Muscle aches, especially in the neck, and abdominal pains, especially in younger children
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Tests to detect strep throat may be used and include:
Throat culture—Sample of throat secretions is cultured in the laboratory. It takes a few days to gets results.
Rapid antigen strep screen—The results are available in minutes. The test is based on detection of antigens; however, a negative test does not exclude the diagnosis of strep throat.
Rapid DNA test—Using DNA technology to detect strep throat, this test is as accurate as throat culture. The results are usually available in one day.
While only a, rapid DNA test or throat culture can confidently distinguish strep throats from those caused by virus infection, doctors make diagnosis and decide about treatment primarily by careful evaluation of symptoms and physical findings.
Almost all sore throats—including strep—will get better on their own in 7 to 10 days. Strep throat improves more rapidly with antibiotics than without, but antibiotics do not affect the healing of sore throats due to virus infection. Given as a pill or a shot, types of antibiotics include penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, azithromycin, or cephalosporin antibiotics. Symptoms begin to disappear after only a few doses, but it is crucial that you finish the entire prescription.
Serious complications of undertreated strep throat include:
Antibiotics are typically given to prevent the complication of
from occurring after strep throat infection. In many communities, erythromycin is no longer reliably effective in treating strep throat or preventing rheumatic fever due to resistance of the bacteria.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care
provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the
advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to
starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a