How Can I Get Rid of Strep Throat Fast?

If you have strep throat, stay home until you don’t have a fever and have taken antibiotics for 24 hours. Practice good hygiene to stop the spread of strep throat.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, but in some cases, they may be caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep). Over 10 million group A strep infections occur every year.

Main causes

Strep throat is a bacterial infection of the throat and tonsils, causing a severe sore throat.

Main symptoms

Common symptoms include pain when swallowing, red and swollen tonsils, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth. Some people may have headaches, nausea, stomach pain, or vomiting. Not all people with strep throat have symptoms.

Who can get it

Strep throat is more common among children aged 5 to 15 but can affect people of all ages. It’s rare in children under 3 years old. Adults who are parents of school-aged children or who are often in contact with children are at higher risk for strep throat. Close contact with a person with strep throat is highly contagious and increases the risk.

Diagnosis for strep throat

Your healthcare provider can test for group A strep using a rapid strep test or throat culture. The rapid strep test looks for antigens and provides results in 10 to 20 minutes. A throat culture looks for Strep A bacteria and takes 24 to 48 hours for results.

For both tests, your healthcare provider will use a tongue depressor to take a sample from the back of your throat and tonsils.

QUESTION

Treatments for strep throat

Healthcare providers treat strep throat with antibiotics. After 48 hours of antibiotic treatment, symptoms should improve. Home remedies can also help soothe symptoms.

Medications

If the strep test is positive, antibiotics like amoxicillin and penicillin are prescribed. Other antibiotics may be used if there is a penicillin allergy. Take the full course of antibiotics to prevent symptom recurrence.

Home care

Stay home until you don’t have a fever and have taken antibiotics for 24 hours.

To stop the spread of strep throat, practice good hygiene:

• Wash your hands often.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Don’t share food, dishes, drinking glasses, or utensils. Wash them in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher after each use.

To soothe your throat faster:

• Drink lots of fluids, especially warm liquids like tea with honey. Avoid acidic drinks like orange juice or lemonade.
• Eat soft foods like soup, mashed potatoes, and yogurt.
• Use over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Try throat lozenges or anesthetic throat spray for pain relief. Note: Don’t give lozenges to young children.
• Gargle with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water).
• Use a humidifier or cool-mist vaporizer to add moisture to the air.
• Get plenty of rest.

Side effects of treatments

If left untreated, strep throat bacteria may lead to complications such as scarlet fever, poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, guttate psoriasis, tonsillar abscess, and rheumatic fever.

Strep throat: Should I take antibiotics?

Sore throats are usually caused by viruses or smoking and generally get better in a week. Bacterial infections like tonsillitis, strep throat, and glandular fever may also cause sore throat.

What are the symptoms of strep throat?

Symptoms of strep throat include painful swallowing, dry and scratchy throat, redness in the back of the mouth, bad breath, mild cough, swollen neck glands, and low-grade fever. Children may also have fever and appear less active.

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if your sore throat doesn’t improve after a week, if you frequently get sore throats, if you have concerns about your condition, if you have high fever, ear pain, or weakened immunity.

Visit an emergency if you have difficulty swallowing, breathing, drooling, stridor, or severe and worsening symptoms.

How can I relieve my strep throat?

To relieve your sore throat and speed up recovery:

• Gargle with warm salty water (except children).
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Get adequate rest.
• Eat cool and soft food.
• Avoid smoking or smoky places.
• Use over-the-counter medicated lozenges or throat spray.
• Use fever-reducing medicines like paracetamol (consult a pediatrician before giving to children).

Should I take antibiotics?

Most viral sore throats get better within a week to 10 days, so antibiotics are not usually prescribed. Take antibiotics if diagnosed or advised by your doctor, complete the course, and avoid self-medication.

If your sore throat is caused by allergies, your doctor may prescribe allergy medicines. Glandular fever may last for more than four weeks and can be treated with rest. Antiviral medicines may be prescribed for serious cases.

Avoid taking antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription/advice.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis: All You Need to Know.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Rheumatic Fever: All You Need to Know.”

Centers for Disease Control: “Scarlet Fever: All You Need to Know.”

Centers for Disease Control: “Strep Throat: All You Need to Know.”

Medline Plus: “Guttate psoriasis.”

Medline Plus: “Strep A Test.”

Medline Plus: “Strep throat.”

Merck Manuals: “Tonsillar Cellulitis and Tonsillar Abscess.”

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: “Group A Streptococcal Infections.”