Strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection. A Streptococcus bacterium is the most common type of bacteria to cause this ailment. While a person of any age can get strep throat, it is most common among children ages five to fifteen. Strep throat is spread through sneezing and coughing, which means that it can quickly spread through a home, school, or office.
Typically, strep throat is self-limiting. This means that it will often clear up on its own over time. A person that has strep throat needs to rest and support their immune system with minerals and vitamins. There are various methods that can be used to treat strep throat, most of which are similar to methods that are used for treating colds.
Identifying strep throat is one of the biggest challenges of the illness as symptoms are similar to other viral infections. Here are 13 symptoms of strep throat to help you tell the difference between strep throat and a simple sore throat.
1. Sore Throat
The main and most persistent symptom of strep throat is a throat that is sore. This symptom may be fairly mild or it can become extremely painful. When the throat becomes inflamed with strep bacteria it can become difficult to swallow and talk. Typically, the symptom of a sore throat will appear about five days after being exposed to the bacteria. If your throat becomes sore, it could be the symptom of many other ailments such as a simple cold. However, if your sore throat comes with some of the other symptoms on the list, it is likely strep.
There are some things that you can do in order to ease the pain of a sore throat. Cough medicine or cough drops may help to ease some of the pain associated with strep throat. Steam inhalation can help to reduce the inflammation that is causing pain. Eating a spoonful of honey may also ease the pain.