colds or viral or bacterial illnesses.
Do not share toothbrushes or eating and drinking utensils. Keep up your body's resistance to infection with a good diet, plenty of sleep, and regular exercise. Managing stress can also strengthen your body's ability to fight off illness, such as strep throat. Humidify your home during the dry winter months or year-round if you live in a dry climate.
Moisture in the air humidity helps keep your mucous membranes moist and more resistant to bacteria. You can use a humidifier in the bedroom while you sleep. But use care if a person in the home has asthma or allergies, because mould or other particles that collect in the humidifier can make these conditions worse.
Clean humidifiers on a regular basis. Stop smoking, and avoid breathing others' smoke. Smoke irritates the throat tissues and may make you more likely to get infection. Your doctor may have prescribed an antibiotic for strep throat. Take all of the antibiotic exactly as prescribed. This will help prevent the infection from coming back and will prevent complications of infection that could occur if you do not take the medicine as prescribed. There are many ways that you can make yourself feel better while you are waiting for the strep infection to go away.
For more information on non-prescription medicines and other ways to relieve sore throat symptoms, see the topic Strep Throat: Home Treatment. For the first 24 hours after you start taking an antibiotic, you are still contagious.
You can avoid passing the strep throat infection to others and reinfecting yourself by:. Antibiotics are the treatment of choice for a confirmed strep throat infection. Antibiotics may be used in the following situations:. It is possible for you to carry the strep bacteria in the throat and not have any symptoms. Antibiotics for the carrier state are usually not needed unless you have a history of rheumatic fever or frequent infections or infections are occurring frequently in the family.
Antibiotics such as amoxicillin, cephalexin, or penicillin are used to treat strep throat infection. Immediate treatment with an antibiotic after a positive rapid strep test may not make you well faster. But it will shorten the time you are able to spread the disease to others. Antibiotics also lower the risk of the infection spreading to other parts of your body. But there is no harm in delaying medicine treatment 1 to 2 days to wait for the results of a throat culture.
Antibiotics will prevent rheumatic fever even if it is started up to 9 days after symptoms begin. If strep throat continues to recur, you and your doctor may decide that you need surgery to remove the tonsils tonsillectomy.
Surgery is considered when you:. Large tonsils are not an indication for tonsillectomy unless they are causing one of the above problems or they are blocking the upper airway, which can cause sleep apnea or problems with eating. Tonsillectomy may be done in some cases of strep throat. An abscess around the tonsils peritonsillar abscess may be treated with a simple procedure in which a small incision is made to drain the abscess, although removing the tonsils is appropriate in some of these cases.
Reason: time from contact to Strep symptoms usually is 2 to 5 days. Throat cultures and rapid Strep tests aren't urgent. Most can be done in your doctor's office. Types of Limited Contact with Strep Contact with someone outside the home with a positive Strep test. This type of contact occurs at school. Sometimes, the contact is with someone who was treated for Strep without testing.
If fever is gone, children taking antibiotics for at least 12 hours do not spread Strep to others. No urine in more than 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears. Your child looks or acts very sick You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent. Note: a Strep test alone is not urgent. Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours Sore throat pain is severe and not better 2 hours after taking ibuprofen Age less than 1 year old Earache or sinus pain not just congestion Mild symptoms that could be from Strep throat.
Strep throat is also indicated by swollen lymph nodes in the neck and red or white patches on the back of the throat or tonsils. Strep throat is usually treated with antibiotics.
Left untreated, streptococcal bacteria can cause inflammation of the kidneys, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever and a specific type of arthritis. Symptoms can be alleviated some with over-the-counter pain relievers, eating soft foods, gargling with warm, salty water several times a day, and getting lots of rest.
In cases in which very young children have contracted strep throat, or if throat pain is so severe that eating and drinking are not possible, a visit to the hospital may be necessary so fluids can be given intravenously and your child can be monitored. Recurring strep throat may be treated with a tonsillectomy, which is a simple outpatient procedure to remove the tonsils and adenoids.
Unfortunately, streptococcal bacteria spread quickly, and individuals with strep throat can be contagious for up to a few days before they start showing symptoms. This means that someone who has not gotten sick yet can spread the disease. Once your child begins to show symptoms, they will continue to be contagious until they begin antibiotic treatment. After 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, strep throat is usually no longer contagious.
Strep throat will not resolve on its own and can cause complications if left untreated. When caught early, strep throat is usually easier to manage, and the infection is short-lived. This means less downtime for your child and less time out of school or daycare.
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