Treatment of Strep Throat

Strep throat usually resolves within 1 to 2 weeks, even without treatment. The line of treatment in Strep Throat infection includes Antibiotics If you’re diagnosed with strep throat, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection. These medications inhibit the spread of bacteria and infections. Several types of antibiotics are available. However, penicillin and amoxicillin are the most common medications given for a strep infection. What is the role of Antibiotics ? Antibiotics shorten the duration of symptoms in young children but have only a modest effect on symptoms in adolescents and adults. Antibiotics are prevent the spread of the infection to the middle ear, sinuses, and mastoid bone, as well as to prevent spread to other people. Antibiotic therapy also helps prevent rheumatic fever, although it may not prevent kidney inflammation. Usually, antibiotics need not be started immediately. Waiting 1 to 2 days for culture results before starting antibiotics does not increase the risk of rheumatic fever. An exception is when a family member has or has had rheumatic fever. Then, every streptococcal infection in any family member should be treated as soon as possible. It’s important that you finish your antibiotic treatment course to kill the infection completely. Some people stop taking their medication when symptoms improve, which can trigger a relapse. If this happens, the symptoms can return. At-Home Care In addition to antibiotics, there are at-home treatments to improve the symptoms of strep throat. These remedies include: · drinking warm liquids, such as lemon water and tea · drinking cold liquids to help numb the throat · turning on a cool-mist humidifier · taking over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen · sucking on throat lozenges · adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of water and gargling the mixture