How Long Does Strep Throat Usually Last
How long does strep throat usually last?
Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes soreness. It is caused by Streptococcal bacteria, and is common among children who are between ages 5 and 15. Occasionally adults get the disease, but the symptoms are mild. The symptoms are more severe in children, and worse than those of a regular sore throat. They include pain, trouble swallowing, swollen tonsils, red spots on the palate, fever, headache and fatigue. Have a doctor test you or your child for strep throat. How long does strep throat last? The average amount of time is 7-10 days whether it is treated or not.
Strep throat has an incubation period of 2-5 days. It remains contagious for about 3 weeks.The symptoms of strep throat usually last for about a week. You will start to feel noticeably better after 4-5 days. There is a risk of contracting rheumatic fever twenty days after strep throat if it is not treated. People who are already in poor health are particularly vulnerable to getting rheumatic fever. A strep diagnosis is done by a throat culture. This test is accurate and it takes about ten minutes to get the results. Another diagnostic tool is the rapid strep test, but it is not foolproof. If you test positive get a prescription for antibiotics. Take the entire dose to make sure that the strep infection does not recur. The streptococci bacteria can stay in the body for weeks if left untreated. Most doctors advise patients to stay home for at least 24 hours, drink a lot of liquids and rest. It is important to avoid exposing others to the bacteria. Children can return to school a day after they start antibiotic treatment if their temperature and energy level are normal. Adults should not go to work for a couple of days after starting treatment.
Strep throat is a highly contagious bacterial infection that occurs in children who are 5-15 years old. Sometimes adults get it, but the symptoms are mild. Children tend to develop more severe symptoms. An innovative rapid strep test is used to diagnose the problem. Doctors recommend that patients take antibiotics and rest. They also advise patients to stay home to avoid exposing other people to the illness. One natural remedy is to gargle with a baking soda and water mixture. In summary, regarding, how long does strep throat last, It takes about 3 days for the symptoms to ease when antibiotics are used, however it takes an average of 7-10 days to actually recover from strep throat.
