Strep throat treatment and prescription online

• Throat pain with a sudden onset

• Red, swollen tonsils, often with white patches

• Pain upon swallowing

• Tender, swollen, lymph nodes (lumps and bumps on your neck) 

• Small red spots on the back of the roof of the mouth

• Body aches

• A high fever (101° F or higher)

• Absence of a cough

• Headache

• Rash

• Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children

Although these are common strep symptoms, other conditions can appear with the same symptoms. A viral infection such as COVID-19, common cold viruses, or flu (influenza) can have similar symptoms. This is why it is important to see a doctor to determine the cause of your sore throat and receive effective treatment. If your doctor suspects strep throat, they may recommend a throat culture to confirm the cause. 

• Hydrate: It's important to stay hydrated to prevent dehydration due to fever and keep your throat lubricated.

• Sleep: Your body needs adequate rest to fight the infection.

• Eat soft foods: This can include eating soups, popsicles, applesauce, mashed potatoes, and other foods that are easy to swallow to reduce pain.

• Humidify: Humidifiers can help keep your nose and throat moist, relieving pain.

• Stop smoking: Smoking and exposure to second hand smoke can aggravate symptoms.

It is important to treat strep with antibiotics right away to avoid spreading of the infection to other areas of the body and risking damage to your immune system.

Untreated strep could cause:

• A middle ear infection (Acute otitis media): This can lead to fever, ear pain, and hearing issues.

• Bacterial sinuses: A sinus infection can lead to congestion, fever, and facial pain.

• Pharyngeal or tonsillar abscess: Collections of bacteria like strep can cause the body to fight the infection by filling the area with pus. This can form a ball of swelling, which could be dangerous because it could block your airway.

Immune damage can include:

• Kidney inflammation: Left untreated, strep can cause post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN), characterized by kidney inflammation. Symptoms include a high blood pressure, dark urine, swelling in the face, hands, and feed, fatigue, and decrease urination frequency. Children under the age of seven years old have the highest risk for this condition.

• Rheumatic fever: If strep is not fully treated or the course of prescribed antibiotics is not completed, bacteria can remain in the tonsils and cause an immune response throughout the body. This can cause the body to attack its own organs, especially the joints and heart valves. Symptoms of rheumatic fever include fever, joint pain, jerky movements, inflammation of the heart, and rarely, a skin rash. Children ages five to fifteen years old are most likely to develop rheumatic fever from an untreated strep infection. Antibiotics can treat rheumatic fever, but any tissue or organ damage caused from the infection could be permanent.

• Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (PANDAS): PANDAS refers to strep causing a sudden onset or escalation of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or a tic disorder such as Tourette’s syndrome. Children younger than twelve years old are most likely to develop PANDAS.

• Strep throat is usually not dangerous to pregnant women, especially if you consult a doctor to get antibiotics it as soon as you notice symptoms. Antibiotics prescribed for strep throat, including penicillins and cephalosporins, should be safe for use during pregnancy. 

• It is important to get treatment as soon as possible, because a high fever could pose a threat to the baby. A severe fever during your first trimester could prevent the fetus’ vital organs from developing properly.

• Antibiotics of certain types are generally safe for the baby, but taking more than prescribed can be harmful to both you and your baby. For this reason, it is important to take the antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms should generally improve within the first 24 hours of treatment. Make sure you take the complete course of the antibiotics you have been prescribed, even if you feel better. Not finishing the full course of prescribed antibiotics may leave bacteria in your system and lead to re-treatment.