Signs of Strepthroat
While most people think of a painfully sore throat as the primary symptom of strep, there are many other indicators that vary by patient. Strep infections occur most often in children and adolescents, but adults can also acquire the illness. The best news? While the infection is often uncomfortable, it is typically not life-threatening. It rarely lasts more than a week.
Cause
Strep throat is most commonly caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABS), which is an extremely contagious bacteria strain. The disease spreads through airborne pathways when infected people cough, sneeze or breathe. It may also be spread by transferring offending bacteria into your mouth or nose after touching infected telephone receivers, light switches, doorknobs, or bathroom surfaces.
Symptoms
Common strep symptoms occurring in children and adults include sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, puffy tonsils, painful swallowing, body aches, fever, sneezing, congestion, stomach pain, and vomiting. Streptococcal bacteria may also surface in red spots on the roof of the mouth or in the throat, or in white and yellow pustules on the tonsils.
In rare cases, patients develop a rash that begins on her face and neck and eventually spreads to cover her limbs and trunk. When this occurs, the disease diagnosis changes to scarlet fever--which may require a stronger antibiotic or a different drug class.
Diagnosis
After discussing your recent medical history and current symptoms, your physician will examine your throat and recommend a rapid strep test. To conduct a rapid strep test, the practitioner will collect cells from the back of your throat with the tip of a long cotton swab. If your rapid strep test comes back negative--yet your doctor still suspects that you have strep--he may order a more thorough culture of your throat cells to watch for bacterial growth over a period of days. If your rapid strep test is positive, there is no need for a throat culture test. Treatment for the illness can begin immediately.
Treatment
If you're diagnosed with strep, your practitioner will prescribe a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics given for strep include penicillin, amoxicillin and cephalexin. They should be taken for the entire seven- to 10-day course even after symptoms improve. While strep can go away without antibiotics, these drugs shorten the duration of the illness, lessen the discomfort, shorten the contagious period and prevent rare complications such as rheumatic fever and secondary ear or sinus infections.
In addition to prescription antibiotics, your physician may recommend taking over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatories like acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen. These medications relieve discomfort caused from sore throat, aching muscles and fever-related symptoms.
Prevention
While it's impossible to completely prevent bacterial infections like strep throat, there are a number of precautions that can be taken to avoid these types of illnesses. First, avoid friends and family members who have the infection. If you must be around someone with strep, remember to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly--especially before eating or touching your face.
Avoid sharing cups, utensils and toothbrushes with others. That's important since streptococcal bacteria can be transmitted through this type of contact. Finally, remember to eat well, exercise regularly and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. These habits will help you cultivate a healthy immune system and ward off infection.
Warning
Remember to see your health practitioner if you have cold-like symptoms or gastrointestinal symptoms that seem to last for several days--even if you don't have a sore throat. You may have strep throat without realizing it and in rare cases, untreated strep can lead to scarlet fever or rheumatic fever.
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