What Antibiotics Work For Strep Throat

What Cant Antibiotics Do

Remember that only bacterial infections can be cured with antibiotics, which means that antibiotics dont bring into play when dealing with common virus-caused diseases .

So, youd better ask the doctor. He/she will let you know that its necessary to prescribe other antiviral medicines so that your illness can be removed completely. For HOW LONG DOES STREP THROAT LAST WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS, you might want to check out this post.

Strep Throat: Symptoms And Treatment

15 October 18

Strep throat is an infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, or Group A Streptococcus .

Streptococcal pharyngitis is highly contagious and can spread by nasal secretions and saliva. Strep throat most often afflicts children younger than 16, and is most common in the United States in the winter and spring, according to the Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

What Are The Risks Of Taking Antibiotics For Sore Throat

Antibiotics may cause side effects, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin rashes.

Besides side effects, there are other good reasons not to use antibiotics unless you really need them.

• Antibiotics cost money.
• You will probably have to see the doctor to get a prescription. This costs you time.
• If you take antibiotics when you don’t need them, they may not work when you do need them. Each time you take antibiotics, you are more likely to carry some bacteria that were not killed by the medicine. Over time, these bacteria get tougher and can cause longer and more serious infections. To treat them, you may need different, stronger, and more costly antibiotics.

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Throat Pictures For More Information

When it comes to sore throats, throat pictures can really help. Just like with strep throat treatment, you can easily get free throat pictures over the internet to aid your choice to seek immediate medical attention or try waiting for your throat to improve. If youre worried about what your throat looks like and need to get an idea of what this looks like, look at these throat pictures. While these arent actual photos of your condition, they can certainly help give you a good idea of what your picture design looks like. The Picture perfect design is really a combination of color, contrast, size, and light all things that create the best overall picture in your mind.

A great example of a picture perfect design is a picture of a sore throat with a series of small white spots spreading across the picture perfect background. In this Picture, there are red and yellow fever blister-like symptoms spreading across the top of the picture. At the top of the right side of this picture youll see that theres a yellow fever blister forming on top of the sore. To the left of this blister there are red and white spots spreading from the center. This can be a very sore throat symptom that looks like strep throat.

Some Antibiotics Your Doctor Might Prescribe For Strep Include:

• Penicillin Unless youre allergic, penicillin is the best antibiotic for sore throat infection. The most common side effects of penicillin include nausea and vomiting.
• Amoxicillin A broad-spectrum form of penicillin, amoxicillin, may be more effective and convenient for some patients. A single daily dose of amoxicillin may be just as effective as multiple doses of penicillin taken in a day. However, amoxicillin can more commonly cause skin rash and gastrointestinal problems.
• Amoxicillin Clavulanate Potassium Amoxycillin clavulanate potassium is more frequently used to treat recurring cases of strep throat. Marketed as, amoxicillin clavulanate potassium is resistant to degradation or damage caused by waste products, such as beta-lactamase created by Streptococcus. The main side effect of amoxicillin clavulanate potassium is diarrhea.
• Azithromycin Azithromycin is best used for those who are allergic penicillin or have tried penicillin with no results.
• Clarithromycin Clarithromycin goes by the brand name Biaxin and may act as a good alternative for those with penicillin allergies.
• Clindamycin Clindamycin is effective for those who are allergic to penicillin or have a case of strep throat that is resistant to penicillin.
• Cefdiner Branded as Omnicef, research suggests that a 5-day course of cefdinir treatment is equal to a 10-day regimen with penicillin.

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How Do I Know If My Strep Throat Is Viral Or Bacterial

Strep throats are bacterial infections caused by Streptococcus bacteria. However, viral infections can also cause a sore throat.

To find out whether your sore throat is a sign of viral or bacterial infection, youll need to pay attention to your symptoms and the length of your sore throat.

Antibiotics are only used to treat bacterial infections. If youre not sure whether your infection is viral or bacterial, your doctor will be able to diagnose your infection and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

What Matters Most To You

Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.

Reasons to take antibiotics for a sore throat

Reasons not to take antibiotics for a sore throat

I want to take medicine even if there’s only a chance it will help me get well faster.

I may not want to take medicine if it won’t help me get well faster.

I’m worried about my sore throat turning into an ear infection or sinus infection.

I’m not worried about my sore throat turning into an ear infection or sinus infection.

I’m not worried about the risk of taking antibiotics too often.

I’m worried about the risks of taking antibiotics too often.

I’ve had a sore throat for more than a week, and it’s not getting better.

I’ve had a sore throat for just a few days.

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What Is Proper Medication For Patients With Strep Throat

Am Fam Physician. 2010 Jun 1 81:1318.

Original Article: Diagnosis and Treatment of Streptococcal Pharyngitis

to the editor: This article provided an excellent overview of the diagnosis and treatment of strep throat. The author indicates that amoxicillin is equally effective and more palatable than using penicillin. I was taught to avoid using ampicillin or amoxicillin to treat strep throat because acute mononucleosis may be the problem, and that it presents much like a strep throat in the acute phase. When patients with mono are given ampicillin or amoxicillin, a generalized red rash often appears. Is this classic advice taught to me in the 1970s out of date?

JOSEPH E. SCHERGER, MD, MPH

San Diego, Calif

E-mail:

The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines suggest that amoxicillin is equally effective and more palatable than penicillin for treating streptococcal pharyngitis. For children who have acute GABHS pharyngitis, amoxicillin may be a good alternative for those unlikely to comply with penicillin use because of taste, or whose parents prefer to avoid an antibiotic injection. Penicillin and amoxicillin are inexpensive and generic, and GABHS isolates have not developed resistance to these drugs.

BETH CHOBY, MD

How Can I Help My Child Feel Better

Home care can help your child feel better while battling strep throat. Give plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration, such as water or ginger ale, especially if he or she has had a fever. Avoid orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade, or other acidic beverages, which can irritate a sore throat. Warm liquids like soups, sweetened tea, or hot chocolate can be soothing.

Talk to your doctor about when your child can return to normal activities. Most kids can go back to school when they’ve taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours and no longer have a fever.

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Causes & Symptoms Of Strep Throat

Strep throat is an infection of the throat and tonsils. Its caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria, 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
• Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or above
• Headache and body aches
• Non-itching, red rash, which is a sign of scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is a serious bacterial infection.

What Is Rheumatic Fever

Rheumatic fever can develop following a Strep throat infection or scarlet fever. Although rare in the contiguous U.S., the disease is still prevalent in children of Samoan descent living in Hawaii and residents of American Samoa.

Symptoms of rheumatic fever usually show 14 to 28 days after a Strep infection. Because the bacteria trick the body’s immune system into attacking healthy tissues, the disease can affect the heart, joints, skin, and brain.

Symptoms of rheumatic fever include:

• Fever

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Is This Your Child’s Symptom

• Your child was diagnosed with a Strep throat infection
• A doctor has told you your child probably has Strep throat or
• Your child has a positive Strep test
• Your child is taking an antibiotic for Strep throat and you have questions
• You are worried that the fever or sore throat is not getting better fast enough

Antibiotics For Strep Throat

The main treatment for strep throat is a course of antibiotics.

Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics only if youve been given a clear diagnosis of strep infection, which is confirmed by testing a throat swab.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, and theres no benefit to taking an antibiotic for a viral infection although there are risks, including medication side effects and a greater potential for antibiotic resistance in the future, according to Nipunie S. Rajapakse, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Penicillin and amoxicillin are the two standard antibiotic treatments for strep throat. Either option is taken by mouth for 10 days.

In rare cases when someone cant swallow effectively, injected penicillin may be used instead.

Thankfully, Group A strep bacteria is 100 percent susceptible to these antibiotics, notes Dr. Rajapakse. Weve never found any isolates that are resistant.

In cases where a patient is allergic to penicillin or amoxicillin, another family of antibiotics may be substituted.

In these situations, The only difference is that, often, well have to test the specific type of strep the person has to make sure that the antibiotics work against it, says Rajapakse.

Taking antibiotics for strep throat has two main benefits: reducing symptoms and preventing complications.

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Description Of The Intervention

The administration of antibiotics is likely to shorten the time to the remittance of symptoms and reduce the likelihood of complications in patients whose sore throat has a bacteriological aetiology . However, their benefits may be limited in the treatment of sore throat more generally . Traditionally, doctors have attempted to decide whether the cause of the infection is bacterial, especially when caused by the group A betahaemolytic Streptococcus . However, deciding the aetiological agent is difficult .

What Is The Best Medication For Strep Throat

The best medication for treating strep throat should be discussed with your doctor and will depend on your medical history and current medications you may be taking.

Dosage is determined by your healthcare provider based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and weight. Other possible side effects exist. This is not a complete list.

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How Does Strep Throat Spread

Highly contagious, strep throat is spread through airborne droplets . Children can also get infected by touching surfaces that carry the bacteria and then touching their nose, mouth or eyes.

I often tell parents not to share anything in the house that goes in the mouth, says Dr. Flaherty-Hewitt, who is medical director of Yale New Haven Hospitals Pediatric Primary Care Center. Once they have been on antibiotics for 24 to 48 hours, they shouldnt be contagious. We also advise throwing out their toothbrush and washing their pillowcases or other such items after they have been on the antibiotics 24 to 48 hours.

As for prevention, practicing proper hand hygiene is key. Wash your hands and cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze, Dr. Flaherty-Hewitt advises.

Throat Pictures Can Help Inspire You To Seek A Throat Surgery

Many people often wonder if throat Pictures can help them decide if they need to have surgery. Throat pictures are usually not shown to patients unless it is a very serious condition that could leave the patient with limited ability to communicate. Throat surgery is quite expensive and few people have this type of health problem requiring such drastic action. Many doctors work in all 50 states now and same day services are available virtually every 15 minutes for those that need it.

Like you would get free advice on strep throat from your doctor, you can also get throat pictures of different severity online to help influence your choice to seek antibiotics or wait and see if the sore throat heals on its own. When you do see the telltale signs of a sore throat accompanied by a fever, pain or redness, you should take immediate action. Many patients choose to wait and see if the sore throat heals but this is a bad idea because the longer it goes without treatment the less likely it is to go away. The quicker you treat the problem the better and the less likelihood it will turn into something more serious later down the road.

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What Are Possible Complications Of Strep Throat

Although rare, complications of strep throat may include:

• Inflammation of the kidneys
• Rheumatic fever
• Abscesses near the tonsils

Recurrent strep throat can sometimes mean children need to have their tonsils removed . Yale Medicine Pediatric Otolaryngology surgeons offer several advanced treatment options for this.

Antibiotics Get You Well Fast

Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics. Either penicillin or amoxicillin are recommended as a first choice for people who are not allergic to penicillin. Doctors can use other antibiotics to treat strep throat in people who are allergic to penicillin.

Benefits of antibiotics include:

• Preventing the bacteria from spreading to others
• Preventing serious complications like rheumatic fever

Someone who tests positive for strep throat but has no symptoms usually does not need antibiotics. They are less likely to spread the bacteria to others and very unlikely to get complications. If a carrier gets a sore throat illness caused by a virus, the rapid strep test can be positive. In these cases it can be hard to know what is causing the sore throat. If someone keeps getting a sore throat after taking the right antibiotics, they may be a strep carrier and have a viral throat infection. Talk to a doctor if you think you or your child may be a strep carrier.

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Are Strep Throats Contagious

Yes, Strep throats are contagious, and the bacteria are easily transmitted and spread by coughing or sneezing or after coming into contact with infected droplets, and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes. Transmission of bacteria can also occur via contact with people with Scarlet fever, or other group A skin infections.

Without treatment, people with Strep throat can pass on the bacteria to others for one to two weeks after symptoms appear. The best way to prevent infection is to wash your hands often and always before eating or after being in contact with an infected person. Do not share utensils, linen, or personal items. People with Strep throat or scarlet fever should stay home for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotics or until they feel well enough to return to school or work.

What Stands Out About Yale Medicines Approach To Strep Throat

As an academic medical center, Yale Medicine offers access to highly trained and experienced pediatric specialists, including surgeons specializing in treating children with ear, nose and throat problems. These specialists are at the top of their respective fields in advanced treatment methods and clinical research.

Also, Yale Medicine is one of the few places where surgeons can offer partial tonsillectomy, which can mean a quicker and less painful recovery for children who are appropriate candidates.

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Description Of The Condition

Sore throat is a very common reason for people to attend primary care settings . Moreover, four to six times as many people suffering sore throat do not seek care . Sore throat is a disease that remits spontaneously, that is, ‘cure’ is not dependent on treatment . Nonetheless, primary care doctors commonly prescribe antibiotics for sore throat and other upper respiratory tract infections. There are large differences in clinical practice between countries and between primary care doctors .