Strep Throat Still Hurts After Antibiotics

Most Infections Respond Quickly To Antibiotics

The symptoms of strep throat include a severe sore throat, especially when swallowing, along with a fever, swollen glands in the neck, headache, and nausea. Sore throats accompanied by cold or flu-like symptoms, such as nasal congestion and cough, are typically caused by a virus, and antibiotics are not effective to kill viruses. To avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics and development of resistance to antibiotics, the diagnosis of a bacterial infection should be made before antibiotics are prescribed. This diagnosis is based on a history of symptoms, a physical examination, and a positive laboratory test or culture for Streptococcus bacteria.

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 I’ve gotten a bad sore throat or sinus infection, antibiotics haven’t worked. I’ve had to try two or three different ones each time. That gets expensive. The next time I get a sore throat, I’m 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 wasn’t 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.

My insurance doesn’t pay for all of my medicines, so I try to make sure I really need the ones I do take. The last time I had a bad cold, my throat got really sore. The pain made it hard for me to swallow. I called my doctor’s office and the nurse said I could come in if I felt I needed a prescription. I thought I’d wait and see instead. I took ibuprofen and drank a lot of tea and honey, and in a few days I felt better. I’m glad I didn’t spend the money on a doctor visit and medicine.

Esther, 42

Why Your Strep Throat Keeps Coming Back

Youve probably had that scratchy, itchy feeling. The one that starts in the back of your throat and suddenly turns into a painful burning sensation. Some people say its like trying to swallow broken glass. Now thats a pretty vivid description of the common sore throat and if you have ever had one that bad then youre not likely to forget it. Usually, a simple sore throat will come along with some other symptoms, like a cough or runny nose and it will likely go away on its own in a few days. But what does it mean if it lingers? That can be a sign of the dreaded strep throat.

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What If My Strep Throat Isn’t Getting Better

If your strep throat is not getting better, let your healthcare provider know right away. Do not stop taking your prescribed medicine unless your health care provider tells you to. Call your healthcare provider if these symptoms occur:

• Fever one or two days after feeling better
• Dark urine, rash, or chest pain

Strep Throat Vs Sore Throat

There are many causes of sore throat, and most are viruses.

Strep throat tends to come on more quickly and often at the same time as a fever.

Milder sore throat, sore throat that comes on gradually, or a sore throat along with cough, hoarseness, or runny nose, are much more likely to be caused by a viral illness than by strep.

Your doctor will do a rapid strep test to determine if you may have strep throat.

Since most sore throats are caused by viruses, it is important to only take antibiotics if you have a positive strep result.

If the test is negative or not conclusive, a throat culture can be done to check for the bacteria that causes strep throat.

Strep throat is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15, but anyone can get it.

Sore throats caused by viruses or other causes can also occur at any age.

A sudden onset of sore throat should be evaluated at any age, but especially in children.

Strep throat is very unlikely in children under 3 so the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend testing for or treating strep at that age.

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How Is Strep Throat Different From A Sore Throat With A Cold

Strep throat is caused by an infection of streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat spreads by having contact with an infected person’s saliva or nasal secretions. Although strep throat is more common in children ages 5 to 15, it also occurs in adults. To diagnose strep throat, your doctor can check a rapid strep test or send a throat swab to the lab for a culture. In some cases, they may be able to diagnose strep based on your reported symptoms and other signs, such as white spots in the throat area, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

When To Seek Medical Care

Talk to your doctor if you or your child have symptoms of sore throat. They may need to test you or your child for strep throat.

Also see a doctor if you or your child have any of the following:

• Difficulty breathing

Since bacteria cause strep throat, antibiotics are needed to treat the infection and prevent rheumatic fever and other complications. A doctor cannot tell if someone has strep throat just by looking in the throat. If your doctor thinks you might have strep throat, they can test you to determine if it is causing your illness.

Anyone with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they no longer have fever AND have taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours.

If a virus causes a sore throat, antibiotics will not help. Most sore throats will get better on their own within one week. Your doctor may prescribe other medicine or give you tips to help you feel better.

More aboutC. diff

When antibiotics arent needed, they wont help you, and their side effects could still cause harm. Side effects can range from mild reactions, like a rash, to more serious health problems. These problems can include severe allergic reactions, antibiotic-resistant infections and C. diff infection. C. diff causes diarrhea that can lead to severe colon damage and death.

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Q How Is It Different Than A Regular Sore Throat

A. There are many different types of bacteria and viruses that can cause a sore throat. Many of the symptoms overlap between the causative agents and therefore it is very difficult to differentiate between strep pharyngitis and other causes of pharyngitis without testing. A cough is not a common symptom with strep throat and may indicate a different cause of sore throat.

Protect Yourself And Others

People can get strep throat more than once. Having strep throat does not protect someone from getting it again in the future. While there is no vaccine to prevent strep throat, there are things people can do to protect themselves and others.

Good hygiene helps prevent group A strep infections

The best way to keep from getting or spreading group A strep is to wash your hands often. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing and before preparing foods or eating.

To prevent group A strep infections, you should:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Put your used tissue in the waste basket.
• Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands, if you dont have a tissue.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.

You should also wash glasses, utensils, and plates after someone who is sick uses them. These items are safe for others to use once washed.

Wash your hands often to help prevent germs from spreading.

Antibiotics help prevent spreading the infection to others

People with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they:

• No longer have a fever
• Have taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours

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Q What Are Complications Related To Strep

A. Most cases of strep throat resolve without complications. However, complications can include blood stream bacterial infections, abscesses in the tissue surrounding the throat, ear infections and sinus infections. Other complications following the initial strep throat infection include acute rheumatic fever, kidney issues and psychiatric disorders.

How Does A Sore Throat Occur

Sore throat is caused by inflammation of the throat . The pharynx is the area behind the tonsils. A sore throat may be the first symptom of a mild illness, such as a cold or the flu, or of more severe illnesses, such as mononucleosis, strep throat or scarlet fever.

A sore throat that comes on suddenly is called acute pharyngitis. It can be caused by bacteria or viruses. A sore throat that lasts for a long time is called chronic pharyngitis. It occurs when a respiratory, sinus, or mouth infection spreads to the throat.

Sore throats can also be caused by:

• Cigarette smoking or second-hand smoke
• Breathing heavily polluted air or chemical fumes
• Swallowing sharp foods that hurt the lining of the throat, such as a tortilla chip

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How Is A Sore Throat From Tonsillitis Treated

If the tonsillitis infection is bacterial like strep throat, then antibiotics are given. If the tonsillitis infection is viral, antibiotics will not help. The virus must run its course for the sore throat to resolve. For either type of throat infection, the following treatment measures may help:

• Getting plenty of rest
• Eating smooth, soothing foods like gelatin, ice cream, shakes, frozen desserts, and soup
• Avoiding crunchy or spicy foods
• Using a vaporizer
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, naproxen, or ibuprofen. Children should not take aspirin.

If the tonsillitis infections occur repeatedly, or if the tonsils are interfering with sleep and breathing, the doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy, which is the surgical removal of the tonsils.

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How To Deal With Recurring Strep Throat

1. Wait to Grow Out Naturally

There have been numerous observational studies showing that children naturally experience a decrease in strep throat infections over the course of time. In fact, without severe symptoms, this is so common that tonsillectomies are rarely recommended for just a throat infection.

2. Turn to Antibiotics

Antibiotics for strep throat not only can help to prevent strep throat in healthy people, but also works to shorten the duration of the disease by around 16 hours.In some cases, however, antibiotics won’t make sense since they kill beneficial bacteria as well as those that cause strep, increasing the risk of fungal or viral infections.

3. Take the Right Antibiotics

There are many different antibiotics used to treat recurring strep throat. It is quite essential to take the right antibiotics.

4. Self-Care Tips

If your child has recurring strep throat, there are some simple things you should do to support your kid.

• Always make sure that you do have a strep throat. Don’t take antibiotics if your doctor simply says it looks bad but doesn’t test for strep throat using a swab.
• Take the entire dose of medication, even if the symptoms are gone. Make a chart or set an alarm if you have to.
• Change your child’s toothbrush when your child is halfway done with their course of antibiotics. An alternative is to put the toothbrush in the dishwasher.
• Practice routine hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently.
• Be patient and wait for him to get better.

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Children And Certain Adults Are At Increased Risk

Anyone can get strep throat, but there are some factors that can increase the risk of getting this common infection.

Strep throat is more common in children than adults. It is most common in children 5 through 15 years old. It is very rare in children younger than 3 years old.

Adults who are at increased risk for strep throat include:

• Parents of school-aged children
• Adults who are often in contact with children

Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. For example, if someone has strep throat, the bacteria often spread to other people in their household.

Infectious illnesses tend to spread wherever large groups of people gather. Crowded settings can increase the risk of getting a group A strep infection. These settings include:

• Up to 3 in 10 children with a sore throat have strep throat
• About 1 in 10 adults with a sore throat has strep throat

The Final Words For Sore Throats

A sore throat is one of the most common reasons for a sick day and a doctors visit. At the first sign of scratchiness, you wonder if it will linger or fade away in a few days. If its simply a symptom of the cold or flu, it will probably go away as your flu subsides. If it doesnt, youll need to see a doctor. And the sooner you do, the sooner those antibiotics will have you saying, Bye-bye, sore throat. You are out of here.

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How Is A Sore Throat Treated

Usually, no specific medical treatment is needed if a virus is causing the sore throat. The throat most often gets better on its own within five to seven days. Antibiotic medicine does not cure viral pharyngitis. For acute pharyngitis caused by bacteria, your health-care provider may prescribe an antibiotic. For chronic pharyngitis, your provider will look for other causes.

How Long Do Sore Throats Following Surgery Last

If you require intubation during surgery, you may have a sore throat when you wake up. During intubation, an endotracheal tube is inserted through the mouth and down the throat into an airway. Intubation is used to help you breathe with a ventilator if youre unable to breathe on your own during surgery.

Postsurgical dehydration may also cause discomfort or scratchiness in the throat.

Drink fluids and speak as little as possible to avoid postsurgical sore throat. In many cases, symptoms should clear up within a few days. If you have a sore throat that lasts for more than a week following a surgical procedure, let your doctor know.

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How Do You Feel And Why

Viruses cause many sore throats in both adults and children. A runny nose, cough and hoarseness are usually viral infections. Antibiotics have no effect on viral infections, but your doctor may suggest over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen and throat lozenges to alleviate the pain.

Common infections causing a sore throat might result in other signs and symptoms, including:

How Long Is Strep Throat Contagious After Taking Antibiotics

The obvious strep throat treatment is administration of antibiotics. However, this bacterial infection remains contagious even after resorting to antibacterial therapy. Here is some info on the duration for which strep throat remains contagious even after taking antibiotics.

The obvious strep throat treatment is administration of antibiotics. However, this bacterial infection remains contagious even after resorting to antibacterial therapy. Here is some info on the duration for which strep throat remains contagious even after taking antibiotics.

Strep throat is an infection of the throat region and tonsils characterized by itchiness and soreness. The name itself suggests that the causal pathogen is Streptococcus bacteria. There are several strains of Group A Streptococcus bacteria, which are capable of causing this throat infection. In healthy people, they are present in the nasal passages and throat area without causing any infection. Under certain conditions, they multiply rapidly and result in strep throat symptoms. Some strains are more virulent than others and result in severe illnesses.

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What Is Recurring Strep Throat

Strep throat that isn’t cured after just one round of antibiotics or occurs several times each year can be deemed as recurring strep throat. Someone who develops strep throat again and again can also have a strep throat that recurs.

Experts now know that strep throat that recurs can be due to one of more than one factors. In some cases, you contract bacteria in resistant form or the antibiotic failed for certain reason. It is also possible that you have a weak immune system or you or a family member of you is a strep carrier.

I Have Been On Antibiotics For 5 Days For Strep Throat And I

Hello, this is Dr K99. Answers are not medical advice and do not constitute a Dr/patient relationship. Please consult your Dr for medical advice.

Hello and welcome to Just Answer. is an effective treatment for strep. How was the strep diagnosed and what are your symptoms?

The strep was diagnosed by a throat examination. The doctor thought it was obvious enough to prescribe me medicine without a swob test. My symptoms are swollen tonscils, nodes around my throat, white spots in my throat, and it hurts really really bad to swollow.

Strep throat takes 3-7 days to cure completely. Sometimes as long as 10. Contrary to popular belief, antibiotics are not required to treat it and do not make the illness less severe or last a shorter time. They only make you less contagious.

You may or may not have strep if it was not diagnosed with a throat swab. It is also possible that this is a infection that the antibiotics will not affect at all.

okay thank you.

And in actuality if you have two or more symptoms of strep as an adult, a throat swab SHOULD be done.

With your symptoms, your Dr should have done a swab to confirm before treating. I hope you feel better soon. Thank you for coming to Just Answer. Please click on a positive rating before you leave the chat.

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