Potential Solutions For Strep Throat How To Treat Strep Throat Naturally
- Apple Cider Vinegar Perhaps the most effective method for strep throat treatment and known to help the body recover from countless conditions, apple cider vinegar really is an amazing liquid that could rid you of throat problems. Adding on to the many benefits of apple cider vinegar, you can help treat strep simply by gargling with the liquid after it has been diluted in a glass of warm water.
The amount of ACV used may vary from person to person, but using 1-3 teaspoons in 8oz of water may be enough. You could always use a different amount, such as 1/4 cup of ACV in 16oz of water. This solution could work in as little as 30 minutes, but dont be worried if it takes a bit longer. If you enjoy or can handle the taste, try mixing it with some water and sipping it throughout the day. Use raw organic apple cider vinegar with the mother for optimal results.
- Vitamin C Although vitamin C is widely known to cure scurvy, the vitamin can be taken to help combat viruses, stress, and promote health overall. Taking 1,000mg of quality vitamin C 3 times daily can produce amazing results, especially when combined with other solutions for treating strep throat.
If you decide to try these home remedies and nothing seems to be working, please do not hesitate to see your doctor for a antibiotic prescription antibiotics are the first line of treatment for strep, and it works.
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The Top Things To Remember About Strep Throat
While theres a lot of information out there on strep throat, here are the important things to keep in mind at this time of year and always:
- If you have generic cold symptoms with a sore throat, you probably dont need a strep test a virus is the more likely culprit.
- If you have throat pain, a fever, and not much else, go ahead and get tested.
- Strep tests are easy, fast, inexpensive, and painless.
- Strep throat is easily treated with affordable antibiotics.
- Keep washing those hands!
- Dont depend on the internet for your diagnosis count on experienced urgent care and primary care providers for a convenient, personalized diagnosis you can trust.
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Treatments For Strep Throat
Home remedies can work to decrease the discomfort or pain associated with strep throat, but they do not replace the need for a consultation with a provider to see if antibiotics are needed.
The three most common antibiotics prescribed for strep throat are:
- Penicillin: Dosages range from 250 mg twice daily to 500 mg twice daily, depending on age. The typical course of penicillin for strep throat is 10 days.
- Amoxicillin: Dosages are based on body weight for children, with a maximum daily dose of 1000 mg. Adults are typically prescribed 500mg twice a day or 1,000 mg extended release daily.The typical course of amoxicillin for strep throat is 10 days.
- Cephalexin: For individuals allergic to penicillin, cephalexin is often prescribed. It is dosed by body weight for children and the usually adult dose is 500mg twice a day for 10 days.
Never stop taking antibiotics until you have finished the regimen, even if you feel better.
If you stop too early, your infection could come back and could contribute to an antibiotic-resistant infection.
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How To Treat A Sore Throat Yourself
To help soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts, you can:
- gargle with warm, salty water
- drink plenty of water
- eat cool or soft foods
- avoid smoking or smoky places
- suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
Remedies And Treatments For Strep
Once you’re diagnosed, your doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics to destroy the bacteria that caused the infection. That usually takes 24 to 48 hours. In the meantime, these home remedies for strep throat can alleviate your symptoms:
Rest and Sleep
When you’re sick, your body needs rest and sleep to fight the infection. Stay home from work, or if your child is sick, keep them home from school. Strep is easily spread and remains contagious until you’ve taken an antibiotic for 24 hours and no longer have a fever.
Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water and clear fluids to keep your body hydrated. Keep the throat moist to alleviate pain when swallowing.
Eat Soft and Soothing Food
Soup, applesauce, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, yogurt, or a smoothie are good options. The list is endless, as long as the food is soft and easy to swallow. Cold foods like ice cream or popsicles help soothe your sore throat. Stay away from spicy foods or acidic fruits like oranges.
Turn on a Humidifier
Breathing moist air can relieve discomfort. Cool-mist humidifiers are best, but be sure to clean them daily to prevent mold and bacteria from building up. A nasal saline spray helps too.
Gargle With Salt Water
Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt into eight ounces of warm water. Take a sip, lift your head back, and gargle the mixture in your throat to relieve pain. Remind your kids to spit out the water instead of swallowing it.
Avoid Irritants
Prescription Medications
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How To Protect Others
- Everyone should wash hands often with soap or hand sanitizer. Good handwashing prevents the spread of infection.
- Cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing. Give your child a paper bag and have him put his used tissues in the bag. Moisture from the childâs nose and mouth is contagious.
- Do not share drinking cups or eating utensils.
- Throw away your childâs toothbrush and buy a new one as soon as the illness is over.
- Keep your child away from others for 24 hours after the medicine is started and until he has no fever.
- Tell the school nurse and your childs teacher that your child has strep throat. It is important for school personnel to know so that other parents can be told to watch for symptoms in their children.
- If anyone in the family gets a sore throat, he should be checked by a doctor to see if medical treatment is needed.
Strep Throat Vs Sore Throat
Sore throats are pain in the throat that is typically caused by a virus. It can be due to bacteria, allergies, pollution or throat dryness. Strep throat is an infection of the throat caused by bacteria. Sore throat is a symptom of strep throat and its also a symptom of other respiratory conditions. Both are contagious they can be passed from person to person in any place with close contact.
Not many people with sore throats have bacterial infections. According to the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, viruses cause 85 to 95 percent of throat infections in adults and children younger than 5 years of age. Viruses cause about 70 percent of throat infections in those aged 5 to 15 years, with the other 30 percent due to bacterial infections, mostly group A strep. Natural sore throat remedies should be your first choice, as antibiotic treatment will not help a viral infection.
It can be hard to tell the difference between strep throat symptoms and symptoms of a viral infection. Remember, while trying to make a self-diagnosis, that strep throat doesnt include cold symptoms, like coughing, sneezing or runny nose. If you have a sore throat with cold symptoms, its likely caused by a viral infection and its not strep throat. Try strep throat home remedies to find some relief from your symptoms.
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Personal Stories About Taking Antibiotics For Sore Throat
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I was sick a lot as a kid, and I was always taking medicine. Maybe it helped at the time. But in the past few years, when Iâve gotten a bad sore throat or sinus infection, antibiotics havenât worked. Iâve had to try two or three different ones each time. That gets expensive. The next time I get a sore throat, Iâm going to try just staying home, resting, and taking care of myself instead of taking antibiotics.
Jesse, 34
My 8-year-old daughter got strep throat last month. I thought it was just a cold, and I kept her home from school for a few days. But she wasnât getting better and she felt so miserable. I was also worried about ear infections. She gets a lot of those too. The doctor did a strep test and suggested she take antibiotics. Amy started feeling better a few days later. I think antibiotics were the right way to go this time.
Esther, 42
How To Care For Your Child
There are thingsyou can do to help your child feel better.
- Give them lots of liquids, like water, Pedialyte®, diluted apple juice, or popsicles. Give small amounts of liquid often .
- Give soft foods that are easy to swallow, like applesauce, mashed potatoes, hot cereal, or eggs. Your child may not want to eat much if it hurts to swallow.
- To soothe a sore throat, offer:
- For children over age 1, give warm fluids like water, herbal tea with honey, or diluted apple juice. Do not give honey to children under age 1. For some children, cold fluids or popsicles can be soothing.
- For children over age 4, give throat or cough lozenges or use throat sprays. Read the label to know the right dose for your child. Do not use throat sprays that contain benzocaine, as this could cause a drug reaction.
- For children over age 6 who are able to gargle without swallowing, mix ½ teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Have them swish and gargle the mixture 2 to 3 times a day for the next few days. Do not let your child swallow the salt water have them spit it out.
- For a fever or throat pain, give acetaminophen or ibuprofen as directed. Read the label to know the right dose for your child. Do not give aspirin or products that contain aspirin.
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Natural Remedies For A Sore Throat
A sore throat can be very uncomfortable. The main symptoms are pain and irritation in the throat, especially when swallowing.
A sore throat occurs as part of the bodys immune response to viral or bacterial infections.
The natural immune response leads to inflammation and swelling of the mucous membranes in the throat.
However, several natural remedies may provide relief, including some that are supported by scientific evidence.
Here are 15 natural sore throat remedies.
People have used extracts from the marshmallow plant, Althaea officinalis, to treat sore throats and other conditions since ancient times.
Its root contains a gelatin-like substance called mucilage that coats and lubricates the throat when a person swallows it.
Researchers have tested lozenges containing marshmallow root in animals and found them to be effective and nontoxic, even at very high doses. It may also help soothe a dry cough (1,
Here is a recipe for a cold marshmallow root infusion to soothe a painful throat:
Ingredients:
- 1 liter of cold water
- 1 ounce, or 28 grams , of dried marshmallow root
Directions:
Gargle With Himalayan Salt
Gargling with pink Himalayan salt water helps to reduce swelling, soothes a sore throat and creates an unpleasant environment for bacteria in your mouth. Salt temporarily increases the pH balance of your mouth, creating an alkaline environment that makes it hard for bacteria to survive. Himalayan salt is known to improve respiratory conditions because its an antibacterial agent. It has anti-inflammatory properties and it removes pathogens from the mouth when gargled or swallowed.
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Living With Strep Throat
Strep throat is an infection that typically comes and goes, especially when youre younger. If you have recurring strep throat, it could be that someone in your family is a carrier of strep. Carriers have the strep bacteria in their throats, but it does not make them sick. Treating carriers can help prevent the spread of strep.
Get Strep Throat Treatment Online
If you or your child are experiencing throat pain, painful swallowing, and other common strep throat symptoms, we have good news: you dont need to visit your doctors office for strep throat antibiotics.
Instead, you can schedule an online appointment with one of the trusted doctors at PlushCare. If your doctor thinks strep throat antibiotics are right for you, they can send an electronic prescription to your local pharmacy.
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When To See Your Doctor
If you suspect strep throat, call a doctor immediately. Strep is contagious until youve been on antibiotics for 24 to 48 hours. This means you should stay home from work, school, and daycare.
Your doctor will perform one or two tests to diagnose strep. The first is called a rapid antigen test, and it can detect strep bacteria within minutes. If that test is negative, he or she might perform a throat culture. This involves swabbing the throat, then sending it out to a lab to detect bacteria.
Strep can be dangerous if left untreated, so call your doctor right away. If strep bacteria spreads to other areas of the body, it can cause complications, including:
- Tonsil abscesses, or pockets of infection around the tonsils
How To Get Rid Of Strep Throat Fast Without An Antibiotic
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Treating A Sore Throat
A sore throat generally lasts two to three days and gets better within a week. There are a few things you can try that may soothe a sore throat and quicken your recovery:
Gargle with warm salty water Drink plenty of water but avoid hot drinks Eat cool or soft foods Avoid smoking or smoky areas Take rest Suck ice cubes or hard sweets
Ask your pharmacist which over-the-counter medicines could help relieve the pain or discomfort of your sore throat.
Death By Virus: C Diff May Have A Natural Enemy
C. diff is one of the natural microbes found in your gut, but chronic antibiotic use can make it go haywire. Its also one of the many superbugs turning up at hospitals. It caused 14,000 deaths and 250,000 hospitalizations between 2005 and 2011, according to the CDC.
Specialists at the University of Leicester and AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation have found phages, viruses that eat bacteria, to specifically target C. diff. They work by attaching to bacteria as a host, injecting their DNAwhich replicatesand causing the bacterial cell to burst open.
Researchers say these phages are effective against 90 percent of the most clinically relevant C. diff strains in the United Kingdom.
The key advantage of using phages over antibiotics lies in their specificity. A phage will infect and kill only a specific strain or species of bacteria. This is particularly important when treating conditions like C. diff infections, where maintenance of the natural balance of gut bacteria greatly reduces the chance of relapse, Dr. Martha Clokie, from the University of Leicesters Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, said in a statement.
AmpliPhi is funding the development of these C. diff phages and hopes to have a mixture ready for clinical trials soon.
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How To Test For Strep Throat At Home
The only way to know definitively if you have strep throat is through a rapid strep test administered by a healthcare provider or at your nearest GoHealth Urgent Care. And while home strep tests are available, they arent 100 percent accurate and can produce false-negative results.
You can examine your throat for signs of infection by looking in the mirror and saying, Ahhh. If you see white dots or patches in the back of your throat, or your tonsils are red and swollen, you may have strep throat and should see your doctor or go to your local GoHealth Urgent Care.
Causes & Symptoms Of Strep Throat
Strep throat is an infection of the throat and tonsils. Its caused by group A Streptococcusbacteria, also called group A strep. The group A strep bacteria is very contagious. It spreads through contact after an infected person coughs, sneezes, touches your mouth, nose or eyes. The bacteria also spreads by sharing a glass, utensil, plate or even a doorknob. This is why strep throat seems to happen more often in the colder months when people tend to be in closer quarters.
Strep throat symptoms typically start within five days of exposure to the strep bacteria symptoms include :
- Sore throat and difficulty swallowing
- Red and swollen tonsils
- Red spots on the roof of the mouth and a white or yellow coating on the throat and tonsils
- Swollen lymph nodes
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