Described by some as the worst sore throat they’ve ever had, strep throat typically comes on fast and hits hard. The problem starts when you’re infected by group A streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat is contagious, spreading through the air, by touch, or when you share food or drink with someone.
While strep can occur year-round, it’s most common in the winter and spring and children are most frequently affected. However, anyone can catch it from close contact with others. A strep throat episode usually lasts about 5 to 10 days without treatment. However, it’s probably not a good idea to go without medical care.
The team at Alpha Internal Medicine in Fayetteville, Georgia, specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of strep throat. They’ll confirm that your sore throat is indeed strep and then prescribe suitable antibiotics to attack the bacteria responsible for the infection. Treatment dramatically shortens the time you’re in discomfort as well as wiping the bacteria from your system.
Though strep throat passes from person to person, you could be infected by someone who shows no sign of the illness. Unlike sore throats associated with respiratory infections like cold and flu, strep comes on quickly. You could be fine at breakfast and in misery by lunch time.
Swallowing may be difficult, and the pain can be accompanied by headache and fever. The lymph nodes on your neck may show signs of swelling as well as being tender to the touch. Looking inside your mouth, you’ll see bright red flesh on the roof of your mouth, with white patches or evidence of pus in some cases.
If you still have your tonsils, these will likely be red and swollen, too. Strep throat shares symptoms with other illnesses, so your caregiver at AIM tests to positively identify the presence of strep bacteria.
While strep throat generally burns out in about a week, the question to ask is what happens without treatment. In most cases, the answer is you’ll have a severe sore throat for longer than necessary, but one that will pass.
However, in rare cases, strep throat infections can spread. Your throat, tonsils, and sinuses are just the beginning. Middle ear infections are common, and the bacteria can also infect your blood and skin.
Strep throat can also cause inflammatory conditions. Scarlet fever results from the same bacteria, causing an intense red rash that gives it its name. Your kidneys can become inflamed. Strep sometimes leads to rheumatic fever, an inflammatory illness affecting the heart, joints, and nervous system. There’s even a form of inflammatory arthritis that could start with your sore throat.
Medical treatment, on the other hand, reduces the time your throat is sore and reduces or eliminates the chances for complications. Antibiotics work quickly, so you’ll feel your sore throat improve within 24 hours. Despite this fast relief, it’s important to finish the prescribed course of treatment to assure elimination of the strep bacteria.
Call or click to reach Alpha Internal Medicine as soon as you recognize the onset of strep throat. The sooner you start medication, the less you’ll suffer. Strep is an illness where the use of antibiotics is appropriate. Book your appointment now.
