Marshmallows are primarily made of sugar, water, and gelatin, and may not do much for a sore throat. Marshmallow root could, though. It can be hard to tell if you have a sore throat from a virus, or strep throat, which is most often caused by a bacterial infection.
Mucus protects your respiratory system with lubrication and filtration. But sometimes, your body produces too much mucus, which requires frequent…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. How it spreads. The contagious period. Preventing the spread. Read this next. Strep Throat Prevention and Treatment. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, Pharm.
Strep throat can be contagious for about weeks in individuals who are not taking antibiotics. However, individuals who do take antibiotics for strep throat usually are no longer contagious about 48 hours after initiating antibiotic therapy.
The bacteria that cause strep throat can be transmitted person-to-person by direct contact, especially from mucus droplets from the mouth and indirect contact, such as kissing and sharing utensils or drinking cups.
Strep throat is an infection of the throat and tonsils. Strep throat usually needs to be treated with antibiotics. With the proper medical care — and plenty of rest and fluids — most kids get back to school and play within a few days. Aspirin should not be given to children.
Not all sore throats are strep-infected throats. Often, kids have a sore throat because of a virus , which will usually clear up without medical treatment. If you suspect that you have strep throat, you should see your doctor in order to get tested and begin treatment. It's a good idea to wash your hands regularly. If you have a strep infection, there are things you can do to avoid spreading it to others. Use tissues you can throw away instead of handkerchiefs, wash your hands often, and do not sneeze or cough on others.
Antibiotics can shorten the time that you are contagious. It is a good idea to stay home from work or school until 24 hours after you have started antibiotics. Strep throat is caused by streptococcal strep bacteria, most often by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus GABS.
Other types of strep that can sometimes infect the throat are groups C and G strep bacteria. A strep infection causes the throat pharynx and the tonsils or adenoids to become irritated, inflamed , and painful. Sore throats are most commonly caused by viral infections or other irritants such as smoke, allergies, dry air, or a throat injury, and not by a strep infection.
When a person infected with strep throat breathes, coughs, or sneezes, tiny droplets containing the strep bacteria are released into the air and are breathed in by other people. Common symptoms of strep throat in children and adults include:.
In teenagers, mononucleosis can cause a severe sore throat that looks like and has symptoms similar to those of strep throat. For more information, see the topic Mononucleosis Mono. It is easy to tell when you have a sore throat or a cold.
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.
People who think they have strep throat should talk with a doctor as soon as possible to get proper treatment and prevent complications. Strep throat is a contagious bacterial infection. Learn more about how contagious it is, the incubation period, and how antibiotics affect it here.
Is it possible to have strep throat if you do not have a fever? Find out in this article, and learn more about strep throat symptoms and treatment. Tonsillitis and strep throat share many symptoms and can sometimes occur due to the same bacteria. Learn about some of the differences here.
Group B strep is a type of bacteria that occurs naturally in some adults and can pass from pregnant women to babies. It often produces no symptoms…. Strep throat is a common bacterial infection that typically leads to a sore, scratchy throat.
Sometimes, it can also cause a rash. Several other…. How long does strep throat last? Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. How contagious? Is treatment needed? Treatment Symptoms Cause Diagnosis Risk factors Prevention Complications Seeing a doctor Summary Once a person has contracted the group A Streptococcus bacteria, they can become ill after roughly 2—5 days.
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