Strep throat: What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Van Quang - Ear, Nose Throat Doctor - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital. BSCKI. Le Van Quang is an expert in the field of ENT with 15 years of experience.
Strep throat is a throat infection caused by bacteria. The disease can be cured in a few days with proper medical care, plenty of rest and plenty of fluids. However, if not treated in time, the disease can cause dangerous complications.

1. What is strep throat?

Strep throat is a sore throat caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. Symptoms are usually more severe than a viral throat infection.
Anyone can get strep throat. However, the most common age group to get strep throat is between 5 and 15 years old.
The bacteria that cause strep throat are usually found in the nose and throat, so normal behaviors like a runny nose, coughing, or shaking hands can spread the infection from person to person. People with untreated strep throat can spread the infection when symptoms are severe, but can still infect others for up to 3 weeks.
Therefore, it is very important to teach children about the importance of hand washing because good hygiene can reduce the likelihood of catching an infectious disease such as strep throat.

2. Is strep throat dangerous?

Strep throat often has more severe symptoms than other causes. More dangerous, if the patient is not treated promptly and properly, it can lead to complications such as:
Infections in the tonsils, ears, blood, skin, sinuses. Rheumatic fever can lead to joint pain and inflammation, a rash and even damage to the heart valves. Strep infections can lead to other inflammatory diseases such as scarlet fever, a disease characterized by a rash, inflammation of the kidneys.

3. Identification signs

After being infected with streptococcus bacteria, it can take 2 to 5 days for people to experience symptoms. Possible symptoms include:
Sore throat causing sore throat or difficulty swallowing; Fever above 38°C. Headache; stomach pain. Rash. Loss of appetite, nausea. Muscle pain and stiffness; Swollen pharyngeal glands and white patches in the throat or small red spots may appear on the roof of the mouth. The lymph nodes in the neck are swollen and painful. However, not everyone infected with streptococcus bacteria gets strep throat. In other words, an infected person can carry the bacteria and pass it on to others without showing any symptoms.

4. Methods of treatment and prevention

4.1 Drug treatment Several medications are available to cure strep throat, reduce its symptoms and prevent its spread such as:
Antibiotics:
Penicillin: This medicine can be given by injection into Some cases like: are children, who are having a hard time swallowing or vomiting from sore throat. Amoxicillin: This is in the same category as penicillin, but is often a preferred choice for children because it tastes better and is available as tablets. If the person is allergic to penicillin, the doctor may prescribe a cephalosporin such as cephalexin (KEFLEX); Erythromycin; Azithromycin (Zithromax). If strep throat in a child on antibiotic therapy feels well and does not have a fever, it is usually possible to return to school or child care when the infection is no longer contagious - usually 24 hours after starting treatment. Symptomatic relievers:
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others). Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), but be careful with acetaminophen, because of the risks of Reye's syndrome, a potentially life-threatening illness, that should not be given to children and adolescents with aspirin. 4.2 Lifestyle changes In most cases, antibiotics will quickly kill the bacteria causing the infection. However, a healthy lifestyle can quickly relieve symptoms of a sore throat:

Get enough sleep for a healthy body
Get plenty of rest, get enough sleep to help your body fight infections. If sick, stay home until there are no signs of fever and feeling better and have completed at least 24 hours of antibiotic treatment. Drink a lot of water. Keeping the throat moist helps ease swallowing pain. Drinking plenty of water also helps prevent dehydration. Eat light, easy-to-swallow foods such as: broth, soup, apple puree, cooked cereals, mashed potatoes, sweet fruit, yogurt, and soft-cooked eggs. Avoid spicy foods or acidic foods like orange juice. Gargle with warm salt water. For older children and adults, gargling several times a day can help relieve a sore throat. Stay away from stimulants. Smoking can cause a sore throat and increase the chance of infections like tonsillitis. 4.3 Prevention of illness Proper hand washing is the best way to prevent infections. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Do not share personal items. If there is no sore throat, do not share drinks or eating utensils. Carefully wash and clean items with warm, soapy water.

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