Strep Throat

Strep Throat

Strep throat is one of the most common types of throat infections. It is mainly caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria which could range from mild symptoms to some very serious conditions.

Prevalence
Strep throat actually occurs among anyone at any age. However, it is most commonly found among those around 5 to 16 year old. In most situations, a person can contract strep throat from another who has the disease. As such, it is most prevalent among family and members of the house especially when there is contact with nasal secretions or saliva between one person with another. A person who has this problem will usually start with mild fever before temperature rises to its highest, usually on the next day. A sore throat is inevitable while other symptoms like nausea, fatigue and difficulty in talking are common as well.

Prevention
In order to avoid the bacteria from attacking the body, the person should have a strong immune system. Taking fish oil and multivitamins would be the best prevention methods.

Diagnosis
With the symptoms mentioned above, the doctor will carry out a rapid test. This might prove negative and further tests like a throat swab would be required. The doctor will then send the samples for analysis which will determine if the patient has strep throat.

Specialists
In most cases, you will need to consult your paediatrician if your child has strep throat. The family physician will be qualified to treat this condition and advice you on what to do next particularly in terms of what medications to use and the best possible treatment available. If necessary and where the conditions are more serious than it seems, then you will be referred to an expert known as an Otolaryngologist who is an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) specialist. This doctor will be able to treat your condition with proper diagnosis on your next course of action.

Symptoms
The most common symptom of strep throat is when you feel a red rash like sandpaper around the throat areas. It may affect your sleeping behaviour as well and is more prominent if this condition goes on for more than 2 weeks. Other symptoms that can indicate strep throat includes shortness of breath, fatigue or feeling weak all the time pain in the joints and uncontrolled jerks on the arms or the legs.

Medication
In most cases, strep throat is treated using antibiotics like amoxicillin, cephalexin, or penicillin because this medication helps to reduce the time you are contagious, usually 24 hours after starting this course. Besides that, the drug helps to strengthen the immune system’s response to the strep throat infection while preventing certain types of complications that could occur due to your condition. Besides that, you can use over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen which is a type of pain reliever or acetaminophen to help with relieving the sore or reduce your body temperature.

Home Remedies
At home, you can use certain types of remedies which can help in reducing the pain and inflammation of the throat. While you can take lozenges that soothe the throat, gargling with saltwater can reduce the swelling of the throat. Ensure that you are drinking a lot of water for your body to stay hydrated at all times while you can drink a cup of herbal tea every 4 to 5 hours. Add a teaspoon of honey which has anti-inflammatory properties while you can take a bowl of chicken soup with vegetables which is rich with sodium. Other foods that can heal strep throats include apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and foods that are rich with Vitamin C like lemon and oranges.

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References
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/strep-throat-medications
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/strep-throat/basics/treatment/con-20022811

Strep Throat Treatment – How to Treat Strep Throat Naturally

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