What Are the Treatment Options for Sore Throat and Strep Throat?

A sore throat might not be considered an emergency, but it can easily disrupt your daily life, making simple tasks like eating, drinking, and sleeping uncomfortable. If you find yourself dealing with irritation, scratchiness, itchiness, or pain that makes swallowing a challenge, you are not alone. Alongside the primary symptom of pain, a sore throat can create other discomforts, like a dry throat, swollen glands in your neck, white spots on your tonsils, fatigue, and fever.

Strep Throat Treatment

Strep throat might go away on its own, but getting treatment with antibiotics will help you get rid of it faster and prevent more severe symptoms. Prompt treatment with antibiotics will also reduce the risk of spreading strep to others.

In addition to antibiotics, over-the-counter pain relievers can also help ease symptoms. You can also do some things at home to help you feel better, like getting extra rest and drinking plenty of fluids.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics work only on bacteria and do not affect sore throats caused by viruses. Antibiotics can:

  1. Relieve your sore throat and other symptoms if they are caused by strep.
  2. Help you get better faster.
  3. Make it less likely you will spread it to others.
  4. Help prevent complications such as sinus and tonsil infections, as well as more serious things such as rheumatic fever.

Doctors most often prescribe penicillin or amoxicillin to treat strep throat. They are the top choices because they are safer, inexpensive, and they work on strep bacteria.

You will take antibiotics orally one to three times each day. Doctors sometimes give antibiotics through a shot. Most antibiotic treatments for strep throat last about 10 days. You will start to feel better a day or two after you start them.

Strep Throat Home Remedies

Until the antibiotics begin to work, these home treatments can help you feel better:

  1. Over-the-counter pain relievers- Take acetaminophen, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Advil, or Motrin to bring down your fever and ease your sore throat.
  2. Rest- Stay home from school or work. You need extra rest to help your body fight off the infection.
  3. Gargling- Rinse with a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water to relieve your scratchy throat.
  4. Lozenges- These can help coat your sore throat. Some include ingredients that will provide pain relief.
  5. Lots of fluids- Water and warm liquids such as soup or tea soothe your throat and keep you hydrated. If a cold sensation soothes your throat, suck on a frozen popsicle or ice chips. Avoid orange juice, lemonade, and other drinks that are high in acid. These will burn your throat.
  6. Soft foods- Examples include yogurt, applesauce, or frozen yogurt. They are easier to swallow.
  7. Cool mist humidifier or saline nasal spray- Moisture can help make your throat feel better.

Stay away from anything that can bother your throat, like cigarette smoke, paint fumes, or cleaning products.

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes a sore throat, fever, rash, and other symptoms. Antibiotics will kill the bacteria and help you get better faster, as well as prevent more serious conditions. You will need to visit your doctor for a prescription. Over-the-counter pain relievers will also help, as will rest and fluids.

Related Article: What Are the Symptoms of Strep Throat?