How to Manage a Sore Throat

Overview

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that can make your throat feel sore and scratchy. Strep throat accounts for only a small portion of sore throats.

If untreated, strep throat can cause complications, such as kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can lead to painful and inflamed joints, a specific type of rash, or heart valve damage.

Strep throat is most common in children, but it affects people of all ages. If you or your child has signs or symptoms of strep throat, see your doctor for prompt testing and treatment.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include:

• Throat pain that usually comes on quickly

• Painful swallowing

• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus

• Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth (soft or hard palate)

• Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck

• Fever

• Headache

• Rash

• Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children

• Body aches

Strep throat infection

Strep throat usually causes throat pain and difficulty swallowing. This photo of strep throat shows inflammation and red spots, caused by the infection.

It's possible for you or your child to have many of these signs and symptoms but not have strep throat. The cause of these signs and symptoms could be a viral infection or some other illness. That's why your doctor generally tests specifically for strep throat.

It's also possible for you to be exposed to a person who carries strep but shows no symptoms.