Strep throat is a bacterial infection that can make your throat feel sore and
scratchy. Strep throat accounts for only a small portion of sore throats.
If untreated, strep throat can cause complications, such as kidney
inflammation or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can lead to painful and
inflamed joints, a specific type of rash, or heart valve damage.
Strep throat is most common in children, but it affects people of
all ages. If you or your child has signs or symptoms of strep throat, see your
doctor for prompt testing and treatment.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include:
=Throat pain that usually comes on quickly
=Painful swallowing
=Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of
pus
=Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth
(soft or hard palate)
=Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck
=Fever
=Headache
=Rash
=Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children
=Body aches
It's possible for you or your child to have many of these signs and
symptoms but not have strep throat. The cause of these signs and symptoms could
be a viral infection or some other illness. That's why your doctor generally
tests specifically for strep throat.
It's also possible for you to be exposed to a person who carries
strep but shows no symptoms.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will conduct a physical exam, look for signs and
symptoms of strep throat, and probably order one or more of the following
tests:
-Rapid antigen test. Your doctor may perform a rapid antigen
test on a swab sample from your throat. This test can detect strep bacteria in
minutes by looking for substances (antigens) in the throat. If the test is
negative but your doctor still suspects strep, he or she might do a throat
culture.
-Molecular (polymerase chain reaction, or PCR) test. This
test is also done using a swab sample from your throat.
-Throat culture. A sterile swab is rubbed over the back of
the throat and tonsils to get a sample of the secretions. It's not painful, but
it may cause gagging. The sample is then cultured in a laboratory for the
presence of bacteria, but results can take as long as two days.
Treatment
Medications are available to cure strep throat, relieve its
symptoms, and prevent its complications and spread.
Antibiotics
If your doctor diagnoses you or your child with strep throat, your
doctor will likely prescribe an oral antibiotic. If taken within 48 hours of
the onset of the illness, antibiotics reduce the duration and severity of
symptoms, as well as the risk of complications and the likelihood that
infection will spread to others.
With treatment, you or your child should start feeling better in a
day or two. Call your doctor if there's no improvement after taking antibiotics
for 48 hours.
Children taking an antibiotic who feel well and don't have a fever
often can return to school or child care when they're no longer contagious —
usually 24 hours after beginning treatment. But be sure to finish all the
medicine. Stopping early can lead to recurrences and serious complications,
such as rheumatic fever or kidney inflammation.
Symptom relievers
To relieve throat pain and reduce fever, try over-the-counter pain
relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen
(Tylenol, others).
Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though
aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 3, children and
teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take
aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but
potentially life-threatening condition, in such children.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/strep-throat/symptoms-causes/syc-20350338