Unlike most painful throat infections which are caused by viruses, strep throat is caused by a bacteria called group A Streptococcus. Group A strep bacteria tend to be very contagious and are spread through respiratory droplets or through direct contact with an infected individual who has infected sores on their skin. It can occasionally be spread through food that hasn’t been handled correctly; however, this is very rare.
Symptoms of strep throat will generally begin around two to five days after being exposed to the bacteria.
These include:
- Pain when swallowing
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Red spots on the roof of the mouth
- Fever
- Red and swollen tonsils that may have streaks of white patches or pus
- A sore throat that spreads quickly
It is important to remember that strep throat symptoms usually don’t include things like a cough, a husky voice, or a runny nose. If these symptoms are present, then it could be linked to another common viral illness such as a common cold or the flu.
Strep throat is most common in people ages five through 15 years old and it is unlikely to occur in children under the age of three. Adults who have frequent contact with children are also at an increased risk of getting it.
Serious complications caused by strep throat are very rare but they can include ear infections, sinus infections, abscesses, or rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease affecting the joints, brain, skin, and heart which is believed to be an immune response to an earlier infection.
What Are Sprains?
Sprains are a stretch of a tear of a ligament, the tissue that connects two bones. Ligaments support and stabilize the joints and allow movement such as walking and running. The injury usually occurs after a twist, fall, or blow to the body and you may feel a tear or point in your joint when the sprain occurs. Sprains most commonly occur in the ankle and unfortunately, once you have had one, you are likely to have them again in the future.
If the sprain is considered mild, it usually means that the ligament has been stretched but that the connecting joint remains stable. In a moderate sprain, the ligament is partially torn which leads to instability in the joint. During a severe sprain, the ligaments are either separated from the bone or torn completely. All sprains will generally include swelling, bruising, pain, and inflammation; however, the intensity of these symptoms is usually impacted by the severity of the sprain.
Testing
Testing for strep throat is easy and relatively painless. There are two different types of tests which include a rapid strep test and a throat culture. If a patient tests positive on a rapid strep test, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics. If the test is negative but the doctor still suspects that it could be strep throat, they will likely request a throat culture. This is particularly important if the patient is a child as children are significantly more likely to develop rheumatic fever from an untreated strep throat infection than an adult.
Treatment
Antibiotics will help reduce the amount of time that symptoms are present, prevent the spread of strep throat, and greatly decrease the chances of any serious complications such as rheumatic fever. Once someone starts taking antibiotics, they will usually begin to feel better within just a day or two. People can return to work or school once they no longer have a fever and have been taking the antibiotics for at least 12 hours. Remember that it is crucial to take the prescription exactly as a doctor tells you to and not to stop taking it unless your doctor tells you to stop.
