{"id":1025,"date":"2017-06-30T07:15:33","date_gmt":"2017-06-30T07:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1025"},"modified":"2021-03-12T19:45:40","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T19:45:40","slug":"13-common-symptoms-strep-throat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/13-common-symptoms-strep-throat\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Common Symptoms for Strep Throat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Strep throat is a form of bacterial infection that is known to cause inflammation in and pain around the throat. The most common bacteria to cause this illness is A Streptococcus and this bacterium can affect people of all ages. That said, strep throat is especially common in children, especially those aged 5-15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strep throat spreads via coughing and sneezing and this can cause it to quickly make its way around an office, a school or a home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strep throat is usually self-limiting, meaning that it will clear up all on its own given time. It is important for the patient to rest, to support their immune system with vitamins and minerals and to take time off work if necessary. Various methods can be used to treat discomfort and pain associated with strep throat, many of which are similar to the methods used to treat a cold and reduce symptoms caused by other types of sore throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the challenges with strep throat is identifying it. Seeing as the symptoms are similar to other types of the bad throat, such as chronic bronchitis and viral infections, it can be hard to tell the difference. In this post, we will at 13 of the most common symptoms of strep throat and how you can tell the difference between one cause of sore throat and another!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key takeaway, at any rate, is that you should always aim to rest and soothe a sore throat and that you should see your physician if the symptoms persist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.  Sore Throat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The main symptom of strep throat is a sore throat<\/a>. This can be a fairly mild symptom or it can be very painful and make it very hard to swallow, to talk and to engage in other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, this symptom will begin around five days following exposure to the bacteria. If you do suffer from a sore throat, then there are a few things you can do to ease the discomfort. One option is to use a throat sweet or cough medicine, either of which can help to soothe and ease the pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey can also be helpful in this regard. Another option is to try steam inhalation, which can help to reduce the inflammation that is causing the pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2.  Red Throat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One way you might be able to tell the difference between strep throat and other causes of sore throat<\/a> is if the throat appears red upon inspection. The throat might look red and it might also have some mild patches. This might also be visible on the tonsils, which can become inflamed and angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are unable to assess this yourself, ask a friend to check the back of your throat and use a teaspoon to keep your tongue flat and out of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3.  Difficulty Swallowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the symptoms of strep throat are very bad, then the patient may have difficulty swallowing. This is caused by inflammation in the throat itself and the tonsils<\/a>, which make it hard for things to pass through \u2013 including food!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If swallowing appears to take a large effort and if it causes a lot of pain, then it may be strep throat that\u2019s responsible. Try to eat food in small amounts and choose soothing, soft foods like yogurt, fruit smoothies, and soups to more easily ingest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4.  Longer Duration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, one of the challenges with strep throat is identifying whether this is indeed the cause of the sore throat or whether a viral infection or another form of irritation <\/a>may be responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way to find out is by considering the duration of the symptoms. In strep throat, the symptom of the sore throat tends to be more severe and also longer lasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might persist for a number of weeks even. Conversely, if you have a \u2018regular\u2019 cold or viral infection, then it is more likely that the sore throat will improve after a day or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5.  No Runny Nose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have a cold or flu<\/a>, then you\u2019ll notice a number of other symptoms that are focussed on the sinuses in particular. For example, you might experience a runny nose, running eyes or congestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In strep throat, the condition is focused much more on the throat itself and thus those other symptoms are less common. You might have some congestion and mucus in the throat itself, but it is less likely to affect the nose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6.  Loss of Voice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A loss of voice is a common side effect of strep throat<\/a>. Your throat might hurt a lot when talking and difficulty using the tonsils and passing air through the windpipes might both mean that your voice is very croaky or very faint, or that it hurts too much to talk normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Either way, you can end up near-mute and having to mime in order to let people know what you\u2019re thinking!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to rest your voice as much as possible to prevent causing further irritation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7.  Swollen Lymph Nodes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common side effect of a strep throat infection is that the lymph nodes become inflamed. Your lymph nodes<\/a> are natural detoxifiers that are located around the body and that can help to remove unwanted toxins and contaminants from your blood. These can become inflamed and infected too, which causes them to swell up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find the lymph nodes, take your fingers and feel on either side of your jaw, just underneath by your neck. If they feel puffy, then this is another sign that you may have strep cough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8.  Contagion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As well as looking at the symptoms that are affecting you, it can also be useful to consider other factors \u2013 such as the spread of the disease \u2013 when trying to make a diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, strep cough is common to spread by coughing<\/a> and sneezing. If you, therefore, find that you spread the cough to other people, or if it spreads from them to you and you have similar symptoms \u2013 then this can be a useful way to rule out the possibility of an allergic reaction or chronic bronchitis flare-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9.  Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Any kind of infection can cause a temperature,<\/a> as this is one way that the body responds and tries to drive out the unwanted bacteria. In this case, the body is raising the temperature in order to make the environment less hospitable for bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sudden fever of 101F or higher is a common sign of strep cough if it occurs alongside the sore throat and other symptoms mentioned here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind that not every case of strep cough will come with a fever, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10.  Loss of Appetite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the body is trying to drive out the bacteria, you will likely find that you have less of an appetite than usual. This is exacerbated by the difficulty you feel in swallowing as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might have heard the expression \u2018feed a cold, starve a fever\u2019. Actually, there is no truth behind this saying and in fact, it is always best to eat well when you are ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food provides energy for your body and it supports the immune system in fighting infection<\/a> and illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11.  Headache<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common symptom of strep throat is a headache<\/a>. This can feel like a pressure headache or it can occur along with nausea, sickness and other symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a number of causes for this kind of headache. One is that you are coughing and straining a lot, which in turn can cause the muscles in the head to contract and to place pressure on the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another issue is that the body may release \u2018pro-inflammatory cytokines\u2019 when you are fighting an infection, which is used to trigger inflammation. These cytokines act like neurotransmitters in the brain, essentially changing the way it behaves and causing the brain to become mildly inflamed too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the reason we often experience brain fog and have difficulty concentrating when we have an infection. This is what people mean when they ask if you \u2018feel okay in yourself\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12.  Rash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, you might find that your strep throat also causes the appearance of a slight rash<\/a>. This is another reaction to the bacteria and a sign that your body is trying to fight it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may appear to be a sandpaper-like rash with a pinkish color. The rash itself is unlikely to be painful but if you notice it, then you should speak with your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13.  Coughing and Sneezing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, strep throat spreads via coughing and sneezing <\/a>so it should come as no surprise that coughing and sneezing might be symptoms of the condition. You may find that coughing is painful but a build-up of mucus and difficulty in breathing can cause you to need to clear your throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s important is that you try hard not to spread the illness. Always put your hand in front of your mouth and turn your head away from people you might be speaking with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wash your hands frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Abdominal Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Strep throat can also cause feeling s of abdominal pain and discomfort. As the bacteria in your throat spread down your esophagus, they enter the stomach, where they can cause infection, especially in those people dealing with a stomach ulcer. If you notice that you have a sudden increase in ulcer pain or other pain in the abdominal area, it could be a sign that the bacteria are spreading at a rapid rate.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit your doctor for a prescription of antibiotics<\/a>. You should begin to notice relief from your symptoms within 48-hours after starting the course of medication.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you decide to leave the treatment and let the strep heal naturally, you run the risk of exacerbating the pain symptoms, resulting in further complications that require treatment. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any sign of abdominal pain is a severe cause for concern, and you should seek medical attention as soon as possible, leaving it may result in changes to your gut bacteria, which can lead to the development of digestive problems.<\/span><\/wp-block><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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15. Peritonsillar abscess<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bacteria responsible for causing strep throat will spread through the throat and esophagus if you don\u2019t seek medical attention. These harmful bacteria can cause other health complications with tissues and organs in the throat. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the more common conditions associated with the progression of strep throat bacteria includes the development of a \u201cPeritonsillar abscess<\/a>.\u201d This condition occurs when an abscess starts to form in the front of the tonsil. The abscess is a collection of bacteria that creates a bump and typically begins two to eight days after the development of a sore throat.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this type of infection is usually resistant to antibiotic medication, and you may need to have your tonsils removed to prevent the abscess from bursting and causing other health complications, such as sepsis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice any additional pain in your throat, that feels like a throbbing sensation, along with swollen glands, you may be experiencing the onset of a peritonsillar abscess.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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