Streptococcal pharyngitis, also called strep throat or strep throat, is a contagious bacterial infection that develops in the throat. It is estimated that around 30 million cases are diagnosed each year. Although it is children and people with compromised immune systems who are more likely to suffer from it than healthy adults, the infection can affect anyone at any age. The only way to find out for sure if you have this type of pharyngitis is to go to the doctor and undergo specific tests. However, the infection has symptoms that you can recognize even before scheduling a doctor's appointment and that can tell you if you have ongoing strep throat.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Evaluating the Symptoms of the Throat and Mouth
Step 1. Determine the severity of your sore throat
A severe sore throat is usually the first sign of strep throat. You can have this infection even if you experience mild discomfort, but it is usually rare for mild pain that calms or easily resolves to be caused by the strep bacteria.
- The pain does not have to be related to actions such as speaking or swallowing.
- Pain that you can relieve with pain relievers or partially relieve with cold liquids or foods can also be related to this infection, but it is generally quite difficult to completely get rid of the pain without taking prescription medications.
Step 2. Try to swallow
If you experience mild pain that worsens noticeably when you swallow, you may have strep throat. Pain when swallowing, which makes it difficult to swallow food or liquids, is particularly common in people with this infection.
Step 3. Smell your breath
Although halitosis is not a common symptom of all patients, infection caused by strep bacteria can often cause very bad breath, due to bacterial reproduction.
- Even though it is quite strong, it is difficult to describe the exact smell of the breath. Some claim it resembles the smell of metal or hospitals, while others compare it to rotten meat. Regardless of the type of odor, "pharyngitis breath" is still strong and worse than normal halitosis.
- Since "bad breath" is often a very subjective issue, this criterion is not actually a precise method of diagnosing strep throat, rather a fairly common feature of the infection.
Step 4. Palpate the glands in the neck
Lymph nodes capture and destroy germs, so those in the neck are usually swollen and sensitive to touch with this infection.
- Although the lymph nodes are located in different parts of the body, the first ones to swell are usually those closest to the source of the infection. In the case of a sore throat, those that dilate are the lymph nodes above and around the throat.
- Use your fingertips to gently touch the area just in front of the ears. Move your fingers in a circular motion behind the ears.
- Also check the throat area just below the chin. The most common area where lymph nodes swell due to throat infection is right under the jaw, about halfway between the chin and the ears. Move your fingertips forward and up towards the ears, then along the sides of the neck and under the ears themselves.
- Finish the check by checking the collarbone area as well and repeat one more time on both sides.
- If you experience noticeable swelling in any of these areas, it means that the lymph nodes may be dilated due to strep infection.
Step 5. Check the language
In the active phase of the infection, there is often a coating of tiny red dots on the tongue, with a prickly appearance, especially in the back of the mouth. Many people compare this coating to the outer surface of strawberries.
These red spots can have a bright red or dark red color and typically appear inflamed
Step 6. Look at the back of the throat
Many people with strep throat develop petechiae, which are red spots on the soft or hard palate (in the upper part of the mouth towards the back).
Step 7. Check your tonsils too, if you still have them
Streptococcal infection usually tends to inflame them. In this case they appear brighter or more intense red than usual and are noticeably swollen. They may also be coated with white patches; these white spots can be directly on the tonsils or simply on the back of the throat and sometimes have a yellowish color, rather than white.
In place of the white patches, you may notice long streaks of white pus covering the tonsils; this is also a symptom of streptococcal pharyngitis
Part 2 of 4: Evaluating other Common Symptoms
Step 1. Be careful if you have been in the company of someone with the infection
It is a contagious disease that spreads through direct contact with the bacterium that causes it. Strep throat sore throat is unlikely to develop without having had direct contact with someone who is infected with it.
- Keep in mind that it can be very difficult to know if anyone else has the current infection. Unless you have been completely isolated, chances are you may come into contact with someone who is sick.
- It is also possible that some people are "healthy carriers" and can transmit strep throat without having symptoms.
Step 2. Consider how quickly the disease occurs
Strep throat pain usually develops without warning and gets worse very quickly. If your throat becomes more and more sore over several days, it is most likely due to another factor.
However, even in this case, you must not completely rule out the possibility that it could be strep throat
Step 3. Measure the temperature
Streptococcal infection is usually accompanied by a fever of at least 38.3 ° C and even higher. If the fever is lower it could still be caused by strep, but it is more likely to be a symptom of a viral infection.
Step 4. Look out for headaches
Again, this is a common symptom of this infection and may be mild but also stabbing pain.
Step 5. Monitor for any digestive symptoms
If you lose your appetite or feel nauseous, you can consider it as another possible symptom of this disease. In some really severe cases, you may even suffer from vomiting and stomach pain.
Step 6. Consider tiredness
As with any other infection, strep throat can lead to increased fatigue. You may find it harder than usual to wake up in the morning and find it more difficult to carry out your normal daily activities.
Step 7. Check for a rash
A severe strep throat infection can cause a disease known as scarlet fever. This red rash looks a lot like sandpaper.
- Scarlet fever usually occurs 12 to 48 hours after the first symptoms of the infection emerge.
- The rash usually begins around the neck before developing and spreading to the chest. Sometimes it also reaches the abdominal and groin areas. In rare cases it can appear on the back, arms, legs or face.
- Typically, if treated with antibiotics, scarlet fever disappears quickly. If you notice a rash of this nature, you should see your doctor as soon as possible, regardless of any other signs of strep infection.
Step 8. Pay attention to symptoms that don't show
Although strep throat and strep throat have many common symptoms, there are several common colds that are not found in people with strep throat. The absence of these symptoms is another sign that may lead you to think that you have an infection, rather than a simple cold.
- Strep throat sore throat usually does not cause nasal symptoms. This means you don't have a cough, runny nose, stuffy nose or red itchy eyes.
- Also, while throat infection can cause stomach pain, it doesn't usually cause diarrhea.
Part 3 of 4: Evaluating Recent Clinical History and Risk Factors
Step 1. Review your medical history
Some people appear to be more prone to developing strep infections than others. If you have a history of this type of infection, it is more likely that a new infection could also be caused by the same bacterium.
Step 2. Determine if age may be contributing to the infection
While 20-30% of sore throats in children are due to strep throat, only 5-15% of adult doctor visits for pharyngeal pain actually detect the presence of strep throat.
Elderly patients, as well as people with concomitant illnesses (such as the flu), are more susceptible to opportunistic infections
Step 3. Understand if your environment increases the risk of strep throat
There is often a greater chance of suffering from this infection when other family members have had it in the past two weeks. Sharing living or play spaces in closed environments such as schools, kindergartens, dormitories and military barracks, are all situations potentially at risk of colonization of bacteria.
Although children are most at risk of getting the infection, those under the age of two are far less likely to be infected. However, they may not have the usual symptoms found in older children and adults. They may have a fever, runny nose, or cough, as well as a loss of appetite. Ask your pediatrician about your child's risk of getting staph sore throat if you or another person your child comes into contact with has the infection and the child has a fever or other symptoms
Step 4. Assess some risk factors that may make you more susceptible to infection
Immunosuppressed people, who have a reduced ability to fight infections, may be at increased risk. Other infections or diseases can also increase the chances of getting strep.
- The immune system can be compromised simply due to fatigue. Certain circumstances, such as very intense exercise or physical exertion (such as a marathon), can put a heavy burden on the body. As the body focuses on recovery, its ability to fight infections is greatly reduced. In other words, an exhausted body puts all its energy into recovering physical strength and is unable to defend itself effectively.
- Smoking can damage the protective mucous membrane of the mouth and facilitate colonization of bacteria.
- Oral sex can more directly expose the mouth and throat to bacteria.
- Diabetes reduces the body's ability to fight infections.
Part 4 of 4: Get a Doctor Visit
Step 1. Know when to see a doctor
While you don't need to see your doctor every time you have a sore throat, some potential symptoms of strep throat should prompt you to make an appointment early. If your sore throat is accompanied by swollen lymph nodes, a rash, difficulty swallowing or breathing, a high fever, or a fever lasting more than 48 hours, call to make an appointment.
You should see your doctor even if the sore throat lasts more than 48 hours
Step 2. Tell your doctor about your concerns
Bring him a full list of symptoms and tell him that you fear your malaise may be due to strep. Generally, the practitioner checks for some of the most indicative signs of the disease.
- Your doctor might take your temperature.
- Also expect him to be able to observe you in your throat with a light, as he will want to check if your tonsils are swollen, if you have a red, bumpy rash on your tongue, or white or yellow patches on the back of your throat.
Step 3. Be prepared for your doctor to have a clinical diagnosis protocol in place
This protocol basically consists of a physician's organizational method for evaluating symptoms. For adults, the practitioner can use what are known as the Centor criteria, or McIsaac score, to empirically assess how likely they are to have a Group A strep infection. This is simply a list of criteria your doctor should check to determine if (and how) your infection should be treated.
- The doctor assigns scores, positive or negative, for the signs and symptoms you present: +1 point if you have white or milky spots on your tonsils (tonsillar exudates), +1 point for cervical and neck lymphadenopathy (swollen lymphodones), +1 point if you have recently had a fever, +1 point if you are under the age of 15, 0 points if you are aged between 15 and 45, -1 point if you are over 45 and -1 point if you have a cough.
- If the result obtained is 3-4 points, it means that there is a positive predictive value (PPV) of about 80% which indicates that you have a group A streptococcal infection; you are essentially considered positive for strep. In this case the infection must be treated with antibiotics and the doctor will prescribe the correct treatment for you.
Step 4. Ask your doctor for a rapid strep test (RAD test)
Centor's criteria are not effective in evaluating infections that need to be treated with antibiotics in children. However, you can do a quick strep antigen test right in your doctor's office and it really takes a few minutes to complete.
The practitioner uses a cotton swab (similar to a cotton swab) to take fluid samples in the back of the throat to check for bacteria. These fluids will then be tested in the same office and the results should be known within 5 to 10 minutes
Step 5. Ask your doctor for a throat swab
If your quick test results are negative, but you still have other symptoms of strep throat, your doctor may want to take a longer test, known as a throat swab. A sample of bacteria is taken from the throat which will be attempted to cultivate in vitro in a laboratory. As the colony of collected bacteria grows, it will be easier to detect a large amount of group A strep bacteria. arrive at a clinical diagnosis.
- Although the rapid test is usually sufficient to determine the presence of a strep infection, it is also possible to obtain false negatives. Throat swab culture, in comparison, provides a much more accurate outcome.
- Note that it is not necessary to take a swab if the rapid test is positive, as the RAD test can directly detect antigens to bacteria and is only positive if a certain amount of bacteria is present. In this case, immediate treatment with antibiotics is necessary.
- The doctor uses a cotton ball to collect a sample of fluid in the back of the throat and will send the swab to a lab, where they will transfer the sample to a Petri dish. This disc incubates the sample for 18-48 hours, depending on the specific methodology used in the laboratory. If you have streptococcal pharyngitis, you will notice Group A Streptococcus Beta bacteria growing in the plate.
Step 6. Find out about other possible diagnostic tests
Some doctors prefer a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) instead of a throat swab when the rapid test fails. This is a thorough examination that shows the result in a few hours, instead of requiring 1-2 days of incubation.
Step 7. Take antibiotics if prescribed by your doctor
Strep throat pharyngitis is a bacterial infection and, as such, is effectively treated with antibiotics. If you have known allergies to antibiotics (such as penicillin), it is important to communicate this to medical staff so they can find alternatives that are appropriate for your situation.
- A typical course of antibiotics usually lasts up to 10 days (depending on the specific medications your doctor has told you). Make sure you take all antibiotics for the time prescribed, even if you start to feel better before completing the full course.
- Penicillin, amoxicillin, cephalosporins and azithromycin are all equally available antibiotics that can be used to treat the infection. Penicillin is often prescribed and is effective in treating such an infection. However, some individuals may have allergic reactions to this drug. You must inform your doctor if you are aware of this possible side effect. Amoxicillin is another drug that is chosen for staph sore throat and it reports good results. Its effectiveness is similar to that of penicillin and is better resistant to gastric acids before being absorbed into the body. Furthermore, it has a broader spectrum of activity than penicillin.
- Azithromycin, erythromycin, or cephalosporins are prescribed as alternatives to penicillin when a person is certain they are allergic to them. Keep in mind that erythromycin has more gastrointestinal side effects.
Step 8. Try to stay comfortable, comfortable, and rest during treatment with antibiotics
Healing usually occurs when the course of medication ends (about 10 days). While you are recovering, give your body a chance to recover.
- Getting more sleep, drinking herbal tea, and plenty of fluids can help relieve throat pain during the healing process.
- In addition, it is also sometimes helpful to consume cold drinks, ice cream, and popsicles to relieve throat pain.
Step 9. See your doctor for further checkups if needed
You should start feeling better within 2 to 3 days, but if you don't or if you still have a fever, you need to see your doctor. Call him immediately even if you show signs of an allergic reaction to antibiotics. Among them, the main ones are a skin rash, hives or swelling after taking the antibiotic.
Advice
- Stay home for at least 24 hours once treatment for the infection has begun.
- Do not share cups, utensils, or body fluids with individuals who have a strep infection. Carefully keep personal items only to yourself if you are infected.
Warnings
- Streptococcal pharyngitis must be treated with an antibiotic, otherwise it could develop into rheumatic fever, a very serious disease that affects the heart and joints. Since this condition can develop within 9-10 days of starting to show the first symptoms of strep infection, it is important to act very quickly.
- Be aware that mononucleosis can have the same symptoms as strep throat and related ones. If the strep test comes back negative, but symptoms persist and you feel extremely tired, you should see your doctor for a test for mononucleosis.
- See your doctor right away if you're unable to swallow fluids, show signs of dehydration, can't swallow saliva, or have severe pain or stiffness in your neck.
- If you are being treated for a strep infection, contact your healthcare provider if you notice that your urine starts to take on a cola-like color or you are producing less urine than usual. This could mean that you have ongoing kidney inflammation, a possible complication of strep throat.
