Strep throat is an infection of the bacteria that occurs in the tonsils and the throat. It is mainly caused by a certain type of bacteria called streptococcal (strep) bacteria. This kind of bacteria comes in different types which cause more serious diseases than others. People tend to confuse strep sore throat and sore throat but they are not the same in any kind since strep sore throat is cause by these specific bacteria while sore throat is caused by other infections.

Although the symptoms of sore throat and strep sore throat are the same, they are totally different. the symptoms of strep sore throat include:

* A sore throat that is sudden and severe.
* A high fever of about 101F
* Headache
* Severe vomiting
* Nauseating feeling.

Sore throat symptoms are different in children and toddlers as compared to adults. Common Symptoms in children include:

* With infants, they get a thick yellowish or green drainage from their nose, low fever, irritability, loss or decrease in appetite and fussiness.

* Children who are between the age of one year to three years, may have trouble swallowing, complain of sore throat, crankiness and poor appetite.

* Adolescents and older children have high fever, severe difficulty in swallowing, painful throats and pus.

Parents should take great measures and should be concerned about sore throats that do not improve with sipping water or one that is accompanied by high fever, headache and severe tiredness. A red rash known as scarlet fever is also a concern. It is more dangerous than without a rash.

It is diagnosed by a doctor doing a physical exam on you then conducting a strep test to determine the strep throat presence. Sometimes a throat culture which is also a test is needed. It is necessary when your strep test comes out negative but your symptoms show otherwise. It is conducted by the doctor taking some cells from the back of the throat where the strep bacteria grows with time, if they grow then strep is present if they do not then you do not have strep sore throat.

Strep is treated by taking antibiotics as prescribed and not stopping when your symptoms resolve as this can cause the infection to be treated prematurely. If symptoms are detected and treated within 48 hours,, then strep is reduced by one to two days whereas if untreated it will clear within two to five days and this is what actually causes the illness. Another reason why strep sore throat should be treated early is to reduce the rate of contagiousness. If treated within a day there is a possibility of the rate of containing it to people reducing.

Untreated strep sore throat may also lead to various complications which include meningitis, rheumatic fever which damages the valves of the heart, toxic shock syndrome and otitis media. Children under the age of seven are likely to develop problems with the kidney due to strep sore throat. So far there are no vaccines for preventing strep sore throat; the best way to go about it is to stop the spread to others who have not been diagnosed with it.

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Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: sore throat,strep sore throat,strep sore,strep throat,strep throat sore