Strep throat is a bacterial infection that affects people of all ages which causes inflammation and pain in the throat. Strep throat is highly contagious and can easily be spread from one person to another through airborne droplets (coughing and sneezing), kissing with someone who’s infected and through shared food and drinks. This condition is caused by group A Streptococcus. The signs and symptoms for strep throat may vary from person-to-person. Some people may have the condition without experiencing any of the symptoms, whereas other people may experience a severe sore throat with flulike symptoms which includes a sudden fever, body aches, headache, chills, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and trouble swallowing. Diagnosing …show more content…
An antibiotic inhibit the spread of bacteria and infections and also relieves its symptoms. With treatment, the individual should start feeling better in a day or two. The individual is less likely contagious after 24 hours from when he/she started the treatment. It is important to take the medication as doctor’s prescribed. This means finishing all the medicine. Stopping early can lead to recurrences and serious complications. In addition to antibiotics, there are home remedies and over the counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin 1B) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) that can help improve the symptoms of strep throat. These home remedies include drinking warm liquids, turning on a humidifier, sucking on a throat lozenge and gargling with salt and water. Strep throat is not a dangerous condition; however it can lead to serious complications if left untreated. These serious complications include; ear infection, sinusitis, rheumatic fever, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, mastoiditis, scarlet fever, guttate psoriasis and peritonsillar abscess. If the strep throat doesn’t improve within 48 hours, it’s important to contact your doctor to reduce the risk of