Do you ever experience a bad sore throat with severe pain and fever? Have you ever been confused between the symptoms of strep throat vs sore throat? Well, you are not alone. I have encountered situations where people confuse sore throat with strep and mishandled their infection. These situations urged me to write a detailed blog about the symptoms, treatments, and causes of both infections so that people can tackle their illnesses accordingly.
A sore throat (pharyngitis) may be caused by a cold, allergens, or viruses and is curable with home remedies. However, strep (Streptococcal Pharyngitis) is caused by the A.streptococcus bacteria and needs medical assistance. Both share the common symptoms of pain and a swollen throat. However, in strep infection, one experiences a high fever of 101°F and extreme swallowing with red and white patches on lymph nodes.
Let’s explore more details about both sore throat tonsillitis vs strep
pharyngitis Symptoms
Pharyngitis usually appear with upper respiratory infection symptoms such as
- Cold
- Runny nose
- Watery eyes
- Mild fever with fatigue
- Slightly swollen lymph nodes
- Mild redness in the throat
- Sneezing
Causes of Pharyngitis
The viruses usually cause it. The main culprit viruses for sore throat are
- Rhinovirus
- Adenovirus,
- Coronavirus
- Influenza virus
There are also some other reasons, such as viruses, allergens (pollen, dust, food), or bacteria.
Home Remedies For Pharyngitis
Usually, pharyngitis are caused by viruses and are not curable with antibiotics, so there is no need to opt for antibiotics for treatment. The viruses usually complete their lifespan and go away within 7-14 days. You can minimise the symptoms with some advisable home remedies, such as
- Warm water gargles
- Drinking warm liquids such as coffee and tea
- Drinking a lot of water
You can also use a killer to minimise the pain but always ask your practitioner to take any medicine.
Let’s explore Streptococcal Pharyngitis in detail now.
Streptococcal Pharyngitis Symptoms
Most of the symptoms of Streptococcal Pharyngitis are just like the pharyngitis but at an extreme level. It makes difficult to distinguish between strep throat vs sore throat.There are some other symptoms which indicate that you are experiencing strep infection and must visit your doctor. These strep throat symptoms are
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph with red or white patches
- Severe pain when swallowing anything
- Upset stomach
- Loss appetite
- A high fever is usually 101
Cause of Strep Throat
Streptococcal Pharyngitis is usually caused by a bacteria known as A.Streptococus. It can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets or close contact with the contaminated person.
Detection of Strep Throat
Never mishandle your Streptococcal Pharyngitis because it gets worse and leads to sinusitis (sinus infection), otitis media (ear infection), rheumatic fever and meningitis (inflammation in the meninges). If you feel your throat infection is worsening, always visit the doctor. Your practitioner will check your symptoms, such as your throat condition and fever. If he suspects your throat infection is strep, he will prescribe you a rapid strep test. It is done by taking your throat swab culture, which is sent to the micro lab to detect A Streptococcus presence.
Treatment for the Streptococcal Pharyngitis Infection
If your rapid strep test comes back positive, your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics. The antibiotics commonly used for this infection are amoxicillin and pencillin.Well, amoxicillin is the primary drug used for the treatment of strep infection, and if any patient is allergic to amoxillin, pencillin is used as a replacement. Once you start the antibiotic course, your symptoms will start fading away. However, you are recommended to complete the entire course; otherwise, your strep throat infection can come back and develop resistance against antibiotics.
Who is At More Risk?
According to the Australian Department of Health, the following individuals are at higher risk of getting a strep infection
- Kids (3-15)
- Older adults (above 65)
- People with poor hygiene situations
- People who spend more time in crowded places
- People with weak immune system
strep throat symptoms in Children
According to the study, based on data collected from the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance (PAEDS) network, the incidence of A. streptococcus infection in children increased from mid-2022. So, it is advisable for parents to understand the symptoms and treat this infection at the right time to maintain their child’s health.
Children between 3-15 of age are at the highest risk of developing Streptococcal Pharyngitis. The toddlers cannot tell about their pain, so the question arises: how do they get the idea that they are disturbed due to step infection? You can observe the symptoms. The common strep throat symptoms in children are
- High fever
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Irritability
- Difficulty in sleeping due to pain
- Swollen lymph nodes with patches
- Refusing their favourite food because they are not able to swallow
If you observe the above-mentioned symptoms in your children, then immediately take medical advice from your family practitioner.
Preventive Measures
If you are looking after a strep-infected person or in close touch with them, there are more chances that you can get it, too, as it is spread from one person to another. However, you can avoid it by following the given preventive measure
- Maintain a proper hygiene
- Wash hands regularly after contacting the contaminated person
- Ask the infected person to sneeze or cough in the elbow
- Wear a mask while you are with them
- Do not use utensils, food and napkins
- Ask the infected person to keep sanitiser with them and sanitise hands regularly
Difference Between Strep Throat vs Sore Throat
At the end, I want to share the comparison in table form for sore throat tonsillitis vs strep for your better understanding
| Factors | Sore Throat | Strep Throat |
| Causes | Cold, pollens, allergens, viruses | A.Streptococus |
| Symtopms | Sneezing, cough, cold, pain, swallow lymphs, sligh red | Severe pain in throat, fever of 101 fahrenheit, swollen lymphs, red or white patches |
| Preventive Measures | Stay hydrated, take rest, healthy food to boost immunity | Maintain hygiene, wear maks, wash hands |
| Treatments | Usually go away with home remedies | Antibiotics (Amoxillin, Penicillin for the patients allergic to Amoxillin) |
Final Words
Many people confuse between strep throat vs sore throat, which can worsen the situation. So, it is necessary to be knowledgeable about both, observe symptoms, and seek medical help if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does strep throat go on its own?
No, strep infection does not go on its own, and you must take antibiotics to cure it.
How do you know if one is affected by a sore throat or strep?
If sudden throat pain arises with a high fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit, it is a strep infection.
Sore infection patients do not experience a high fever.
Can a sore throat change into strep throat?
No, sore throat never leads to strep. Both have different causes, symptoms and treatments.
Leave A Comment